How to grow an avocado tree
What you’ll need
- 3 x toothpicks
- 1 x small glass jar
- 1 x avocado seed
- 1 x snaplock bag
- 3 x squares of paper towels
Method
- After you’ve finished devouring your avocado toast it’s time to wash your seed. Give it a good scrub, removing any remnants of fruit.
- Wrap in a moist paper towel and pop it a snaplock bag on your window sill or a sunny spot in your house for 2-4 weeks until a root starts to form. If a root doesn’t form in this time period, start the process again.
- Fill a glass jar with water and use three toothpicks to pierce the seed. Submerge the bottom of the seed in water and leave it to grow in a sunny spot for eight weeks. In this time you will see the root continue to grow and the seed will start to split in half allowing a single shoot to grow.
- You can leave the seed in water to grow for many months or when the shoot is 15cm long you can plant the seed in a pot around 25cm wide. Avocados are a sucker for sun so keep it in a sunny spot.
Where should I plant it?
Avocados can’t get enough sun so make sure you plant them in full sun, away from strong winds. But be careful the bark of young trees can get sunburnt in summer, so consider painting the trunk with a diluted whitewash. Don’t worry about your beloved avo too much, these guys are fairly tough trees, once they’re established.
How long until they grow fruit?
There is no simple answer to this question because it largely relies on the variety and planting position but you could be waiting between four and ten years for an avocado fruit.
How often should you water it?
Water in small doses regularly, but be careful not to overwater as avo’s don’t like having wet feet.
How do you prune it?
When pruning an avocado tree never remove more than one-third of a branch at a time. To trim back the height trim the tallest branch and if you are looking after the width of the tree look for the most unruly branch and work your way in. If you’re doing a big prune it is recommended in late winter or early spring otherwise you can prune your avocado tree at any time of the year.
What are the most popular varieties?
Hass is one of Australia’s favourite varieties because of its creamy taste and excellent keeping qualities. It's an easy one to pick and grow as its leathery, rough, dark-purple skin turns black when it’s ripe. It can grow up to 10m tall and can spread to 8m in width. Harvesting times are August to December.
Known for its thick skin and rich flavour, Reed avocados are a must have. They grow to a manageable 4m tall and will bear fruit in around three years. Harvesting times are November to March.
What recipes does avocado work well in?
Well, we're glad you asked! Here are three of our favourite avocado dishes.
1. Salmon & Avocado Salad with Green Goddess Dressing
2. Smoked Salmon and Avocado Starter
3. Chicken Drumsticks with Avocado Salad
