OK! I have just completely lost memory of what your suppose to do with a avocado seed. I remember something my parents would do with toothpicks and a glass of water,but have you tried putting toothpicks in a avocado seed lately? Any one know? Thanks.

-- TomK(mich) (tjk@cac.net), December 19, 2001

Answers

I tried the toothpicks stuck in the avocado seeds and suspended over a glass of water with the bottom (rounded ends) just touching the water but after 3 weeks nothing looked like it was happening and I kept forgetting to top the water up. The skin had dried so I peeled it off, took the toothpicks out and planted the seeds in loose potting mix and kept it damp. They are sprouting now and it has taken about 8 weeks from the day I stuck them with toothpicks. I don't know which way is the proper or faster way of doing it, but I would also be interested in finding out. I have also heard of other people chopping off a bit of the pointy end and then planting them? Does this speed up the sprouting?

-- Maryanne (Australia) (maryanoel@bigpond.com), December 19, 2001.

Avocados grow in tropical climates, taste is ok. but I dislike the waxie texture. If they are exposed to freezing climate they are a waste of time, and will die unless sheltered indoors.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), December 19, 2001.

Mitch just like everything else, fresh picked from the tree avacodos are nothing like the store bought picked early kinds found in our stores. What they do to avocados and apricots is just about criminal. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 20, 2001.

Vicki, I am from Florida where they grow freely, I still do not like the texture.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), December 20, 2001.

If you plant the pit into a pot of potting soil, with the rounded end down, about 1/2 below the soil level, and keep it watered, it should grow that way. I've done them that way in the past with good success, and you don't have to try and spike the pit to do it. Peeling the hard shell coating off the pit helps since the plant doesn't have to try and break through it.

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), December 20, 2001.

I just started three avocado plants from seed. Here's what I usually do: Let the seed dry for a couple days, until the brown skin will peel off easily. Then, using a potato peeler, trim the lower third of the seed, without cutting the bottom where the root will extend. This allows the seed to take up more water. Insert three or four toothpicks into the seed about l/2 of the way from the top. Set it into a glass, so that all of the cut area is under water. It will crack and a root will appear. When it puts up a shoot from the top, it's time to plant it in soil, with l/2 of the seed in the potting mix.

-- Kris (kkwoestman@yahoo.com), December 21, 2001.

Tom - The best you can hope for from your avocado seed is a nice house plant. In your area it won't survive outside, in winter. Secondly, avocados are grafted, so the seed won't produce anything like what we in CA consider a quality avocado, if it produces at all. Sorry.

-- jennifer (schwabauer@aol.com), December 27, 2001.

I ate the avacado and placed the seed in potting soil, about 5 weeks later I had a sprout. Another three weeks later it is ten inches tall and has six large leaves.The seed was just under the soil and I had put a grow light over it. Also let the soil dry out alittle between waterings, they seem to like that. Good Luck!

-- Terry (c_ritter_77@yahoo.ca), April 28, 2002.

When you make guacamole, leave the pit (seed) in the bowl with the avacado mixture. It keeps it from oxidizing (swear to God, we learned that trick in Mexico.) :)

-- Najia (najia274@yahoo.com), April 28, 2002.