NewIdeaFood
  • News
  • Dinner Tonight
  • Baking
  • Trolley Watch
  • Easy Entertaining
  • Healthy-ish
  • Video
NewIdeaFood
  • News
  • Dinner Tonight
  • Baking
  • Trolley Watch
  • Easy Entertaining
  • Healthy-ish
  • Video
ALDI - DON'T DROWN IN ONE-OFF DISCOUNTS!
Watch 0:15

ALDI - DON'T DROWN IN ONE-OFF DISCOUNTS!

{headline}

{headline}

Mum shares ingenious ‘lettuce hack’ for keeping cut avocado fresh for a week

Mum shares ingenious ‘lettuce hack’ for keeping cut avocado fresh for a week

Avocado, Tomato and Basil Salad

Avocado, Tomato and Basil Salad

Avocado Hummus with Toasted Pepitas

Avocado Hummus with Toasted Pepitas

Chicken Pasta Salad with Avocado Dressing

Chicken Pasta Salad with Avocado Dressing

{headline}

{headline}

Update: Tension grows over missing Discovery Garden packs

Update: Tension grows over missing Discovery Garden packs

Dopamine Foods & Diet: A List of Foods Rich in Dopamine

Dopamine Foods & Diet: A List of Foods Rich in Dopamine

Forget Discovery Garden! Bunnings release complete Little Seed Collections - and they're free

Forget Discovery Garden! Bunnings release complete Little Seed Collections - and they're free

{headline}

{headline}

Are avocados vegan?

Are avocados vegan?

Doctors issue urgent warning after spike in ‘Avocado hand’ knife injuries

Doctors issue urgent warning after spike in ‘Avocado hand’ knife injuries

Everything You Need to Know About Finger Limes

Everything You Need to Know About Finger Limes

WOAH! The Ultimate Snack HACK!

WOAH! The Ultimate Snack HACK!

How to Grow Wasabi in Australia

How to Grow Wasabi in Australia

You can now buy AVOZILLAS in Australia - and they’re 5 TIMES bigger than regular avocados!

You can now buy AVOZILLAS in Australia - and they’re 5 TIMES bigger than regular avocados!

Avocado & Orange Salad With Black Olive Dressing

Avocado & Orange Salad With Black Olive Dressing

  1. Home
  2. News

How to grow an avocado tree

Turn your favourite breakfast into your favourite houseplant - by Lottie Dalziel
  • 19 Mar 2019
How to grow an avocado tree

A single avocado may cost you upwards of $4 a fruit but did you know that’s all you need to start growing your own? Yes, you read that right. Make that single purchase go the distance as we explain everything you need to know about growing an avocado tree at home. So here’s exactly how you can turn an avocado seed into an avocado tree in a couple of easy steps.

nelplant View Profile
7,939 likes - View Post on Instagram
How's the #avocadogang doing, you ask? I think I'll let the picture speak for itself 🥰🙌🏼🌿

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.  
How to Grow an Avocado Tree

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.

Avocados

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.

nelplant View Profile
2,922 likes - View Post on Instagram
The gang is ready to take over the world 🌿👊🏼 #avocado #squad #sunday

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

Avocado

You just can't get better than this killer salad

2. Smoked Salmon and Avocado Starter

Avocado

Need some show-off canapes or an entree for an intimate dinner party?

3. Chicken Drumsticks with Avocado Salad

Chicken

Feed the whole family without breaking budget.

Lottie Dalziel
Lottie Dalziel
Lottie Dalziel, is a 4AM riser and coffee-addict who lives and breathes all things food. When she isn't reading up on the latest trends in sustainability or discovering ways to upcycle almost anything, you can find her by the beach, cooking up a storm or adding to her abundant (some would say out of control) plant collection.

Only $6 for 6 Issues!-SAVE 79%*

Subscribe Now
Only $6 for 6 Issues!

Only $6 for 6 Issues!-SAVE 79%*

Subscribe Now
Only $6 for 6 Issues!

Recommended to you

ALDI - DON'T DROWN IN ONE-OFF DISCOUNTS!
Watch 0:15

ALDI - DON'T DROWN IN ONE-OFF DISCOUNTS!

{headline}

{headline}

Mum shares ingenious ‘lettuce hack’ for keeping cut avocado fresh for a week

Mum shares ingenious ‘lettuce hack’ for keeping cut avocado fresh for a week

Avocado, Tomato and Basil Salad

Avocado, Tomato and Basil Salad

Avocado Hummus with Toasted Pepitas

Avocado Hummus with Toasted Pepitas

Chicken Pasta Salad with Avocado Dressing

Chicken Pasta Salad with Avocado Dressing

{headline}

{headline}

Update: Tension grows over missing Discovery Garden packs

Update: Tension grows over missing Discovery Garden packs

Dopamine Foods & Diet: A List of Foods Rich in Dopamine

Dopamine Foods & Diet: A List of Foods Rich in Dopamine

Forget Discovery Garden! Bunnings release complete Little Seed Collections - and they're free

Forget Discovery Garden! Bunnings release complete Little Seed Collections - and they're free

{headline}

{headline}

Are avocados vegan?

Are avocados vegan?

Doctors issue urgent warning after spike in ‘Avocado hand’ knife injuries

Doctors issue urgent warning after spike in ‘Avocado hand’ knife injuries

Everything You Need to Know About Finger Limes

Everything You Need to Know About Finger Limes

WOAH! The Ultimate Snack HACK!

WOAH! The Ultimate Snack HACK!

How to Grow Wasabi in Australia

How to Grow Wasabi in Australia

You can now buy AVOZILLAS in Australia - and they’re 5 TIMES bigger than regular avocados!

You can now buy AVOZILLAS in Australia - and they’re 5 TIMES bigger than regular avocados!

Avocado & Orange Salad With Black Olive Dressing

Avocado & Orange Salad With Black Olive Dressing

NewIdeaFood
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Dietary info
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Dietary info
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • New Idea
  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • Better Homes and Gardens Shop
  • All Recipes
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • marie claire
  • Instyle
  • Beauty Crew
  • Who
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • Girlfriend
  • That’s Life
  • Home Beautiful
  • 7plus
  • 7News
  • Health Engine
  • Starts at 60
  • The West Australian
  • Perth Now
  • Airtasker
  • Society One
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from New Idea Food

Magazine Subscription Offer

Only $6 for 6 Issues!-SAVE 79%*

Shop This Offer
Only $6 for 6 Issues!