Agricultural News
July 31st is National Avocado Day!
Mon, 26 Jul 2021 13:37:13 CDT
National Avocado Day is coming up on July 31, 2021.
Did you know?
· Avocado trees were first cultivated over 5,000 years ago
· European sailors were the first to start the avocado toast trend
· Growing them helps balance the nitrates in the soil, which makes the soil more fertile for other plants
There are around 1,000 avocado varieties in the world, but we won't be listing them all here. The most commonly found avocado variety is Hass, which is grown in large quantities in Latin America and California and almost always found in your local supermarket. Most people will be familiar with the Hass avocado; it is small with dark, green-colored pebbly skin. Other common avocado varieties include:
Mexican
Small and smooth skinned
Purple, black, or green in color
Weighs under 1 pound
Can tolerate temperatures of 19 to 20 degrees F
Guatemalan
Rough, thick skin
Weighs from half to 5 pounds
Tolerates temperatures of up to 30 degrees F
West Indian
Smooth, leathery skin
Weighs 1 to 5 pounds
Does not tolerate temperatures below freezing
How to plant an avocado tree from a pit
It is possible to sprout an avocado seed in a glass of water. This is the easiest and the least expensive way to grow your own avocado tree. However, it takes time (up to 6 weeks) for the roots to start appearing so be patient!
What you'll need:
Avocado seed
4 toothpicks
Glass or jar
Water
Potting soil
Pot
Step 1. Wash the pit thoroughly and remove the brown skin.
Step 2. Insert 4 toothpicks into the pit starting from the pointy end. Spread out the toothpicks evenly around the pit, but make sure you stick them in far enough to hold the pit in place.
Step 3. Now gently set the pit in the glass container with the pointy end up.
Step 4. Pour enough water in the container to cover half of the pit.
Step 5. Place the pit on the windowsill or in a sunny location for direct sunlight.
Step 6. Top up the water every 2 or 3 days.
Step 7. As soon as you see stems growing from the seed, cut them back by half to encourage better growth.
Step 8. Once the new leaves have developed and the root system is thicker, you're ready to transplant the sapling to a pot.
Step 9. Add potting mix to a container and allow it to grow outside if the weather is warm enough.
Watch this quick video to get a better idea of how to grow an avocado from pit.
Visit more fun Avocado facts here!
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