I was told an avocado plant is easy and quite lovely once established. So, over 2 months ago, I gently rinsed the avocado pit, stuck 3 toothpicks in it and put it in a cup of water on the kitchen windowsill. It took awhile for the seed to split but even after all this time, we have yet to see a single root merge from the split. My husband moved it to a windowsill that gets more direct sunlight last week hoping it would help. Does this take so long or could something be wrong? FYI: My sister was told the best way to start an avocado plant was to soak a paper towel and place it with the pit into a Ziploc bag, zip it and put it in a very dark place and forget it. About 3 months later, the pit will have rooted well. I'm beginning to wonder if I should have done it that way instead. Does anyone have experience or input?
DLO--Years & years ago, I started an avocado just the way you described. I don't remember exactly how long it took to sprout, but I do know it seemed like forever. I had that avocado tree for years indoors. It grew to 6' tall and 5' wide.
Cayuga Morning, thank you very much! I'm not giving up on it but wondered when I might see a root begin. I wouldn't mind a bit if this one grows as yours did. I'm glad I did it right. I'll just have to keep waiting. If you have a picture of yours to post, I'd love to see it. My next project will be starting a sweet potato plant as I've heard the same about them - easy and lovely.
Normally it takes about a month to start seeing roots and a stem. You might want to go ahead and start another one while you are waiting, just in case that pit isn't viable....not all are.
Toni, you are right. It couldn't hurt to start another one when I attempt my first sweet potato plant. I love Pothos so much, I have them everywhere. But I'd love more variety indoors. Thanks.
Funny...I have just done this myself. I'm including some photographs of the result. I had tried in water in the past, and had luck about twenty-five years ago, but in the past few years, it just would not work for me. This time, I buried the pit about two thirds to halfway deep in soil, watered well, closed the whole thing up in a ziplock bag and threw it on top of the fridge. I would check it periodically, but nothing seemed to happen. One day, on checking, I thought it might be cracking just a touch. Sure enough the crack started widening and soon I had a stem emerging. It is now about a foot tall. I pinched the top as I had heard I should do, and then it seemed to stand still and pout for a few weeks, but I have noticed in the past few days that there is a growing tip showing. I'm getting excited all over again...Good Luck with it. I have also grown a sweet potato vine in a glass of water...a lot of fun...very fast growing. I have a piece of ginger root in dirt now...we'll see how that goes. Avocado foliage and growing tip ( photo / image / picture from kathyd's Garden ) Avocado pit in dirt ( photo / image / picture from kathyd's Garden ) Avocado grown from pit - just a few months old ( photo / image / picture from kathyd's Garden )
Kathy, That is awesome! I love it! I think I will try both methods and see which works out. I get tickled about little things and I'm sure to be dancing in the street when I see my first root. I am trying my first sweet potato plant attempt next weekend. I must say that I never heard planting a piece of ginger root! That's so cool! Please keep us informed on how it goes. FYI - I've tossed my avocado pit that split and widened and that's it. What a tease, lol.
Starting an Avocado Hey! I have started a number of these. The best method I have found is definitely the paper towel and zip-lock bag method. However, another really good method is to cut a small divet in sponge. Place the avocado pit (fat-side down) in the divet,and place the sponge in a shallow dish of water. This will maintain a moist environment for the base of the seed to germinate. Let us know how your germination goes!
Update: My wonderful husband refused to give up and pulled the seed out of its demise. I'm glad he did. Just a couple of days later, it began to root! So it was a winner after all. It does take time! I started a second seed as I said I would and now that I know I must be patient (very patient), I will give it plenty of time. I haven't started a ginger root plant or a sweet potato plant yet but I still want to! Thank you all!
Avocado ( photo / image / picture from kathyd's Garden ) Here's an update on mine too. I pinched out the top once to get the main stem to branch, but had no luck...only one main stem grew back. Pinched that back too, and had success...my plant is branching out nicely now.
