Pitted avocado - home cultivation

Florists are not in vain interested in the peculiarities of growing exotic plants. After all, it is so pleasant to contemplate the lush flowering, decorative weaving and fruit-bearing miniature trees. One of these representatives is avocado, which, under certain conditions, can be grown even in your apartment.

Growing an avocado from a seed at home

Growing a plant from a seed has certain characteristics:

The tree rarely bears fruit; it serves more as a decorative addition to the room.
The curvaceous crown of an unusual shape gives the room a more comfortable atmosphere.
An exotic plant effectively purifies the air.
The height of trees in indoor conditions reaches no more than 3 meters, provided that in the wild, the growth exceeds 20 meters.

The avocado tree will become a home decoration

Avocado is a tall evergreen crop that belongs to the Laurel family. Its fruits are valued all over the world due to the unique biochemical composition, namely the high concentration of vitamins, macro- and microelements. Mature trees are in high demand in the furniture and construction industries.

Note! With strict adherence to agrotechnical rules, the tree begins to bear fruit at 3-6 years of age. The fruits are edible, but the taste is much inferior to the tropical ones.

The peel of the fruit is olive and bumpy, the shape can be spherical, pear-shaped and ellipsoidal (depending on the variety). Due to the structure of the peel, the avocado has been nicknamed the "alligator pear". The pulp of the fruit retains its olive tone. In the center there is a large-sized seed, which is covered with a shiny and smooth film of a chestnut hue.

Conditions for seed germination

Many people wonder how an avocado grows at home. To implement the plan, you need to familiarize yourself with the conditions for germinating the seed and the features of caring for it.

Avocado fruit bone

It is necessary to germinate seeds during the warm season. The capacity can even be put, for example, on the system unit, which periodically heats up. Maintaining an optimal temperature regime will contribute to the rapid germination of the seed.

Important! According to statistics, no more than 4 of 10 seeds have a sufficient resource of vitality. That is why it is recommended to germinate several seeds at the same time.

Problems that may arise

The main problems that a gardener may face while growing a crop:

Leaves curl up due to the low temperature in the room.
If the leaves dry up, this indicates a moisture deficit, it is necessary to increase the amount of watering.
The tree sheds its foliage due to the increased temperature.
If the leaves are pale, this indicates a small amount of light. To solve the problem, it is recommended to use additional equipment to extend daylight hours by 12-15 hours a day.

It is also important to know that the plant is often attacked by spider mites and scale insects.The defeat by them has the same signs - shedding of leaves and their yellowing. If nothing is done right away, the tree will quickly die. To fight insects, use a concentrated soap solution or ready-made industrial formulations "Aktofit" and "Vermitek".

How avocado grows in nature

Lychee from the bone at home - growing and care

There are many varieties of avocado, and each has its own characteristics:

Mexican varieties are able to withstand short-term and mild frosts (-4-6 degrees), under favorable conditions they grow and develop quickly, the fruits are small in size.
Guatemalan varieties are resistant to significant temperature extremes and can grow on mountain slopes.
West Indian avocados favor humid and warm climates.

In the wild, the plant is found on loamy, limestone and clay soil. One of the main conditions is the presence of drainage.

Avocado in the wild

Avocados do not grow well in areas with high levels of humidity, and also quickly wither and die in flooded areas. Groundwater should be located at a depth of at least 9 meters.

In Russia, it is possible to grow this amazing crop only in the Krasnodar Territory. Abkhazia is considered the most favorable place for growth, where fruits and vegetables contain a high concentration of oils. In temperate climates, Mexican varieties can be grown. West Indian varieties can only be grown in greenhouse conditions.

Stages of seed germination

How to care for an avocado - a plant at home

You can grow an avocado at home in water or land. The implementation of the first method assumes the possibility of using seeds with and without peels.

In the ground

Plant a healthy and strong unpeeled bone in the ground, leaving 1/3 of it on the surface. The blunt end must necessarily be in the thickness of the earth.

To create greenhouse conditions, a container with a future tree is placed under a jar and placed on a lighted area. This approach will protect the plant from cold and drafts.

Water the seed every day with purified water. A little later, the container is placed in a bright area of the room and fertilized with mineral compounds twice a month.

Germinating avocado seeds in the ground

In the water - the first way

Three toothpicks are inserted into the unpeeled bone. They should be immersed in the seed approximately 3 mm. At the same time, the bone itself is immersed in water with a blunt end. The puncture sites on the surface remain dry.

Once the sprout has reached a height of approximately 3 cm, the plant can be planted in the ground. The seed with the root system should be located above the soil. After 2-3 weeks, the height of the tree should already reach 11 cm. Within three months, the height of the plant, as a rule, reaches half a meter.

Important! At an early age, avocados are transplanted every year, later - once with an interval of 3 years.

In the water - the second way

This method is very similar to the previous one. However, in this case, the bone is peeled and immersed in warm, settled water by a third. The room temperature should not be lower than + 23-25 degrees. The support is created with toothpicks, without piercing the bone through and through.

Under favorable conditions, root growth is observed in 2-3 weeks. The first shoots when grown from an avocado seed appear in 1-5 weeks.

Sprouting avocado pits in water using toothpicks

Preparation for growing an exotic tree

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Since avocado is an exotic plant, you need to create appropriate conditions for its growth at home. It is very important to prepare everything correctly, from the choice of planting material to the creation of a suitable place.

How to choose the fruit of the right maturity

To grow an avocado tree, it is enough to purchase its ripe fruit from the nearest store. The ripeness of the fruit is determined by the density of the pulp and the color of the skin.

The ripeness of the fruit is also determined by the location under the cutting. Ripe fruit has a green tint with pronounced brown streaks. Unripe is yellow, and overripe is brown.

Other signs:

The hardness of the flesh and the light green color indicate that the berry is not yet ripe. It will take at least another week.
Firm flesh and dark green tones indicate that the fruit will be ready for consumption after a few days.
The ripeness of the fruit is determined by the rind of a rich dark green color with brown veins. After pressing, a small trace remains.
If the fruit is soft with an easily squeezed friable pulp, it is an overripe product, the seeds of which will not be suitable for planting.

What a ripe avocado looks like

Preparing the place for the avocado

Experienced florists and gardeners strongly recommend growing crops in open, sunny areas. The best time of day is noon when the sun is at its zenith, but the plant should be in partial shade. Experiments each time confirmed that the plant willingly grows in apartment conditions on a windowsill on the sunny side.

Important! The ideal habitat for an avocado in an apartment or house is a windowsill on the west side.

Preparation of soil mixture

You can prepare a suitable soil mixture yourself, or you can purchase a ready-made substrate for growing citrus crops. The main component is pre-calcined sand and coconut, as well as garden soil, lime or ash, humus. Expanded clay is lined at the bottom of the pot, soil mixture is poured on top.

Pot selection

To germinate seeds, you need a small pot at first. The optimal dimensions are 9 cm in height and 8 cm in diameter.

Pot for growing avocado

It is recommended to take a container made of plastic with a large number of drainage holes. Clay pots retain moisture, which is detrimental to the culture.

The container is placed on a pallet with wet sand.

Care rules

The tree will take root well if it is properly cared for. However, this process will not require much effort and time.

Watering mode

If you grow a tree in a pot, then you can moisten the soil with exceptionally soft and warm water. The watering regime depends on the season and the indoor climate. In spring and summer, the plant needs large volumes of water, it is recommended to water it at intervals of 2-3 days.

Important! The result of waterlogging of the soil is that the leaves rapidly begin to turn black.

With the onset of winter, the number of watering is reduced, the surface of the soil should have time to dry out. The lower the temperature in the room, the less often the soil in the pot is watered.

Temperature regime

Avocados in the wild grows in tropical conditions, therefore, the plant does not withstand low temperatures. The permissible minimum mark is not less than +12 degrees. The optimum temperature regime for plant cultivation is + 16-26 degrees.

Top dressing

It is recommended to apply fertilizers only during the active growing season. It is recommended to use special liquid mineral complexes designed specifically for avocados.

Topping

In the second year after planting, the plant must be pinched. To do this, pinch the skeletal branches and tops. The first pruning of the upper part is carried out over the 8th leaf of the tree, and the side shoots are pinched over the 5th leaf.

Decorative properties of avocado

It is extremely easy to create the most attractive plant look. It is necessary to sprout several seeds (seeds) and braid them as the stems grow.

Decorative properties of the avocado tree

A prerequisite is the presence of a gap between the components, which will allow the trunks to grow over time.

Will a tree grown from a stone bear fruit

Under favorable climatic conditions and observance of agrotechnical rules, a tree grown from a stone should begin to bear fruit in the third year of life. But first, its height should reach 1.5-2 meters.

Advice! With the onset of summer, it is strongly recommended to take the plant out to the balcony or take it to the country house, where to put it under the crowns of trees.

You can easily accelerate fruiting by grafting. Between the stems, space is necessarily left for their further growth and development. Such growing conditions guarantee cross-pollination of trees.

Conditions for active tree growth

Everyone can grow a culture at home, the main thing is to regularly fulfill agrotechnical requirements. Care rules include regular watering, fertilizing, transplanting, pinching and taking preventive measures.

Pinching avocado trees correctly

For a successful transplant, you should familiarize yourself with the following features:

A favorable time for transplanting a seedling is September or the second half of February. In dry weather, transplanting will be the most stressful for the plant.
For optimal development, the plant needs a lot of light; it is not recommended to grow it in a shady area.
Watering should be gentle.
The root system of the plant is powerful and long, it is characterized by a pivotal shape. This is why a tall pot is required to grow avocados.

When transplanting, it is not recommended to use a much larger pot. This is due to the fact that the root system will not yet be able to braid with an earthen lump, which will cause soil acidification. The diameter of the new pot should not exceed 5 cm, unlike the previous one.

Avocado is an exotic plant that is not often found in indoor conditions. However, strict adherence to the planting and growing algorithm will allow you to get a magnificent fruit-bearing tree.