Growing Avocado Plant

[Mike Cork]

Okay... I remember my mother, grandmother, and many female family members though my years trying to grow avocado seeds with zero success. MotherNature loves avocado on everything. So just for kicks a while back I planted one and watered the crap out of it.

It spouted and started growing leaves. I was told by a Minnesota farm boy to make sure it gets plenty of sun. So I set it outside. Well Louisiana sun is too much for it.



As you can see, in just one day, the sun down here about killed it. It's recovering well in the house. So, until it's much stronger it's an inside plant.

I'm pretty sure it will be fruitless as the industry wouldn't want everyone growing there own. And they are probably genetically altered.

Just curious if any of you green thumbs out there have grown one and can you keep it managed as an inside plant versus an avocado tree? Or am I wasting time with this thing?


Dobyns Rods - "when fishing is more than a hobby"

Monster Fishing Tackle - Mister Twister

[Nutoy]

My mom used to poke toothpicks in the seeds and place them on top of a jar fill with water until they started to sprout. Once the root started, she'd put them in a large planter pot and let them get fairly large before transplanting outside.

What she learned is Avocado trees can not tolerate a freeze. Even a light frost kills them.

She started leaving them in giant pots and would put them in the greenhouse during the winter.

There was also something about having to be grafted to produce fruit. Not sure with what, but after many years one of her plants did actually start producing some small fruit.

Most of the Avocados in the marketplace are grown in Mexico. I'd think they would not be as GMO prone as USA based produce.

[Mike Cork]

Good point about GMO's. The heat burning it, must be timing. It gets hot in Mexico. I'm trying to grow one in the summer. At its stage it's probably much earlier in the season.

Thanks for the reasons to pot instead of planting.


Dobyns Rods - "when fishing is more than a hobby"

Monster Fishing Tackle - Mister Twister

[Lipripper]

Mike you trying to kill Mom's plant  I did so web searching before when my SIL was trying to grow one and from what I found it takes a long time to grow one till it starts giving out any Avocados. Here's what I found.

Be patient about seeing fruit. If you have purchased and planted a tree, you can probably expect to see your first fruit 3-4 years after planting. If you are growing from seed, it can take anywhere from 5 to 13 years before the tree is mature enough to set fruit.

[Mike Cork]

I really never expected it to root up and grow  so if we get a cool houseplant out of it we are in the plus.

Got an orange tree out back that the heat is killing too. Florida has nothing on us for temperatures apparently.

[Lipripper]

We had a couple of Avocado Plant trees until Diana finally killed them.  I green thumb she don't have.

[Capt. BassinLou]

I really never expected it to root up and grow  so if we get a cool houseplant out of it we are in the plus.

Got an orange tree out back that the heat is killing too. Florida has nothing on us for temperatures apparently.

If Mother loves avocados, she will go nuts if she ever sees  the size of the avocados we have here in South Fl.

[Thornback]

If you grow a plant indoors from seed and it sprouts leaves you can't suddenly set it out in full sun, it's too tender. You have to slowly expose it to full sun. Start with a shady spot outside and keep moving it so it gets shaded sun and later a little full sun.

[Mike Cork]

If you grow a plant indoors from seed and it sprouts leaves you can't suddenly set it out in full sun, it's too tender. You have to slowly expose it to full sun. Start with a shady spot outside and keep moving it so it gets shaded sun and later a little full sun.

Makes sense, it definitely did not like the sun. The photo below is after a week of healing. Thought I had lost it in just a few hours.

If Mother loves avocados, she will go nuts if she ever sees  the size of the avocados we have here in South Fl.

You pick a couple "pre" ripe and send them this way on your next outing...

Dad was stationed at Patrick AFB, every time we went fishing he'd stop and pick a couple oranges if the road was barren 

[Polaris425]

My wife loves them as well. I eat them because she does.

I got curious and planted one as well not long ago. It rooted, but has not sprouted yet.

The research I did says it most likely will never fruit in this climate. And even if it did, it could take 5-15 years to do so...

So, if it grows, it will just be something cool to look at.

[Mike Cork]

Polaris, the one I planted did like yours, rooted but never would sprout. So I started watering it almost to the point of flooding and it sprouted in a couple days... Don't know if it will work for you? I was at the point, if it works cool, if not cool I'll move on to something else... Then I got a spout.

[cport]

Polaris, the one I planted did like yours, rooted but never would sprout. So I started watering it almost to the point of flooding and it sprouted in a couple days... Don't know if it will work for you? I was at the point, if it works cool, if not cool I'll move on to something else... Then I got a spout.

So is this a Hass or a Florida Avacado? Personally, I prefer the Hass, it has more flavor. Of course, that is probably because it has a higher fat content than the Florida 'cados.

[Mike Cork]

The only Avacodos I see in my area are Hass. We have some "Organic" versions and I'm not sure where they come from but they are way expensive.

[Polaris425]

Polaris, the one I planted did like yours, rooted but never would sprout. So I started watering it almost to the point of flooding and it sprouted in a couple days... Don't know if it will work for you? I was at the point, if it works cool, if not cool I'll move on to something else... Then I got a spout.

I'll try that!

[Polaris425]

You were right. Been watering the CRAP out of it the last few days and guess what I found today. A sprout.




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[Mike Cork]

Awesome  Maybe we'll figure it out together 

[cd1]

Come on man, snakes, gators, rice and chicory are the only things that grow in Louisiana.   

[Nutoy]

Come on man, snakes, gators, rice and chicory are the only things that grow in Louisiana.   

And Skeeters

[FloridaFishinFool]

Come on man, snakes, gators, rice and chicory are the only things that grow in Louisiana.   

And chiggers!   

[LgMouthGambler]

And chiggers!   

Oh God, the one thing I DONT miss about Kentucky. Them things loved me. 

[weedwhacker]

Kansas has chiggers also and they are hungry.

[Mike Cork]

Come on man, snakes, gators, rice and chicory are the only things that grow in Louisiana.   

You are right CD1 but it was something to do because it's so damn hot outside

[cd1]

And Skeeters

I once saw a mosquito on the Mississippi/Louisiana line that was so big it was fighting a 9 foot alligator...and holding it's own.

[Mike Cork]

I once saw a mosquito on the Mississippi/Louisiana line that was so big it was fighting a 9 foot alligator...and holding it's own.

That wasn't a skeeter, we're so far behind the times that was a Pterodactyl 

[cd1]

That wasn't a skeeter, we're so far behind the times that was a Pterodactyl