Ahhh – Avocados!

There aren’t too many of us who do not like avocados.  A wonderful bowl of guac goes very quickly in our homes.

Why not grow an avocado tree?

Here is a great project to do with you kids or, if there are no kids in the house, do it on your own.

What you will need:

• Avocado seed
• Toothpicks
• Drinking glass or jar
• 10″ pot
• Potting soil

How To Grow An Avocado Tree (from Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping)

1. Save an avocado pit (without cutting or breaking it) and wash off any residue. Let dry, then insert 3-4 toothpicks about halfway up the side of the pit.

2. Suspend the pit broad end down in a drinking glass or jar. Fill the container with enough water to submerge the bottom third of the seed, the Missouri Botanical Garden advises.

3. Place the glass in a warm spot out of direct sunlight and change the water regularly. Roots and a sprout should appear in about 2-6 weeks. If not, start with another seed.

4. When the sprout gets about 6 inches tall, cut it back to about 3 inches to encourage more root growth.

5. Once the stem grows out again, plant the pit in an 10-inch pot filled with rich potting soil. Now it’s time to let your avocado tree grow, grow, grow!

How to Care For Your Avocado Tree

Place the pot in a sunny spot and water lightly but often. The goal is to keep the soil moist but not sopping wet, California Avocados recommends. You can place the tree outdoors in the summer as long as temps stay above 45°F. Occasionally prune your plant (every 6 inches or so) to encourage fullness.

TIP: Yellow leaves signal you’re overwatering. Dial back to avoid root rot.

You can also plant avocado trees outside in regions with no frost. They do best in rich, well-drained soil with full sun. Water 2-3 times per week by soaking the soil thoroughly and then letting it dry out before watering again.

This is be a great project!  And yummy results will ensue!