I grew up in the 70’s and remember loving the ad campaign for California avocados (you get a free plant with every avocado!). For a long time, I didn’t eact avocados, so every time I saw someone cutting one open, I’d ask for the pit. I’ve tried many times to grow them and would get the beginnings of a plant, but then they would die of neglect. I had the best luck with a “greenhouse” that I made out of the plastic container from a grocery store roasted chicken. But, when they sprouted without me realizing (AKA neglecting them), they were cramped by the height of the container. So, I decided to make individual containers that were taller.
I started by saving up a bunch of 1 liter water bottles.
I’m going to plop them on a windowsill and ignore them for a while. If I see them looking dry, I’ll add a bit more water, but I expect that they’ll do fine without me for a while.
This us brilliant, I tried the “stick them in water” but they got this slimy outer layer and eventually rotted, but this seem to be a more clever way. Thanks for sharing, good luck on the avocados
Cool!
I used to feel guilty when I threw away an avocado pit. It was like I murdered a potential tree.
When I lived in Hawaii, I would toss the pits off the deck (be free, little tree!). We wound up with a ring of avocado trees. Some even fruited before we moved!
I don’t know if I live in the right growing zone for avocados, so I was just thinking they’d be houseplants. But now, I’ll have to look it up. I’m in Zone 6 and I’m guessing they need a warmer climate than Massachusetts. Although, it did hit almost 70 degress yesterday… but we’re expexing a Nor’Easter on Monday (4-6" of snow).
Smae here, on both counts!
I always had the worst success (meaning no success) with the water method. Either, like you, they’d get slimy and gross, or the water would evaporate (there goes that neglect thing again). I had the best luck just sticking them in soil. In an open pot, I would eventually forget to water them so the “greenhouse” seemed like a better option. In my roast chicken container, I actually ahd at least 2 get a set of leaves and grow quite a bit.
I will! I’m really hoping to get some growth out at least one or two. I would love it if they all sprouted… and survived
I’m guessing it would. The cool thing is that I can start them in here and then once they grow (thinking positive thoughts!) I can move them to a new location easily. I can even stick them outside to “harden” them before I transplant them into pots.
I always felt the same way (that was a very effective ad campaign!). And, it’s pretty cool that you ended up with some avocados on your free trees!
I’m going to see if I can find that old ad campaign. I can remember a comic of a lady with a bunch of avocado plants in her kitchen. I can picture it so clearly!
I’ve successfully grown 2 avocado plants using the water method. It took at least 8 weeks before I saw any roots and I had to add water every 2-3 days because of evaporation. The tutorial I used also said to change the water completely every week or so to prevent the slime or rot. It was a slow process and I gave up on one but my first one is a nice house plant now.
What a cool way to make a mini greenhouse. My mom said that my dad and I had an avocado seedling and a couple potato plants going when I was five but I don’t know what ever happened to them— my dad passed away and we moved a few times, so I’m guessing neglect was the culprit. I’ve got a ripe avocado now, and an empty liter bottle too, maybe I’ll try it too.
This method sounds good! I had one in a jar of water I was trying to sprout last year and it never did anything. Then, as I was turning my compost, pulled out 6 sprouted pits! They like the warm,
humid dirt I guess!
