Growing the pit in a bag of peatmoss

ZIP-Lock bag seed propagation

Materials:

• Avocado pit
• Peat moss / Coir
• Water
• Zip lock bags (sandwhich sized)
• A bucket to mix the peat moss.

Method:

I've used this method to grow Avocado pits after failing many times to grow them the classic way by suspending the pit in a glass of water using toothpicks.

The Pit: Any Avocado pit may grow, but you will have the best chances with a pit that has been allowed to mature inside a ripe fruit.
The growing medium: Add water to peat moss, mixing and kneading as you go. Dry peatmoss produces a fine, dirty dust which is hard to clean up and is bad for your lungs so try to do this outside. Mix the peat moss and water until the peat moss is moist but not dripping wet. Peat moss holds a lot of water, but test the moisture content by making a ball of peat moss in your fist. If the ball holds its form the moss is moist enough. If the peat moss is dripping water add a little more peat moss.

Put two hand fulls of moist peat moss in a zip lock bag. Insert the Avocado pit in the bag and pack the peat moss around the stone. Place the bag somewhere dark and warm and check on it every few days. It should sprout roots within a few weeks and you'll see the roots through the bag. Once the roots have emerged, place the seed in a large pot with a drainage hole. Sprinkle the soil around the roots and be careful not to damage them, they are fragile. Fill the pot with soil so that the top third of the pit if left exposed. The pit will split and a stem will emerge. After the tree has grown to a foot in height, pinch back the leading bud in order to produce a bushier growth. Avocadoes appreciate good light, warmth and moisture.