jgpo@iwu1c.UUCP (John, KA9MNK) (02/23/84)
[bug-blitz] The less pointy end of the avocado seed is placed in the water for germination. That's where the embryo lives. Germination time? That's up to the avocado. I've had seeds that sprouted in five days, seeds that took three months, and seeds that never sprouted at all. Remember to pinch the plant back every now and then, otherwise you get this silly looking stick with a hat of leaves on top. Good luck! PS: If your avocado seed is unusually symmetrical, the embryo end of the seed also has a distinctive disc-shaped marking (and probably a fiber or two sticking out of it).
pam@cepu.UUCP (02/25/84)
There is (was?) a marvelous little book called "The Artful Avocado" published a few years ago -- sorry, but I can't remember the author. It is full of everything you could want to know about nurturing the cantankerous and stubborn avocado from pit to room-filling tree as well as a number of entertaining stories about trying to get an avocado to behave as a sensible plant.
root@zehntel.UUCP (02/29/84)
#R:iwu1c:-20400:zinfandel:18500008:000:280 zinfandel!berry Feb 28 13:13:00 1984 The California Department of Agriculture has a brochure on how to grow Avocados. It's available from all Ag. offices and probably UC Extensions. Out-of-staters can probably write to the dept. for it. Berry Kercheval Zehntel Inc. (ihnp4!zehntel!zinfandel!berry) (415)932-6900