Alligator pear - as the avocado was formerly called. And not surprisingly, the fruit of this tree has a pear-like shape, and its dense skin resembles the green skin of a crocodile. Despite its dull appearance, it is such a tasty and healthy fruit that in India it was nicknamed "the poor man's cow", since the calorie content of avocado is not inferior to milk, and at the same time it is a dietary food product. The fruit is rich in proteins and carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Thanks to the content of valuable oils, it is the key to the beauty of skin and hair. And the avocado tree is a decoration of any interior. It has bright wide leaves and a rather flexible stem that allows you to form unusual decorative compositions from it. In addition, avocados are called the tree of love. There is a belief that the presence of this plant in the interior harmonizes relationships and creates a romantic atmosphere in the house. Unfortunately, even a small tree is very expensive. However, if you know the secrets of how to grow an avocado from a seed at home, you can get a beautiful exotic plant almost for free.
Which fruit should you choose for planting?
Each bone of this amazing fruit has almost 100% germination rate. In stores, avocados are sold with varying degrees of ripeness: some are softer, squeezing under the fingers, while others, on the contrary, are tight and green. The ripe fruit should be chosen for planting. But if it is impossible to find one, it is permissible to take an unripe avocado, but do not rush to cut it. The fruit should be left in a sunny, warm place so that it matures and ripens. It is good to put apples or bananas in the "neighborhood". These fruits emit ethylene gas, which accelerates the ripening of the fruit. A bone from a ripe avocado, which we use for food or for preparing various dishes, is perfect for planting.
In order to grow a plant on your own, it is better to choose a larger fruit that will have a large seed. She has more potential and energy to grow.
How to prepare a seed for planting?
Before seed avocado can be grown in soil, it must be germinated. Peeled, it will sprout faster than unpeeled. It is very easy to clean the bone: you can use a kitchen knife or simply pry on the pieces of the skin with your fingernail and carefully remove it. To get sprouts and plant a seed in a pot, it should be soaked. When soaking, a root breaks through from its blunt side, after which the upper part also cracks, from which a sprout or stalk appears.
There are several options for soaking bones. The first option is suitable for the lazy. To do this, the phalanx of the finger is buried in the soil and its moisture is assessed. If the soil is dry, the tree is watered, if not, watering can be postponed for a couple of days.
If you have three sprouting avocado shoots that sprout at the same time, you can form a beautiful stem. They are planted in one pot and as the plants grow, their stems are intertwined. It is imperative to leave gaps between the segments of the "pigtail", because the trunk grows over time.
When will the tree begin to bear fruit?
Starting from the third year of life, a panicle with yellow-green flowers may appear on the plant. In order for the avocado to bear fruit under indoor conditions, it is desirable to have two trees for cross-pollination. On one, the stamens will be active in the flowers, on the other - the pistils. If possible, then in the summer, you should take out the avocado to your summer cottage. The best place for him is in the shade of tree crowns.
The size of the avocado tree depends on how you shape and care for the crown. It is very easy to grow an exotic plant at home, the main thing is to follow all the rules for planting and caring for a green pet.
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