The avocado is one of the most nutritious and delicious fruits. It has excellent properties that help protect and improve our health, being rich in vitamins such as A, C and B, and nutrients such as folic acid and potassium.
What’s more, avocados help reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, improve eyesight and optimize heart and digestive system function. In short, there are a thousand and one reasons to eat more avocados, but only one deterrent: they’re very expensive.
Avocados are imported from faraway lands, and this journey not only has a negative impact on the environment, but also affects the final cost.
It’s precisely for this reason that we explain how to plant a potted avocado at home. It’s certainly not easy, but the results will be truly excellent.
Where can I grow avocados?
First of all, you need to choose a spot on a terrace or in the garden with good exposure to the sun: avocados love sunlight and it’s essential for their growth. If you don’t have a terrace or garden, choose a spot near a window to grow avocados at home.
Avoid cold climates or places with very low minimum temperatures, which are harmful to the avocado tree. As for the soil, make sure it’s rich in nutrients and has a low pH.
How to plant an avocado in a pot
Obtain an avocado seed, wash it well and insert three toothpicks to create a support that will hold it suspended in a jar filled with water. This will allow the avocado roots to grow and strengthen to support the weight of the plant.
Place the jar in a well-ventilated, sunny spot. Once the plant’s stem has grown to a height of 15 centimetres, cut it back to leave about 7 centimetres. By doing so, the stem will become stronger, with more roots and new leaves.
As soon as the first leaves appear, the plant can be potted.
Remove the toothpicks from the seed and place the plant in a pot filled with potting soil. Cut off the leaves when the stem is more than 6 inches high. Leaves that exceed 30 centimetres in height should be cut off.
How to make an avocado fruit
The tree will start to grow and the next step is to wait for it to bear fruit (this takes about 5 or 6 months). However, avocado trees don’t bear fruit easily and it can take years.
A good technique you can use to speed up this process is to carry out a graft. A lateral cut is made to the plant to grow more stems.
Don’t forget to water the avocado plant frequently.