Within a matter of a few days from our last avocado update, our little plants underwent an incredible growth spurt. They went from this new stem growth, last time we checked in to this:
Do you even recognize them? We almost don't. Now, if you look really close to the leaf you can see the bud of a little avocado (a closer picture of this below). Come on guacamole!
We've been trying to grow these little guys for just about 5 months and all of a sudden they just took off. We mentioned they sprouted new stems and since that point, they haven't looked back. We're really wondering if it has to do with the warmer temperatures since avocado trees really crave a warmer climate.
Since we last showed progress, the new stems shot up to about 8" and 10" within a matter of a week. They formed little leaves on the top that have since opened up and look great. This is the most action these plants have seen since they began sprouting roots back in January.
We've been studying up on next steps for the plants, knowing we will eventually need to "pinch out" the stem and transfer the plants over to pots with soil — wanting to try to find the perfect timing.
Pinching out simply means cutting back the stem to promote new multiple stem growth in a Y shape. This allows the plant to become shorter and bushier as it grows indoors instead of continuing to grow as a singular tall stem with only a few leaves at the top.
To be perfectly honest, the act of "pinching" or "cutting" the stem back has been terrifying us over the past several months ever since we learned it was something that must be done in order to promote new growth. While it's a simple cut, we just had no idea when the right time to do it was, much less the correct place on the plant. We must have read every article on Google and watched every YouTube video on growing avocado plants from seed, but each one varies in direction. I guess the one thing we've learned is — there isn't a correct formula, each plant is different and experimentation is encouraged.
So, we took the plunge and cut!
We went with taking back between 3 - 5 inches and made the pinch just above the point where smaller leaves seem to be growing on the trunk of the stem. We may have made a mistake by pinching below the actual leaf growth, but are hoping for the best.
Who knows if we will have killed the plants from here or set them up for brilliant growth. Wish us luck and as always, we'll be sure to keep you posted!
Oh, and btw you did not really believe me when I said there was a tiny avocado pod did you? Even if this plant does bear fruit, it could be 3-15 years before we could enjoy any guacamole. Trust me, if you are still reading this blog and that happens you're all invited!
Anyone else had luck with growing avocado plants indoors? Did you pinch or cut them to promote growth and if you did — did it work?
Fingers crossed they get bushy! Those are great pictures btw :) Love these planting tips.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Angie!
DeleteWe had no idea it took so long!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely been a slow process, but they need minimal attention, so it's been pretty easy to keep up with!
DeleteAvocado seeds are always shown sprouting in water, but they grow best when sprouted in soil with some of the avocado and the avocado skin left with to decompose around the seed.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting factoid: Avocado are dinosaur age plants! The avocado tree naturally reproduces when the fruit is eaten whole by a large herbivore and dropped far enough away from the parent tree that it can grow and thrive.
Wow - love that fun fact! It totally makes sense, too!
DeleteFound your blog through pinterest. How fun to see all your planting projects :) I will definatly check back to follow the progress!
ReplyDeleteFrom Norway with love ♥
Anne
Thanks so much, Anne! So glad you stopped by and appreciate your support on the projects! haha
DeleteI love the way avocado seeds look when they first sprout, and the trees are surprisingly hardy when they really get established
ReplyDeleteHey Jason,
DeleteIt's been a lot of fun to watch them grow and change. Have you had luck growing established trees? We'd love to learn more from someone with experience.
I've started avocado seeds as well (I live in Seattle), and it's taken months for me too! I'm also terrified of pinching them off, but that may be because I've never done it before, to see the benefit to doing so.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your (very future?) guacamole post!
Haha yes — guacamole for all! Our have been growing back since pinching, but only straight up — we will show on the blog very soon! Don't fear the pinch!
DeleteAny updates?! I started my avocado plant about a month ago, and it JUST started rooting (although it split about 2-3 days after I put it in water). I've been waiting for an update! :)
ReplyDeleteAshley thanks for the reminder we will get on that and give us a week to get it up. Things are looking good though!
DeleteMy daughter decided to try the water and toothpick method and it took a very long time to finally see the sprouts. When it did sprout, we were amazed to see 4 sprouts growing out of one seed! Definately was worth the wait, I have had so many comments about it. I guess I should put it in dirt but I am scared to bother it too much.
ReplyDeleteLynne we just put ours in dirt not long ago and it is doing quite well! Good luck.
DeleteI just recently gave away the tree I started about 3 years ago. It's now about 4 feet tall, though I started it in dirt without cleaning off the excess avocado stuck to it. I cut it back every winter and shape it using the same ideas I learned for my roses. Don't know if that's right or not, but it seemed to love it and gave me even more growth every spring.
ReplyDeleteAwesome, thanks for sharing — you give us hope that our little plant will continue to grow!
DeleteI must have been reading your entire gardening section for at least 2 hours now! I was curious about growing celery, but found you also grew green onions and a pineapple! I tried growing both with wrong instructions in the past, I felt bad for failing on both projects :( but I'm more encouraged now after reading your blog, and here in Mexico avocado is so common I might as well try grow one just like you :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jose, we'll keep our fingers crossed for you!
DeleteLove your site. Just did your celery idea, (which is growing fabulously), and then thought...if it works for celery maybe it would work with lettuce! I am happy to report that IT DOES!!! I used the butt end of my romaine lettuce and I am have little spouts, ready to plant in the dirt! Keep up the good work! Next stop for me...avocados!! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThrilled to hear about the lettuce Carleene!
Deletei love growing plants and i am only eleven and the past few months i have taken an avocado seed and grown it with no advice. So far it is 12" tall and I re-potted it today.But when I looked at the advice on the internet i realized that I had to pinch it!! I was terrified at the idea of harming my poor plant but i have just now summoned the courage to do it! I really hope it works!!!:D
ReplyDeleteOh good luck! Let us know how it works out!
DeleteI have grown a few now and it depends on if the seed was picked before it was ready. If u get the perfect avocado it will grow faster. Iv had the best luck with avocados thatcare going bad. Just leave them in the skin and let them set asclong as u can. I run mine under water every so often and when u finally cant wait anymore and u open it up hopefully it will already be sprouted and it will grow faster started like that
ReplyDeleteCan I grow avocado in Western New York? We, as you know have 4 seasons. Our winters are pretty cold.
ReplyDeleteYou can answer me here; cterrito@ymail.com
Thank you.
Mine has grown great. I have never pinched mine. I have been growing mine since August 2014. I have mine in a small planter with a bowl under it. The planter has holes in the bottom of it, so when I place water in the bowl it goes through the holes to the avocado plant. I water mine every other days. They have to have lots of water. I am in the process of transplanting it into a bigger planter. It has gotten really big. The leaves are huge. Wish I could post a pic on here.
ReplyDeleteI have 5 growing at the moment, can't take much credit because all I did was throw an avacado seed in a pot (kind of as a joke)and it sprouted...so I kept adding seeds. They are almost 2 feet high and the leaves are 6/7 inches long. I want to put them in the ground but unsure how big they need to be to do so. Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteI have tried growing 9 avocado pits for the first time starting April 2016, only 3 survived by August (rest were already either damaged/dud). The oldest one stopped growing at 4 inches with 2 small baby leaves in late May, I was waiting for it to grow 7-8 inches before pinching leaves or prune half the stem, by mid July, it didn't work as it stayed the same size/length for a month, and it's roots were showing a lot of whitish nubbins in the water (mistaken for rot or fungus but it's actually roots looking for air) and was about to wilt so I had it transferred to soil from water. To my surprise, within 2 weeks my avocado only grew one inch with 2 leaves grew 4 inches long plus 4 extra leaves (total 8 leaves) without pinching top leaves at all. No ugly long stem like many people described on website. It's because I put my avocado in direct full sunlight and thrived superbly. But my other 2 avocado pits only few days apart(by 2-3 days) after the oldest one are still struggling to grow and were about to die so I had both transferred to soil from water, one grew 4 more stems (multiplying) and baby leaves appearing in 8's after the first and only one oldest stem didn't work and another growing slowly showing baby leaves now. I've started in April '16 and took that long time so you have to be patience with them, keep an eye on them. If baby avocado start slowing down or show sign of struggling, transfer to soil, I went against the instructions on website even I am first time grower on growing from avocado pit and it worked.
ReplyDeleteMy question is, what am I going to fix one pit that has multiplying stems as I'm afraid it will overcrowd one another? Leave it alone or prune it off leaving one stem?
I started an Avacado seed about 4 years ago. Planted it in dirt. Currently it resides in my living room as it is still too cold to put it outdoors (we live in WI). It is about 7+ feet tall and about 8 feet across. It has tons of leaves and branches. I take it outdoors every summer and keep it in a semi shaded area making sure it gets plenty of water. I do know that it will be 'forever' before we would ever get fruit, but it is such a beautiful plant to watch grow. This fall, though, we will be donating the tree to a local botanical garden to display permanently as it will be too big to live in our house anymore. :( We actually decorated our tree this past Christmas and it was rather unique looking. For all of you who live in a more temperate climate I say go for it. These trees are amazing and very hearty. By the way we named our tree Ava Cado, long a's on A and the Cado.
ReplyDeleteDo you keep you plant out of direct sunlight?
ReplyDeleteAll my avocado I've grown from pit are loving direct sunlight and it did spilt, sprout and grown into small tree. I gave one to my sister in law, it died because she put it outside-she didn't know that it was supposed to be indoors and it was raining. It didn't like outdoors or dark place. But there are avocado growers out there saying no direct sunlight the better. I guess it depends on avocado pit/location. You will have to experiment all possible ways and find out which.
DeleteI'm facing the same dilema, at the moment I'm growing 5 baby avacado trees from seed and I'm at the point where im supposed to cut the stem down but im worried if i do i will lose my babies. They're so tall and beautiful i don't want to risk it, be sure to let me know if yours have worked out, thankyou! :)
ReplyDeleteI never cut mine, only when they lose leaves and in sleeping mode (during winter). Visitors thought it was dead lol but it grew more leaves later, gotta be patience with them. If I were you, as long as it's healthy and beautiful I wouldn't cut it.
DeleteMine was really tall ( 8 inches ) with two leaves up top so I cut it back down to 3 inches as suggested. I cut just above a little leaf node.... now 4 days later it is just a stalk, pip with its roots in water .. no new growth from node...
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