Are you a fan of avocado? Do you like to eat it in your sandwiches, in salads, in a smoothie or in guacamole? Excellent habit! Fruit of the avocado tree, originally from Mexico, this food has incredible virtues for the body: it is full of essential fatty acids, proteins, antioxidants, vitamins (C, E and K) and fiber. Suffice it to say that it is highly recommended to include it in a healthy and balanced diet. Not to mention that with its smooth and creamy texture, it gives the taste buds a fresh and exotic flavor. But why keep buying them when you can grow an avocado tree at home and harvest all the fruits for free?

Many people continue to empty their wallets, when they can easily plant their favorite vegetables and herbs in a vegetable garden or on a terrace. If you are a big avocado consumer and have a little green thumb, this article is for you. You may not know it, but planting and growing an avocado tree from a hole is not complicated at all. It is enough to correctly follow a few steps to expect good germination and stock up on avocados at home. You’ll have to be patient though, because it takes time!

How to properly plant, grow and maintain your avocado tree, starting from a simple hole? We explain everything to you.

How to sprout an avocado pit?

First buy a ripe avocado and remove the pit. The bigger it is, the better. Then wash it with clean water: there should be no pulp left on the bone, as this increases the risk of mold development during germination.

Next, you will need long wooden sticks, like toothpicks. Push them shallowly (5mm) into the core in 3 different places for support. The tip should be facing up. Dip the end into the water. Make sure the water level is still correct: the base should still be submerged in water, but the places where you planted the toothpicks should not be affected by moisture.

After 3-5 weeks, small holes should appear in the hole, from which roots and shoots grow. Do not forget to add water periodically so that the roots are always present in it.

When the sprout reaches 5 cm in height, plant the seedling in a pot. It is better to choose a fairly large pot (20-25 cm in diameter), so that the plant can grow comfortably.

Be careful, avocados do not like excessive humidity. Therefore, add a good layer of drainage to the bottom of the pot. The substrate must be light. The best composition for stone-grown avocados is garden soil and peat combined in equal proportions with humus and coarse-grained sand. Do not completely cover the core with the substrate, only 1/3 of the surface should be covered. After planting, water the avocado with sterile water. Wait until the soil dries before watering to avoid too much moisture!

Note: to make the soil more draining, you can pour some clay balls.

How to care for cultivated avocados?

It is best to place the pot directly on the window, as avocados love the sun. It should always receive enough light and heat. Expose your avocado tree to light, but never in direct contact with the sun. In winter, buy a special lamp to light it.

The substrate must always be moist. Therefore, it should be watered frequently, but with small amounts of water. The plant can become waterlogged easily and its leaves will begin to turn yellow. Spray the foliage with non-calcareous water.

Since avocado is a tropical fruit, it must be provided with the necessary conditions in the house. The ambient temperature should not drop below 16°C or exceed 28°C for the plant to develop easily.

In spring and summer, when the avocado is actively growing, fertilize it with natural citrus fertilizers.

It will take several years for the plant to fully bloom. In 5-7 years the first flowers will appear and this is normal, this process takes a long time. In rare cases, the avocado can even bear fruit   ,  but for this you need at least 2 plants for pollination.

NB   : unlike most fruits, the avocado does not ripen on the tree but only once harvested.

After applying this trick, you will easily succeed in growing avocados from the hole. What to consume at leisure and bring a tropical breath to your daily life!