I know what you are thinking…. What in the actual heck is that word?!? If you are old enough and cool enough to have watched the “fre shavocado” Vine then please carry on.
Even if you are not old enough or cool enough but want to learn about how I am growing my avocado trees, then keep reading!! Or for those that just want the steps and not commentary, skip to the bottom…
Let me preface by saying I collected all my pits my avocados that I purchased at our local grocery store. I am not sure on the brand that I got or any specifics for the type of avocados that I am now growing. In hindsight I should have written it down or at minimum written down the date I started them. Oh well. But I digress…
The first thing I do with my avocados is to open them carefully and enjoy a yummy meal or snack. I use a spoon to get the pit out and then to the sink. I rinse all of the fruit off the pit and then wrap it in a wet paper towel. It then sits on the windowsill for 2-3 days.
Side note: Is avocado a fruit or veggie?? I tried researching and it ended up looking like it lines up tomatoes. A fruit but a veggie or a veggie but a fruit.. But they are apart of the berry family. It does not feel right to categorize my strawberries with my avocados…
After 2-3 days, I stab the pit with 4 pointy toothpicks. I try to keep them equally spaced at the same height about two thirds of the way up the pit.
The toothpicks keep the pit floating in the jar that they go in to (see the pictures). I fill the jar all the way up and leave it in a sunny window!
Eventually, the pit starts to split and I will peel the “paper” cover off the pit to remove any barrier it might create for baby roots poking through.
Make sure to keep the jar full of water! It helps if you change the water every so often. Keep the pit and water clean. If algae starts to grow run the pit (and roots) under water and gently massage the algae off. Then stick it back in the water!
Sooner or later, it will sprout! I have had some shoot up in the matter of weeks, months, or in one of my plant’s cases years… sigh… This one is not favorite but we are getting there!
The first little bit of the sprout grows tall fast. Keep an eye on it so it does not run out of water or tip out. Rotating it around to face away from the sun every so often will keep it growing straight up instead of leaning.
It will produce a few leaves, as they get bigger they will dry out, pinch these off to let it’s energy go towards getter bigger.
Then all that is left is for you to sit back and watch that baby produce avocados in 3-5 years… No, they are not a fast producing crop. Keep that in mind.
Bonus tip: Name your future fre shavocado plant! That way you can talk to it and love it closer.
Alrighty, here are the fast step by steps:
- Cut open your avocado. Be careful to not cut the pit.
- Take the pit out (gently!)
- Clean the pit- get all the fruit off of it.
- Wrap the pit in a wet paper towel.
- Let sit for 2-3 days.
- Stab the pit with 4 toothpicks 2/3 up the pit.
- Set in a jar (or something similar).
- Fill jar with water and keep it full.
- Keep the water and pit clean!
- Peel the “paper” off as the pit splits.
- Pinch the bottom drying leaves off as it produces new leaves.
- Sit back and enjoy! Your hard work will pay off in a handful of years.
- Name that baby!
I wish you well in your venture of growing avocados! I can’t wait for my little plants to start making me fre shavocados. Yummy!
XOXO
Hal
Hallie Dantzler 