Are you ready to get into planting and gardening mode?
With Spring in the air, who isn’t?
Lots of us have probably already been planting seeds indoors and are eager to take them outside, or are excited about keeping life in that sunny enclosed porch (or window box) going strong. There are tons of foods to grow, but have you considered growing an avocado tree from a pit?
Not only are avocados creamy, tasty and good for us (check out our healthy avocado smoothie), but it’s a good feeling to grow our own foods. Rather than toss the avocado pit, we thought we’d try our hand at growing our own tree.
How to grow an avocado tree from a pitDefinitely take a few minutes to watch this helpful video from one man who shows us how to grow an avocado tree indoors. His step-by-step approach is easy to follow and he even provides tips on how to best ensure results. For example, he suggests starting with a few pits rather than just relying on one, since not all of them will take.
So here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 avocado pit
- 1 cup
- 3 toothpicks
- Plenty of water and sunlight
- Soil
The toothpicks serve to balance the pit so its bottom half rests in water while the upper portion stays above the waterline. Gently pierce the pit in three areas evenly around. Place the pit in the water so the rounded portion is submerged and the pointier part is not.
Keep it watered, only covering that bottom half.
Note: be patient. Apparently it may take a little over a month for roots to develop. Again, this is why it’s important to plant more than one pit. It ups the chances of success!
Once you see a root forming (it will be about an inch or so long at this point), gradually fill the cup with soil.
After another month, tah-dah! . . . A shoot should appear. You’re on your way to growing an avocado tree!
Benefits of eating avocado
Avocados are one of the healthy fats, loaded with nutrients that help with everything from brain health to blood pressure regulation. They are high in folate, which plays a role in optimal brain health and may even help stave off Alzheimer’s disease.
Furthermore, avocados are great for eye health. They protect the eyes from oxidative stress that can lead to conditions like macular degeneration.
The tasty food also boasts 30 percent more potassium than a banana making it a terrific way to manage blood pressure.
For more about the health benefits of avocados, check out this article.
If at any point during this you asked yourself if the avocado is a fruit or a vegetable (who hasn’t from time to time?) then check out our story on food categories.
Happy growing!
