Avocado trees can be difficult to cultivate in the wild, but they’re easy to grow indoors, and the result is a seedling that grows into a small specimen with glossy, oval leaves 4 to 8 inches long. Even if your tree does bear fruit, it’s highly improbable that the progeny will grow fruit that looks anything like the original.
It’s true that avocados aren’t the healthiest food on the planet, but as a potted plant, they’ve got a lot going for them. All components of the avocado plant are harmful to animals, so keep that in mind.
Taking care of an avocado plant
Sprouting avocado seeds in water or starting them from seed in potting soil is a common method of growing avocados indoors.
Sunlight is excellent for established plants. Apply a balanced granular fertilizer to them on a regular basis in the spring and summer.
An indoor avocado is a novelty plant, rather than an actual avocado tree. Unless you reside in a particularly warm region, moving your avocado to the outdoors won’t do anything to encourage it to yield fruit or develop into a tree.
Light
An avocado tree will grow in direct sunlight, much like a banana tree would. Potted indoor plants, on the other hand, do best in the brightest area possible, even if they can take little shade. The seed can be kept in the light of a windowsill until the roots have formed and the first leaves have appeared.
Water
When the soil feels dry to the touch, water the plant. Avocado plants need to be watered regularly, but not so much that they become squishy. They also need good drainage. An indication of too much water is the wilting of leaves.
Temperature
Academia plants thrive in warm climates but can withstand temperatures as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter.
Soil
Potting soil that is rich and fast-draining is desirable.
Fertilizer
The fertilization requirements of indoor avocado houseplants vary greatly from those of outside avocado trees. Fertilize your avocado houseplant every three months with a modest bit of water-soluble food if you want to retain its dark green foliage.
The Different Types of Avocados
The most common avocado variety is the Haas avocado, which is farmed in large quantities in California and throughout Latin America and is widely available. They’re little avocados with pebbly skin that have a high-fat content and tasty flesh. During the season, you can also find larger, lighter green Florida avocadoes. All of these avocados have plenty of healthy pits that can be used to grow your plants.
Pruning
When the plant is just 12 inches tall, it is time to begin significant cutting. Cut it back to 6 inches and allow new leaves and stems to grow in.
Avocado fruit develops on new growth, so as it grows taller, pinch off new growth to encourage new branches to sprout. In addition to keeping the plant bushy, pinching off the plant’s new growth will also keep it under control in terms of size.
How to Grow Avocado Trees from Seeds
There are a variety of ways to propagate avocado plants, but this is typically done for trees that will be placed in the landscape. Using disease-resistant rootstock and desirable avocado kinds, arborists create healthy trees that bear fruit of the desired variety and size.
By wounding a tree branch and wrapping it in rooting material while it is still attached to the tree, you can encourage roots to sprout and propagate the plant by air-layering. A branch is cut off and placed in the ground once it has formed a network of roots.
The seed of an avocado plant can be used to create a new plant in the same way that a papaya houseplant grows swiftly from a readily accessible seed. The pit of avocado contains the avocado seed. Avocado houseplants can be grown in a variety of ways:
- Insert three toothpicks into the avocado seed and suspend it over a glass of water with the broad end down to sprout it.
- The seed should be watered up to an inch deep.
- Keep it out of direct sunshine, but keep it warm.
- In the next two to six weeks, the seed should begin to sprout. To encourage greater root growth, let the young plant grow to a height of 6 inches before cutting it back to a height of 3 inches.
- In a pot about 10 inches in diameter, put half the seed, making that the roots are well-developed and the stem has fresh leaves. Drainage holes should be present in the pot.
Avocado Plant Repotting and Potting
Avocado plants need to be repotted each spring as soon as new growth appears. Trimming your avocado tree to keep it busy the first few years is a must. During the summer, you can leave the avocado out, but bring it in before the first frost.
Overwintering
If the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, bring your plants indoors for the evening. Winter can cause your plant to lose some of its leaves, but they’ll grow back when the weather warms up again.
Pests and diseases that commonly affect plants
Look for indicators like leaf yellowing, which might suggest an excessive amount of water or poor drainage. Look for these symptoms. If the potting soil is too damp, they could have root rot.
Avocado trees are vulnerable to the Raffaelea Lauricella fungus when growing outside. A number of ambrosia beetle species have the disease. Within four to eight weeks, infected trees usually die.
Problems Associated With Avocados
Excess salt in the soil is the most prevalent issue with avocado houseplants, which are generally easy to grow. If you see a white crust on the soil, this indicates that the fertilizer has accumulated too much salt. Maintaining a regular flushing schedule is essential.
FAQ
How do avocado houseplants fare in terms of maintenance?
Taking care of these houseplants is a breeze, and they don’t require any attention at all.
Do avocado houseplants grow quickly or slowly?
Fast-growing avocado plants can grow up to 30 inches a year. If your avocado houseplant gets too tall, you may want to stake it, but you may also cut it to the desired height.
How long can you expect an avocado plant to grow indoors?
Avocado trees can live for hundreds of years if they are grown in the open air. Your houseplant may be able to last as long as the cactus.
