Home & Garden Trees & Houseplants

How to Start an Avocado Plant from Seed

By Home & Garden Last updated Friday, April/19/2024

1). Wash and dry an avocado seed (commonly called the pit).
2). Stick three toothpicks into the seed, evenly spaced, about an inch from the pointed end of the seed.
3). Suspend the seed over a glass of water by resting the toothpicks on the edge. Fill the glass so that about one inch of the broad end of the seed is under water. Keep the water at this level by refilling the glass as needed.
4). Place the glass in a warm location out of direct sunlight. In two to six weeks, you will have roots growing into the glass and a stem sprouting from the top of the seed.
5). Trim the stem to 3 inches once it reaches 6 inches. When the stem produces a second set of leaves, transfer the seed to a 10-inch pot filled with potting soil.