To Grow an Avocado Tree

There are two ways to grow an avocado tree of your very own. One, being to buy an already grafted tree from your local nursery or the more popular route, growing it from a pit you extract from an avocado. Whichever way you choose, the process is fairly simple.

The best time to plant is in early spring, a couple of weeks after the last frost. If you live in a cold weather state, check the weather to make sure that there is no expected weather below 45 degree's, as the tree will die. Now, lets get down to planting our tree!

How to plant a grafted tree

At your local nursery choose a grafted tree that is of the variety of avocado you prefer
Find a spot that will have full sun exposure all day. The more sun it has the larger it will grow.
The soil needs to be loose so that it drains well
Plant at least 6 feet from any building structure
Make sure weeds and grass do not grow with in a 3-4 foot diameter of the tree
Dig a hole that is slightly wider than the root ball and deep enough so that the root ball sits about 1in above the original soil level and
Remove the tree from its plastic carriage and unravel the roots enough so that the root ball is able to sit in the hole
Place in hole and refill with the dirt that was removed
Water 2-3 times a week, let soil dry in between
Fruit will being to produce in 3-4 years

How to grow and plant a tree from the pit

Remove the pit from the center of the avocado by gentle sliding a spoon between the pit and the fruit
Wash the pit with cold water to remove any fruit that might be stuck to it. Pat it dry
Push 3 toothpicks in to the thickest part of the pit about ½" deep. The purpose of using toothpicks is to suspend the pit in water
Place the pit in water filled glass, resting the toothpicks on the rim, keeping the top part in fresh air and the fat part of the pit in water.
Make sure that the water is always covering at least an inch of the fat base
Place the glass in a window seal that gets sunlight.
In about 3-6 weeks the top of the avocado will split and a sprout will begin to grow. While the fat of the base will begin to develop roots.
When the sprout reaches 5"-6" pinch off the top leaves. A new set will grow in 3-4 weeks and then it will be time for planting. This extra time allows for the roots to develop a bit more
Grab a large flowerpot at least 10" across and fill with enriched potting soil to about an inch from the top.
Make a small impression in the soil to sit the pit in, not to deep as the top of the pit needs to slightly above the soil line
Place remaining soil on top of the pit carefully pushing the soil around the roots and the base.
Water so that the soil is moist not muddy and be careful to water slowly so that the water does not create holes in the soil.
To help with growth, for every new 6 in. of growth pinch off the top two sets of leaves.
Once the roots have begun to outgrow the pot you can transport the tree to your garden or to a larger pot.

Tips:

Always plant or repot in the Spring
The tree will die in a non stable climate or temps that are below 45 degree's
If you live in a cold weather state, you might want to keep your tree inside or in a green house for fall and winter and slowly introduced outside for spring and summer
Indoor trees grow best in an area with good sunlight during the day and low temps in the night
The soil temp should be about 70 degrees, for optimal growth
The recommended PH level for the soil is between 6 and 7
Well rooted trees should be given a balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks in the summer and every 6 weeks in the winter (only for trees grown indoors)
Planting several trees together in your garden will enhance pollination
After the tree is 1 year old it should be feed 4 times a year (only if the tree has been planted in the garden)

Remember, avocado trees can grow to be 20-30 feet in height and have an extensive root system. So, as long as you plant them in that perfect spot, keep them trimmed and feed, you are sure to reap the fruits of your labor.