Grow avocado at homeImage Credit source: Getty Images
Avocado is very beneficial for health. It contains protein, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin B2, B3. B5, B6, folate, magnesium, potassium, copper, “magnesium” and many antioxidants are found. It looks very attractive. Seeing the video of avocado toast on social media, everyone feels like eating it. But it is very expensive compared to other fruits. A piece of avocado is available for Rs 100 or 150. But do you know that like all other vegetables and fruits, you can easily grow avocado plant at home.
If you like gardening, then you can grow avocado plant in a pot at home. If some things are kept in mind and the plant is properly cared for, it can bear fruits. Let us know about the correct methods of planting and taking care of avocado plant at home.
avocado seeds
For this take a perfect avocado, cut it carefully without damaging the seed. Take out the center and wash it with lukewarm water to clean the remaining fruit. Pay attention to the upper and lower parts of the middle. The slightly pointed end is at the upper end and the flat and wide lower end. Insert three to four toothpicks about halfway into the seeds. This will allow you to balance on the edges of the glass filled with water. Fill a glass with water and drop your avocado seed into the water with its wide end facing down.
Grow avocado from seed (Credit: Getty Images)
Keep in mind that the water should cover at least one end of the seeds. Change the water every 34 days. Place the glass in a warm, sunny place. But keep in mind that it should not come in direct contact with sunlight. It may take 2 to 6 weeks for the seeds to germinate. During this time, a root will be seen growing from the bottom and a stem will be seen emerging from the top.
After the seeds germinate, small avocado plants will start growing in them. When the avocado seeds start sprouting and the stem grows to about 6 inches, it means it is time to plant it in the soil. For further growth it can be cut up to 3 inches. Now plant it in a pot. For this, choose a pot or plant of at least 10 inches diameter. Keep in mind that it should have drainage holes for water to flow out.
Selection of soil (Credit: Getty Images)
Make soil by adding 40% garden soil, 30% sand or perlite, 20% rotted cow dung or compost and 10% coco peat or dry leaf compost in this pot. Gently remove the toothpick from the seed and insert it into the avocado seed pot in such a way that the top half of the seed remains open. Water the pot well and keep it in a sunny place. Because it needs sunlight for growth.
plant care
It is very important to water the avocado plant regularly, but do not water it excessively. Because too much water can cause the seeds or roots to rot. The soil should not be too wet. Keep it in sunlight but too strong sunlight can scorch the leaves of the plant. If you are planting its pot inside the house, then you can keep it near the window. Add fertilizer to it from time to time. You can change the fertilizer of this plant every 2 to 4 weeks. Along with this, when the growth of the plant becomes excessive, prune it and remove the bad branches.
Take care of the plant like this (Credit: Getty Images)
Avocado trees can take several years to bear fruit. Keep raw avocado at room temperature. Once ripe, avocados can be stored in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life. In this case, you can buy a grafted avocado plant from a nursery. Plant it in a big pot or in the ground. This type of plant can start bearing fruits in 3 to 4 years. Whereas from a seed plant it may take 7 to 10 years.