I have a avocado seed in water it has split open and has a root on it about 4 inches long with other roots growing from it. It also has a stem about 9 inces long with 5 little leaves at the end of it. Can I plant it in soil? If so how do I do it? Plant the whole seed or what???
I think it's too cold in Kansas. Maybe this link will help
http://ucavo.ucr.edu/
Definitely too cold in Kansas, avocados need at least zone 9, and I know people by me in 9b who've lost them to the occasional frost. I'm not sure if they can be grown in containers or not, but you might as well try since you can't keep it in water forever.
I tried (and failed) to pot up an avocado seedling once--one fell off my tree and landed in the garden and sprouted there so I tried to transplant it to a container and it almost immediately died. I think I might have planted it too deep in the pot, so you might want to plant it fairly shallow and maybe you'll have better luck than I did.
I have one growing in a container. Has been there 2 years. I don't know what to do with it as they grow huge and I don't really have a space for it. I'll have to do something soon.
Hello.
In my limited experience, Avocados are just one of those tropicals that aren't worth growing in temperate climates. While they sprout easily in water, and (usually) transplant well into soil, they are, after all, destined to become a very large tree. They tend to just sulk and look spindly indoors, don't transplant well, and can quickly get too large to move outdoors in the spring and indoors in the fall. Throw in bugs during the winter indoors and it's just not worth it.
In my humble opinion, there are many other tropicals that are worth investing time in temperate climates. People in upper midwest are doing amazing things with cannas, bananas, citrus, passifloras, brugmansias, etc. etc. etc.
Regards,
Erick
ErikMN sadly you are right, but they are fun to sprout and great for kids! When I was a kid I must have sprouted a million, but they aren't meant to be inside plants.
aprilwillis, I agree. I sprouted many as a kid as well. It's a good learning experience!
Erick
I have 1 growing in a pot that is 4 years old. I move it into the gh for the winter. I started mine in water like you have done, and when I potted it up I didn't plant it deep, the top of the seed was above soil level. It (the seed) eventually fell off. I'm surprised it has done so well or lived so long. The seed was kept from a trip with a dear friend, so the plant reminds me of that trip.
That's what I was wondering if it could be planted and then put in the GH during winter. I do think I will give it a try. I won't have anything to lose.
Linda
