Rooting and Growing an Avocado Plant

Starting with a Pit

Avocados make wonderful houseplants, and avocado plants are easy to root, grow, and maintain. With minimal care and occasional pruning, you can have a beautiful lush avocado plant for the price of an avocado from your local grocery store. Your avocado plant probably won’t bear fruit, but it will make a lovely addition to your home.

Avocados are easy to grow, but many people who attempt to grow avocado plants often give up because they don’t allow the avocado pit enough time to root. Novice avocado growers also make the mistake of not properly cleaning the avocado pit, and sometimes water levels aren’t properly maintained so the avocado pit can grow healthy roots.

Avocado Growing Supplies

To successfully grow an avocado plant you will need a fresh avocado, a clear glass of appropriate size, round wooden toothpicks, water, and a draft-free warm location.

Developing Avocado Roots

Begin by removing the fruit from an avocado pit. Carefully clean the avocado pit under running lukewarm water. After making sure the avocado pit is clean and healthy, evenly stick four toothpicks around the mid section of the pit. Place the avocado pit pointy side up inside the glass so the toothpicks rest upon the rim. Put enough lukewarm water in the glass to just cover the end of the avocado pit and place the glass in a warm location away from direct sunlight and drafts. The water will likely evaporate quickly in a warm location, so the level must be maintained and checked on a daily basis.

Don’t expect to see roots appear before the second week. If properly cared for, the roots typically appear among the second and fourth weeks, but don’t become discouraged if it takes longer. Allow the roots to continue developing and growing until they are well established.

Planting the Avocado Pit