Houseplant from the tropical climate.

The avocado plant (Persea americana), which is becoming more and more popular as a houseplant in many countries around the world, has a huge seed that you obviously don’t want to throw away. It is worth trying to germinate it if you have a sunny windowsill.

We are happy to share two simple but effective methods with you below:

1. Germinating avocado seeds in water

This soilless method is a great way to observe the germination process, and it can be a great project for kids too! First clean the seed thoroughly with water, then poke 3-4 toothpicks towards the center of the seed: they serve as a support.

Fill a glass or a small jar with water and put the avocado seed in it, with the blunt end down, so that the bottom half hangs in the water. Place the glass on a warm, sunny windowsill and make sure to change the water every 2-3 days.

After about 6 weeks, the top of the avocado seed opens, a small sprout appears and begins to grow rapidly. As soon as the roots appear, remove the toothpicks and plant the seed in a pot filled with moist soil. Cover the roots with soil, but leave the top half of the seed exposed.

2. Planting avocado seeds directly in potting mix

Clean the seed thoroughly with water, then wipe dry. Place it in humus-rich potting mix so that two-thirds of the seed remains exposed. Water the potting medium thoroughly and keep it evenly moist, be careful not to let it dry out. You can occasionally spray the seed with water or place the pot in a greenhouse. A warm room, 22-25 °C is ideal for the plant.

Caring for the avocado plant

As a tropical plant, avocado likes a warm environment, high humidity and moist soil. A conservatory or a sunny windowsill with a minimum temperature of 22 °C is ideal for it. It needs regular watering, but does not tolerate stagnant water, in which case its soil may start to mold or the seed may start to rot.

Water with a low lime content is optimal, as the plant responds to too much lime with chlorosis. Feed the plant with nutrient solution for the first time when it is 6 months old, then add nutrient solution to its irrigation water once every 2 weeks.

When grown as a houseplant, it can usually reach a maximum height of 1.5 meters. If your goal is a more bushy shape, cut it back at a height of about 30 cm to encourage branching. These little trees bear no fruit at all. If you want fruit, you’ll need at least two trees, and you’ll need to pollinate the flowers by hand.