Whenever you ask someone about growing avocado, most probably they will tell you about the glass and toothpick method. People often fascinatingly share the toothpick method. But the truth is you can’t always grow avocados in that way. When you are living in a cold environment, the toothpick method doesn’t work properly.
Once I tried the toothpick method and failed several times. After that, I tried something new to grow avocados with a paper towel. Thankfully, I succeeded. Nowadays, a lot of people are curious to know about how to grow an avocado seed with paper towel. It seems like you are also one of them.
Through this article, I am going to share my real-time experience so that you can also successfully grow avocado seeds with a paper towel. Also, I would like to share the mistakes that I made earlier so that you can avoid them. Overall, this is going to be more than helpful for the people who are thinking about growing Avocado. Let’s begin.
How To Grow An Avocado Seed With Paper Towel?
Step 1: Cut An Avocado Seed And Collect Pit
Step 3: Keep The Pit Moisturized
Step 4: Seal The Paper Towel In A Ziploc Bag
Step 1: Cut An Avocado Seed And Collect Pit
First of all, you have to pick an avocado and cut it with a clean knife. While cutting the Avocado, you need to make sure that you don’t damage the seed. Collect the pit carefully after slicing your avocado. It would be better to use a spoon to collect the pit.
Step 2: Clean The Pit
Another common mistake that many people make is to plant the seed without cleaning it properly. Otherwise, there will be a high possibility of mold. It can make the pit rot. You have to wash it with clean water.
Step 3: Keep The Pit Moisturized
You should try to hold the moisture for the seed. It will increase the chances of sprouting. So, how can we do that? You need to pick a damp paper towel to wrap the seed with it. Now, you have to maintain another thing. Whenever the towel gets dry, you should put some water on the towel to make it wet. It will prevent the seed from getting dry.
Step 4: Seal The Paper Towel In A Ziploc Bag
In this step, you have to seal the wrapped pit with a paper towel in a ziploc bag. This is an effective way to hold the moisture. When you don’t have enough time to check for the dryness of the paper towel, this should be the go-to method for you. A Ziploc bag has the capacity to hold the moisture for a longer period.
Another important fact is you have to keep the bag at a temperature of 59°F to 77°F. In Celsius, the temperature should be between 15°C to 25°C. You need to place it in a dry place for 28 days to 42 days. During that time, you need to keep an eye on the bag to check the moisture level. You can also keep it on a shelf.
Step 5: Plant in A Tub
If everything goes right, the pit should sprout within 4-6 weeks. When you notice a growing root, you have to plant it in a tub. For the initial stage, you can choose a tub with around 5-7 inch depth. You have to use suitable soil. Otherwise, it can ruin all of your efforts. Which type of soil should you use to grow an avocado? Well, you can choose an organic potting soil with a combination of vermicomposting.
When you have access to the gardening soil, you can also go for that. Some people believe that gardening soil is not sufficient enough to ensure proper nutrients for the avocado tree. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), slightly acidic soil that has a pH of 6 to 6.5 is most suitable for growing avocados. So, put the soil in the tub and make a small hole to place the avocado in. Then, you have to keep the shoot outside and cover the other portion using soil.
It will make your initial job done to grow an avocado seed with a paper towel. You have to water it properly to ensure proper growth. At the same time, you have to be careful about not overwatering it. In the place that you choose the tub should have plenty of light. It would be best to have direct sunlight access. Based on my experience, following the above method increases the possibility of germinating avocado seeds every time you try. Now, let me share some maintenance tips.
How To Maintain an Avocado Plant For Proper Growth?
Place in A Warm Place
First of all, you have to ensure a warm place to allow the avocado to flourish. If you are thinking about growing avocados outdoors, you can’t do that in the winter season. You have to place the tub inside the room. In states like Florida and Southern California, you can grow avocado outside in most of the season.
Water Properly
Next to that, you have to ensure proper water. At the initial growing stage, you have to water the soil regularly. So, how much water is essential for newly planted avocado trees? In the first year, you should water at least thrice per week. While watering the tree, you have to check the soil condition. When the soil seems too wet, you can reduce the water frequently. On the other hand, you should increase the amount of water.
Fertilizer
You should not apply fertilizer at the initial stage after planting your avocado tree. Avocado trees can grow properly without any fertilizer in the first year. Later on, you should apply a citrus-based fertilizer to ensure proper growth of the avocado tree. You should check if a fertilizer has Nitrogen and a little zinc in it.
At this point, you have learned how to grow an avocado seed with a paper towel. Also, I have shared some maintenance tips that will assist you in growing a healthy avocado tree. Before we sign off, I want to share some of the mistakes that I made earlier while growing avocados.
Mistakes To Avoid To Grow An Avocado
My first attempt was to grow an avocado using the toothpick and glass method. My mistake was to place it in a cold place which caused it to lose moisture. For that reason, I was unable to grow avocado seeds at that time.
Another reason for the failure was not watering properly. At that time, I was trying to grow avocado pits directly in the soil without using a paper towel. Later I noticed that the soil was too dry due to lack of water. That was the reason why it couldn’t supply proper nutrients to the pit to sprout. Here comes an interesting factor.
I tried to over-correct the mistake and started watering regularly. After a few days, I noticed that the pit had started to get rotten. It was due to overwatering. At that point, I was feeling hopeless and discussed it with an expert arborist. Next to that, I followed the above process that I have mentioned. And you guess what? I was successful in growing avocado from seeds continuously. Hopefully, you will be able to do that too.
Wrap Up
Weather conditions play a big role in growing avocado seeds. If you follow the above method that we have mentioned, you should make your attempt successful to grow avocado from a pit. Do you still have any queries related to how to grow an avocado seed with paper towel? Feel free to mention it in the comment box. However, you should be careful about avoiding the above mistakes.
FAQ
How long do you leave avocado seeds in a paper towel?
You should leave the avocado seed wrapped with a paper towel in a zip lock bag for around 21 days to 56 days. It will depend on the roots to start growing.
How do you germinate avocado seeds in a paper towel?
You have to wrap the avocado seeds with a wet paper towel. Then, put the paper towel in a polybag and seal it. You should place the bag in a warm place. It will start the germination process.
Can you grow an avocado in a paper towel?
Yes, you can grow an avocado in a paper towel. But you have to ensure a few key factors such as a warm place, a wet paper towel, and a sealed polybag.
How do you make avocado seeds germinate faster?
You should follow the toothpick and glass method to make avocado seeds germinate faster. Change the water regularly and put the glass in a place that has enough sunlight.
Should you soak avocado seeds before planting?
Yes, you should soak the avocado seed in water for a couple of days. It will increase the chances of germination.
How do you tell if an avocado seed is up or down?
In an Avocado seed, we can notice a pointed end and a flatter end. The pointed end is the up of the seed. You should keep it facing up while planting the seed. The flatter end should be facing downwards.
Why didn’t my seeds germinate in a paper towel?
Dry paper towels and lack of moisture could be the key reason for the avocado seeds not germinating in a paper towel. Cold temperature could be another reason responsible for the seed not to germinate.
Do avocado seeds need sunlight to germinate?
Direct sunlight access is not mandatory for Avocado seeds to germinate. But a bright place is required to start sprouting.