How Best to Plant My Little Avocado Sapling?

orloffer

Crowing
Jun 10, 2020
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SF Bay Area, CA
A while back I submerged an avocado pit in water in a jam jar to see if it would grow. It took a long time, but finally it did, and now the plant is almost too big for the jam jar! :celebrate I want to plant it soon so that the roots have the space they need to grow. Being a complete novice at gardening, I have many questions about how best to plant and care for this avocado sapling. Is there a certain type of pot, pot size, or soil type I should consider? How much light will it need, and how often should I water it? Should I worry that anything is going to eat it? The plant itself (not including roots) is about 15 inches tall, and I have attached a picture of it below. Thank you all in advance!
Avocado Plant.jpg
 
A while back I submerged an avocado pit in water in a jam jar to see if it would grow. It took a long time, but finally it did, and now the plant is almost too big for the jam jar! :celebrate I want to plant it soon so that the roots have the space they need to grow. Being a complete novice at gardening, I have many questions about how best to plant and care for this avocado sapling. Is there a certain type of pot, pot size, or soil type I should consider? How much light will it need, and how often should I water it? Should I worry that anything is going to eat it? The plant itself (not including roots) is about 15 inches tall, and I have attached a picture of it below. Thank you all in advance!
View attachment 2353731
I have 8 or 9 plants kinda started this way.

I think they are only two years old now. I had more before these 8 or 9, that were a few years old but I left them outside and they froze one year.


Anyways...my plants live in dirt in pots outside.

I'll get pictures tomorrow for you.

I'd move it outside, in dirt, if I were you.
 
I have 8 or 9 plants kinda started this way.

I think they are only two years old now. I had more before these 8 or 9, that were a few years old but I left them outside and they froze one year.


Anyways...my plants live in dirt in pots outside.

I'll get pictures tomorrow for you.

I'd move it outside, in dirt, if I were you.
Thank you! What kind of soil do you use?
 
I put the plant in potting soil after watching several videos on how to do so. They recommend blends of potting soil, perlite, peat moss, etc, but I do not have those things and am not in a position to get them. Apparently avocados are subject to root rot, and need well-draining soil. I may have kept mine in water too long, because I saw a bit of mold on the ends of some of the roots, and the leaves were beginning to show signs of a lack of proper nutrients. They can also be disturbed by sudden changes from switching to a new environment. I am hoping it will do okay, though! :fl
 
I have one growing in my mulched clay soil in full sunlight. I started the seed back in February. But the small dwarf deer got the leaves it's growing back. I also throw chicken poop around it.

Edited: If your gonna keep it in a pot, use outdoor potting soil it drains well. After planting slowly let it get use to full sun, 2 hours for a week.
 
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Wow, that's awesome! How exactly did you submerge it? I'd love to try that. Will it actually produce avocados? Is there any chance of it growing in a cold climate? It could be indoors.
 
Wow, that's awesome! How exactly did you submerge it? I'd love to try that. Will it actually produce avocados? Is there any chance of it growing in a cold climate? It could be indoors.
Here is a nice video that explains how to get started. It is quite simple:

I did a bit of research and found an entire host of videos on caring for avocado plants! I suppose one can make it as complicated as they wish to:

How to grow avocados - long video:
How to water an avocado plant:
Root rot information:
Saving a tree from root rot:
What soil to use?:
How to plant an avocado sapling in soil:
Another one:
How to make a soil mixture for avocado plants:
How to prune an avocado plant:
How to get them used to sunlight:
How to graft them:
Life cycle of an avocado tree:
 

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