Here are seven simple steps to grow your own avocado tree from a seed:
Avocados are wonderful fruits of summer, high in nutrition and flavor. Nothing signals the start of summer like a zesty lime guacamole dip with tortilla chips. The next time you're making guacamole or slicing an avocado for a salad, try saving your pits to grow into avocado trees. It's surprisingly easy to grow your own avocado tree from seed, and it makes a great educational project for home and classrooms. Check out our handy-dandy guide below, complete with photos, to learn how to grow an avocado tree indoors from seed.
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1. Remove and clean pit
You'll need to start by removing the pit from the avocado carefully, without cutting it, and then washing it clean of all the avocado fruit. Often it helps to soak the pit in some water for a few minutes and then scrub all the remaining fruit off.
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2. Locate which end is "up" and which end is "down"
Some avocado pits are slightly oblong, whereas others are shaped almost like perfect spheres – but all avocado pits have a 'bottom', from where the roots will grow, and a 'top', from which the sprout will grow. The slightly pointier end is the top, and the flat end is the bottom. In order to get your pit to sprout, you will need to place the bottom root end in water, so it's very important to figure out which end is the 'top' and which is the 'bottom' before you go piercing it with toothpicks.
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3. Pierce with three toothpicks
Take three toothpicks and stick them at a slight downward angle into the avocado seed, spaced evenly around the circumference of the avocado. These toothpicks are your avocado scaffolding, which will allow you to rest the bottom half of the avocado in water, so therefore the toothpicks need to be wedged in there firmly. I recommend sticking them in at a slight angle pointing down, so that more of your avocado base rests in the water when you set this over a glass.
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4. Place seed half-submerged in a glass of water
And set on a quiet windowsill with sunlight. It's helpful to use a clear glass so you can easily see when roots start to grow, and also when the water needs to be changed. Many guides recommend to change the water every day, but I found, through trial and error, that it is better to change the water every five days to a week or so. You do want to make sure you change the water regularly, to prevent mould, bacteria and fungus growth, which can doom your little avocado sprout.
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5. Wait for your avocado seed to sprout
Many guides say sprouting can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks, but in my experience, it usually takes at least 8 weeks to get a sprout, so be patient. Here is the process you will witness:
🥑 The top of the avocado pit will dry out and form a crack, and the outer brown seed skin will slough off.
🥑 The crack will extend all the way to the bottom of the avocado pit, and through the crack at the bottom, a tiny taproot will begin to emerge.
🥑 The taproot will grow longer and longer and may branch, and eventually a small sprout will peek through the top of the avocado pit. Do not allow your taproot to dry out unsubmerged EVER – doing so will be the death of your plant. -
6. Pot in soil when the plant is about 15 cm tall
When the stem is about 15cm long, cut it back to about 8cm, this will encourage new growth. When it hits 15cm again, pot it up in a rich humus soil in a 25cm diameter pot, leaving the top half of the seed exposed. Place on a sunny windowsill. Avocados love sun – the more sun the better.
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7. Water and watch it grow
Give it frequent waterings with an occasional deep soak. The soil should always be moist, but not saturated. Yellowing leaves are a sign of over-watering; let the plant dry out for a few days.
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