mason@pneuma.DEC (ANDREA...DTN 223-4864...OR PSYCHE::MASON) (03/04/85)
> I'd be interested in knowing if anyone out there has had >any luck in germinating avocado pits. The technique I've always heard is to >let the pit dry out for a few days, then stab it with two or three toothpicks >and stick it into a glass of water, using the toothpicks to support the pit >so that it does not become completely immersed. Some years ago, I got this >to work; however, my late, not-so-great cat decided to attack the plant one >day, and . . . Every time I've tried the same approach since then, I either >get a moldy avocado pit in a glass of water or no results at all. Please >post or mail responses; if there's sufficient interest, guess what I'll do. >Helen Anne {ucbvax,ihnp4,cbosgd,hplabs,decwrl,unisoft,fortune,sun,nsc}!dual!hav I recently had an avacado pit which I stuck with toothpicks (didn't bother to dry it out) and put in a glass of water. Within a week, the pit had split, and there is the beginning of a stalk in it. According to a friend of mine, only about 1 in 10 avacado pits will sprout. From my experience, I agree with this. I have found that if the pit seems to have the beginnings of a root, or a stalk when you first cut open the avacado, then the chances of getting a plant from it are very high. If the pit's been in water for more than two weeks with no results, then toss it; it's a rock. Look on the bright, if you only can get results from 1 out of 10 avacados, that's a lot of guacamole! :-} UUCP: decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-pneuma!mason ARPA: mason%pneuma.DEC@decwrl.ARPA
jeff@rtech.ARPA (Jeff Lichtman) (03/05/85)
> I'd be interested in knowing if anyone out there has had >any luck in germinating avocado pits. > >Helen Anne > Have you ever tried sprouting a yam? All you have to do is cut off the end and put it in a plate of water. It makes a very nice vine. -- Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.) aka Swazoo Koolak
beth@gymble.UUCP (Beth Katz) (03/05/85)
>> I'd be interested in knowing if anyone out there has had >>any luck in germinating avocado pits. >> >>Helen Anne >> I started an avocado pit last year about this time. It took a long time, but my plant is now about 20 inches tall with two major branches. It was pretty dormant for a while, but now it's growing like crazy. To sprout: 1) Wash pit to remove leftover slippery stuff. 2) Stick 3 toothpicks into pit so that it will sit round-side down in water. 3) Keep in warm place with water covering about half the pit. 4) Wait. Wait. Wait. Replace water. Wait. Wait a long time (months?). 5) When the pit finally splits open and sends out a shoot and some roots, transplant it into a container of potting soil. Mine is in a six-inch pot and doing well just sitting in the window. Water every so often. 6) When it gets to be 8-12 inches tall, pinch the budding leaf at the top to get the plant to branch. 7) You have a new friend. Beth Katz {seismo,allegra}!umcp-cs!beth
berry@zinfandel.UUCP (Berry Kercheval) (03/05/85)
Those seriously interested in growing avocado trees should check out an article in the current SUNSET magazine. The cover story is on how to grow the little fellows. SUNSET is a regional magazine, concentrating on the West, but should be available in large libraries anyway. -- Berry Kercheval Zehntel Inc. (ihnp4!zehntel!zinfandel!berry) (415)932-6900 (kerch@lll-tis.ARPA)
seb@ahutb.UUCP (s.badian) (03/06/85)
REFERENCES: <856@decwrl.UUCP> Planting the pit in a pot full of nice potting soil is much better for the pits. The chances of it germinating are better since the pit won't rot so quickly. Also, by planting it in dirt to begin with, you don't damage the roots when you transplant it from water to pot. I've found that avocado pits germinate better if I buy them between February and April. Don't know why, but the percentage of pits that I find that are sprouting while still in the avocado is much higher. Anyone else find this? Sharon Badian
carson@homxa.UUCP (P.CARSTENSEN) (03/07/85)
(I dunno what this is doing here...) My avocadoes do much better than 1 in 10 (which is why I have 5 (I think) in my window, and that's only because my mother killed the 4 I left with her...) Anyhow, they do seem to do better when you sprout them in spring -- maybe it's the increasing day-length??? And I was told once that peeling the outer husk helps (it's a real hassle, tho, BTW) P.
eac@drutx.UUCP (CveticEA) (03/07/85)
If you do manage to get a plan started (either the water or the potting soil method), and it is growing nicely in a pot, you can keep it from getting tall and gangly by pinching it back periodically. Wait until it has several good sized leaves and the stalk is 6" or more. Pinch out the growing buds on top. This should result in it forming two new branches. You can get a fairly bushy plant by doing this to the growing ends every so often. Betsy Cvetic ihnp4!drutx!eac
gino@sdchema.UUCP (Eugene G. Youngerman) (03/08/85)
Having lived in California almost all my life, I have constantly
seen the small trees that grow from avocado pits. They grow very
nicely, from the toothpicks as described, and then planted
in soil at about 12". However, unless there is a flowering
fruit-bearing avocado tree in your neighborhood, you will
never get avocados. (The birds and the bees and all that.)
Also, it will take several (read that 8 or more) years before
the avocado tree will be anywhere near fruit bearing size.
If you have never seen an avo tree, and I suppose that some of
you snow bound netlanders haven't, it can be as much as 15 - 25
feet high, with big leaves, It has very many leaves, making it
one of may all time favorite shade trees.
I remain
GINOems@amdahl.UUCP (ems) (03/12/85)
> >> I'd be interested in knowing if anyone out there has had > >>any luck in germinating avocado pits. > >> > >>Helen Anne > >> > I started an avocado pit last year about this time. It took a long time, > but my plant is now about 20 inches tall with two major branches. It was > pretty dormant for a while, but now it's growing like crazy. To sprout: > 1) Wash pit to remove leftover slippery stuff. > 2) Stick 3 toothpicks into pit so that it will sit round-side down in water. > 3) Keep in warm place with water covering about half the pit. > 4) Wait. Wait. Wait. Replace water. Wait. Wait a long time (months?). ... more of the traditional way ... I tried this several times with poor success. Nothing wrong with the method, I would just forget to keep the water level right or knock it over or something... I now have three avocado trees all grown from pits. How did I do it? Easy. I took the most rotten avocado I could find (where the seed had already split and a root was starting to eat the avacado mush ); removed the seed (with baby root in two cases) and put it in the ground with the point up just at the dirt surface. Water. Wait. Wait. Wait... -- E. Michael Smith ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems Comedo ergo dorum This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything.
lewish@acf2.UUCP (Henry M. Lewis) (03/17/85)
Haas avocados (the ones with the dark pebbly skin) sprout more readily than the lighter-colored, smooth-skinned varieties. In the East, Haas are often called "California" avocados, since the watery, bland alternatives come mostly from Florida.