Kids & Company Blog

How To Grow an Avocado Tree

I LOVE avocados on and in everything!! I love them in salads, dips, smeared on toast or simply scooped right out of its shell. This fruit is prized for its high nutrient value and is added to all sorts of dishes due to its incredibly delicious flavour and rich texture. Not only are avocados healthy but they have a creamy, indulgent texture that complement various other ingredients. Avocados originate from Mexico, where they are a part of traditional recipes such as everyone’s favourite chip dip: guacamole. They are popular around the world for their deliciousness and health benefits. They are packed full of vitamins, minerals and are full of “healthy fats”, which help keep you feeling full longer.

An avocado often takes some time to ripen but you will know immediately when it starts to get a little soft! The nutrients in avocado can oxidize soon after fleshing it, but if you add lemon juice it can slow down the oxidizing process! Once you open and remove the flesh of the avocado you are left with the skin and pit. Have you ever wanted to grow an avocado tree? It is easy to coax the large hard stone at the centre of this green fruit but growing it into a fruit bearing tree can be quite a bit more work. Avocados need tropical or subtropical temperatures to thrive, so a warm spot in the sunlight should help them grow throughout the winter.

Growing the avocado pit is a fun and educational experience you can share with your children. I will explain step by step how to do this in hopes that you can start this adventure with your family. This has proven to be a fun experiment that I used to do with my children; it taught them about the cycle of growth and to care and commit to their responsibilities. Why not start this fun project at home and see how it all blossoms!?

How to grow an Avocado Pit

Step 1- Remove pit from avocado and wash clean; soak for a few minutes and rub pit clean, being careful not to remove the brown skin cover.

Step 2- Avocado geography- Identify the bottom (the flatter end where the root grows) and the top end slightly pointier (where the sprout comes from)

Step 3- Insert 4 toothpicks at a slightly downward angle into the avocado pit, spaced evenly around the circumference; this will allow you to rest the bottom half of the seed in water while the top will remain dry.

Step 4- Place the avocado seed half submerged in water on a warm windowsill with direct sunlight. Use a clear glass or jar so you can see the roots grow and observe when the water will need to be changed (every 5 to 7 days or when the water is looking cloudy).

Step 5- The top will dry out; crack and the outer brown skin will slough off. The crack will extend all the way down to the bottom and a tiny root will begin to emerge. Do not allow it to dry out.

Step 6- When the sprout on top is about 6 to 7 inches long, cut it back to 3 inches (this will encourage new growth); when the stalk reaches 6 to 7 inches again, pot it in an 8 to 10-inch pot filled with soil and plant your seed leaving the top of the seed exposed.

Step 7- Place it in a sunny window where it is nice and warm; water and watch it grow.  It needs frequent watering; you want the soil moist and not saturated. If the leaves yellow this means it is getting too much water.

I look at avocados as a win, win. You have the opportunity of eating this incredible superfood and then watching the wonder and awe on your children’s faces as the seed sprouts and grows. Make sure you take photos and chart the progress of your very own avocado tree!!!!

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Cheers,

Chef Lisa Ruscica

Chief Food Ambassador

Posted on: Wednesday May 30th, 2018

Posted by: Lisa Ruscica