Avacado plants???

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by Ashley, Feb 3, 2006.

  1. Ashley

    Ashley Member

    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Abbotsford, Canada
    i was just wondering if anyone on here knows what i have to do to get an avacado plant/tree.. i dont know anything about that kind of plant but i know the finished product is good lol so if anyone has any suggestions or sites or information on them and dont mind sharing that would be really nice thanks! -Ashley
     
  2. Rima

    Rima Active Member

    Messages:
    991
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Canada
    Hi, I've grown a couple and it's very easy. When you finish eating, rinse off the pit, let it dry overnite and then you can either just plop it (bottom third-to-half only) in a pot of soil and don't let the soil dry out (sometimes hard to do that), or take 3 toothpicks and stick 'em evenly around the pit no higher than the middle, sticking straight out (you have to push the picks in about 1/4-1/2". Sit the picks on top of a glass of water that covers the bottom 1/3 at least of the pit and don't forget to keep it up every day. Wait about 6 wks (could be a bit less or more) and you should see the pit split in two, a little green shoot come from the top and roots from the bottom. When the bottom one(s) is at least 2-3" long, snip about half of the root off (leaving other little roots on it... or wait til there are some even if it grows longer) and plant the pit (with soil to the same level on the pit as the water was in the glass) in a tall (1') pot that doesn't need to be very wide (6-8" tops). Water. Then water when the top half inch of soil dries out, keep it in the sun, and you're all set!
     
  3. Ashley

    Ashley Member

    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Abbotsford, Canada
    Thanks!!! about how long does it take for the plant to sprout avacados? and is it ok that i have left the pit out for a couple days since i rinsed it off? since i have to go to the store and buy a small pot and soil tomorrow is it ok if i leave it till tomorrow? its sitting in a very small bowl about 3" x3" with a small amount of water in it is it gonna be ok? thanks-Ashley
     
  4. Rima

    Rima Active Member

    Messages:
    991
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Canada
    Yes it's ok to leave it, but take it out of the water. And if you do (highly unlikely without a lot of supplementary lighting) ever see fruit starting to grow (not in the first year(s) anyhow) nip it off - you don't want them pulling the plant down, or taking its energy - unless you're planting it outside for life, but if you're not in California, it won't live.
     
  5. FrCDNgrl

    FrCDNgrl Member

    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver Island, Canada
    Sometime last year all I did was clean the pit, covered it in soil, kept it by my kitchen window for months, and watered it whenever it was real dry. Now, this morning a nub has finally poke through the dirt. I fully expect not to ever have fruit on it. I will say it does take a long time.
     
  6. Ashley

    Ashley Member

    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Abbotsford, Canada
    i dont have anything yet... lol well its only been a short time but i have 3 that are in soil and i put them in different times so i have hope! thanks:)

    i did one in water for a while on my counter in a dish then placed in own planter
    i did one in water with 2" of soil then just placed in its own planter as well
    and last one i just washed off and threw in my other plant! well see how it goes

    my fiance keeps tellin me cant we get rid of a couple of these yet! i swear one day im gonna come home and 2 will be gone! i just wanted to see if there was a difference between the variations that i have tried
     
  7. Rima

    Rima Active Member

    Messages:
    991
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Canada
    Hi, I think you want to grow them for the fruit - and you can't do it in Canada because it's just not warm or sunny enough. All you can do is grow them as house plants indoors, but you won't get 'useful' fruit and will have to keep them small (a la bonsai) and any fruit would overpower such a small (relatively) tree.
     
  8. Ashley

    Ashley Member

    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Abbotsford, Canada
    i already knew that i wasnt gonna get fruit but im not worried about it.... i was just tryin to get different techniques and see what works and whats not goin to!
     
  9. skyjs

    skyjs Member

    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    Portland
    Make sure you take off the brown thin skin before planting and point it the correct way. I don't remember if it is point up or down.
    John S
     
  10. Rima

    Rima Active Member

    Messages:
    991
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Canada
  11. Ashley

    Ashley Member

    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Abbotsford, Canada
    well its been 5 months and i finally have a 3" sprout coming from my avacado pit that i planted... i cant wait to see how she comes along! im honestly surprised that it happened.... but i think i have done something stupid... i was really not expecting it to happen so i threw it in with my Corn plant Draceana... anyways the last few weeks i have noticed some of the leaves were dying and turning blochy... then i went away over night and i came home and its very droopy! so im thinking i need to remove the avacado plant out of the trees planter :( do you think it will survive a move???
     
  12. Ashley

    Ashley Member

    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Abbotsford, Canada
    here are some pics of it now.. if you look in my queen marble post you will see what it looked like bofore i did the mistake :(
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Rima

    Rima Active Member

    Messages:
    991
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Canada
    I don't think you have a lot of choice - I don't see them getting along for very much longer at all. Be very careful when you dig, because the avo. will have a looong taproot, which you certainly can cut to repot, but not all of it (this season anyway) unless there are lots of roots coming from the pit otherwise, but I doubt it (would have been better to cut it when it was smaller, and encourage other roots to grow). Anyway, I'm sure it'll be fine (and so will the dracaena, which generally likes less water than the avo). Make sure the new soil has plenty of grit in there for fast drainage and a tall pot with a good drain hole. Good luck!.
     
  14. Ashley

    Ashley Member

    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Abbotsford, Canada
    i bought a self watering pot for the avo. today it sits above the water and will take as needed i suppose... and i have planted her in it already with nutrient generic potting soil, 0.08 Nitrogen, 0.12 something (i dont have the bag hubby does), it had a really big long root was cute to me cause i never really did the whole gardening thing. well see how she does im really excited!
     
  15. Ashley

    Ashley Member

    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Abbotsford, Canada
    Holy! they seem to grow pretty quick i have had it on my patio for around 10 or so days and its gotten huge! id say its about 6-7" now! do they usually grow this fast? and also it has been quite cool out for summer here in abbotsford its even been raining for a couple days :)
     
  16. Rima

    Rima Active Member

    Messages:
    991
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Canada
    Ashley, how're you going to get it back in the house now? I cut mine when it had a bunch of leaves on it and while it's taller now, with more leaves from the 'new' top, it's nothing like 6-7'.
     
  17. Ashley

    Ashley Member

    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Abbotsford, Canada
    its in a planter i can bring the whole thing in :) really im really excited to see how it grows and cant believe its gotten so big so fast
     
  18. hibielover

    hibielover Active Member

    Messages:
    63
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    AB,Canada
    A year ago, I started one from a pit,but i read somewhere to put it in damp paper towl, and in a sealed plastic bag. Also the article said to put it in a dark,cool spot. Well...out of the two pits,one really did well,and after about two months,it was planted in potting soil [the pit halfways out of the soil] Its still doing great, in a fairly small pot.
     
  19. jamkh

    jamkh Active Member

    Messages:
    133
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    Ashley.
    I like your adventurous spirit and your curiosity to check things out for yourself (one after my own heart). I did have 4 year old Avacardo plants indoor, and wanting to test their hardiness placed them outdoor for the winter. Of course they didn't make it as they are semi-tropical. I like the color of their stems, dark green, and could make an interesting bonsai though you will have a hard time shrinking their oversized leaves. In nature they start bearing fruits after 12 years. I wonder if you couldn't get them to fruit; difficult but not impossible. I have seen plums and pears which had been bonsai-ed fruiting profusely but of course the fruits remain small in comparison to the naturally grown kind.
     
  20. Rima

    Rima Active Member

    Messages:
    991
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Canada
    Avocados don't bonsai at all... can't be done, been tried and... you can't airlayer them successfully, can't chop for a fat trunk (because they don't come back afterward), etc. etc. And BTW, you wrote to me (Rima) instead of Hibie by mistake - better forward your note on!!!
     
  21. jamkh

    jamkh Active Member

    Messages:
    133
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    Rima,
    If you say it cannot be done, I shall accept your findings for the present. Presently I have a first year Avacardo seedling and I would like to prove the truth of your claim. Well, God willing, I may be able to report the outcome of my attempt in 5 years time hopefully.
     

Share This Page