How to grow an avocado from the stone
AVOCADO based dishes have enjoyed a surge in popularity over the last few years, so much so people may now want to grow some of their own. How do you grow an avocado from the stone?
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Although technically fruit, avocados are many people's favourite vegetables, and they form a base for many popular Millenial dishes. In the UK, they rank amongst the top 50 most popular vegetables, according to YouGov. As such, some people may want to back up their supplies with some fresh, garden-grown crops of their own.
How to grow an avocado from the stone
Most avocados imports come from their native countries in Mexico and South America.
But they also grow in the UK on the Persea Americana tree, despite the marked environmental differences.
There are several ways to grow them, and an ideal time as well.
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Materials
An avocado stone
Toothpicks x4
A plastic cup
Peat-free compost mix
A plant pot
Method
The best time to grow an avocado seed is during January and February or November and December.
Anyone who did so should notice them flowering in the warmer months in April and May.
Gardeners should start by piercing their stone with four toothpicks, about halfway down, and suspending it in a cup over water.
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The bottom section of the stone should touch the water below and need topping up as it develops over six weeks.
The stone should remain in a warm spot, such as on a window sill until it develops roots.
Once it is ready, gardeners can transfer their budding plant into a pot with some peat-free compost mix.
The pot will give it room to grow, and they need to remain there in a greenhouse if the climate is cold.
Feed the avocado every two weeks with some liquid food while it grows.
Unfortunately, avocado flowers often take a long time to bear fruit, up to ten years.
Those with patience may need to hand pollinate their plant to grow a crop of avocado pears.
If they prove successful, fresh avocados will need a couple of weeks to ripen in a warm and dry environment.