Posted: 8/16/2008 11:37:35 AM EDT
|
Can I plant an avocado pit in the ground, leave it alone, water it and grow an avocado tree? Or is there more too it than that? |
|
It's a (relatively) free country; you can do what you want. www.biology-blog.com/blogs/permalinks/3-2006/how-to-plant-an-avocado-tree.html |
|
I'm not sure about avocados, but they should be fine if they dry out. When you buy seeds to plant they are usually dried. I am not an expert, but my mom has a masters in horticulture, and a little bit of her green thumb has rubbed off on me. Here is a site about your situation. Growing avocados |
|
faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/seed/2002114535011263.html Shows how to grow from a seed. HH |
|
you can also take the seed and put 3 toothpicks around the sides and place it in a glass of water so its about 1/2 covered in the water. it will start to sprout and it will get ready fro planting. faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/seed/2002114535011263.html |
i did this back in 99 and now have about a 25 foot tree out back....we got about 2 dozen avocados off last week. It will take several years for it to reach maturity and bloom...so be patient. You do not need a "male and female tree" to make fruit as many people beleive....juust some good local bees...or a ladder and some time. It also took several weeks for the seed in the glass with toothpicks to open and sprout. After it sprouts put it in a small pot...then a larger one as needed. When the plant is about 3 to 4 feet high you can plant it in the ground. |
My colder winter months wouldn't allow me to plant it outside I believe.  I want an avocado tree badly. |
Don't waste your time trying to grow those fat, smooth skinned avocados; the only variety of avocados that you want to grow is the Haas. The Haas variety has the bumpy skin and tastes a thousand times better than the other varieties. We used to harvest our avocados using a coffee can on a long pole; you cut a "V" notch in the can and sharpen the notch. Reach up and put the avocado in the can with the stem in the "V" and give it a twist. BTW, you harvest the avocados green and let them ripen on the kitchen counter. |
Can avocado trees survive in Arizona? |
Yes, AFAIK. The Benedictine Church/ monastery/ nunnery (whatever you call it) has a rather large avocado tree on their property (in Tucson). ETA: I'm not sure if there are shade requirements, the tree I was referring to is in a courtyard of sorts/ between buildings, so 100% sunlight might be problematic. ETA2: This link has some good insight, I guess the sun can do some damage to them. Avocados in AZ |
Hmmm. I'm in Scottsdale. I wonder if the heat in Phoenix or the cold in Tucson does more damage? |
I dunno, I'm not much of an expert on Avocados. If I were in your shoes, I would find a local quality nursery and ask the staff there, they are usually more knowledgeable than the plant people at Home Depot/ lowes etc. |
The problem with either cold or heat is when the tree is first growing. Once it is established it can tolerate temperature extremes better. Heat should not be as much of a problem. I live in So-Cal valley and it gets up over 90-100 degrees during the summer. The trees love sunshine and will usually not bear fruit if they are in the shade. The Mexican species seems to do better in cold weather when established down to about 28 degrees Here is a source with links that could probably any questions you guys have on avacados avacado edit: they will even tell you how to properly spell it. misspelled not once but twice 
|
Cool. I'm from Anaheim Hills CA. We moved here so we could buy some land. Planning on fruit and maybe a guacamole tree. |
| There is one growing on my back property line. I share the fruit with the neighbor. The fallen fruit will grow into a tree, but we mow over them before they get to tall. We let one grow and it has been over 4 years and has not put on fruit it is over 15 feet high. |
You are correct. If you want a tree that bears alot of fruit, go get one from a nursery. If you don't give a shit what you end up with, plant your pit and wait a few years to see if your tree has any fruit, it may or may not. Avacado trees are grown from the clippings of known good fruit producing trees, These clippings are grafted to the root system of a tree grown just for this purpose. My father and I planted a small grove in san diego when I was a teen, so I know a little on this subject, no expert though. |
That helps. I do that with my young palm trees when there is a chance of frost. Though I remove the tarp during the day. Let the drape go all the way to the ground. You want to prevent heat from the ground leaving. I would not recommend plastic covering. Another way to do it is wrap the trunk loosely from the ground up to the lowest branch in cloth or newspaper. Doing it this way you can leave it wrapped all winter. |