Avocados are prized for their green, creamy flesh, and they’re surprisingly easy to grow yourself at home. Not only does this exotic plant offer lots of tasty fruit, but also impressive attractive foliage that can be enjoyed at home or in the garden. Whether you want to enjoy a ripe avocado for breakfast or mash it into a refreshing guacamole dip, here’s how to grow your own avocado tree using a single pit of ripe fruit.
The avocado tree bears an abundance of delicious and healthy fruit when grown under the right conditions.
While the cool UK climate is not ideal for planting avocados at home, it can be done by creating a warm, humid environment in your home or outside in a greenhouse.
To have the best chance of establishing a successful crop, Gardeners’ World has recommended sourcing a cold hardy variety of avocado that will be “more suited” to UK growing conditions.
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How to grow an avocado from stone
Avocado pits can be carefully tended in order to germinate the plant.
Heat, moisture, and humidity are crucial to establishing a strong crop, but patience is one of the most important things to consider when growing the plant from a single stone.
According to Gardeners’ World, avocados can be started between November and February, with most plants ready to harvest in July and August.
A popular method of advancing the harvest is to pierce the pit of a harvested avocado with four toothpicks.
Maintain the growing conditions for a successful plant
Once your seedling has established itself, you will need to move it to a larger pot to keep it growing.
You also need to maintain growing conditions as the plant grows, so focus on soil moisture and ambient temperature for best results.
Gardeners’ World said, “Avocados do not tolerate severe cold, so they should generally be grown as houseplants or in a greenhouse in cool climates.
“If you have a sheltered garden in a temperate zone, you can try growing your avocado tree outside. Or at least move it outside during the summer months.
For a successful avocado plant, you must:
- Keep the plant well watered
- Feed the plant every two weeks with a liquid plant food during the growing season
- Be patient – avocado trees can take up to 10 years to bear fruit in the right conditions
- Pollinate the plant regularly – most crops are self-fertile, but you will need hand-pollinated flowering plants to get fruit set
