Avocado

Family. Lauraceae.

Where grow? The tree is native to Mexico, Central and South America, where it thrives in fertile, evenly moist, well-drained soil in full sun.

What does look like? The genus name "Avocado" comes from the Aztec word meaning testicle for the shape of the fruit. It is a multi-stemmed tropical evergreen small fruit tree or shrub. Branches abundantly, forms a crown.

The leaves are simple elliptical, up to ovate, leathery, usually glossy with pointed tips 10 - 20 cm long and 2 - 12 cm wide, dark green in color, arranged in a spiral, alternate, may be slightly corrugated.

The flowers are inconspicuous, small, collected in short bunches - umbrellas at the ends of the branches, greenish-yellow in color

The fruit, when ripe, is a pear- or ovoid-shaped drupe with one seed surrounded by an oily pulp, topped with a tough, dark green skin. The size of the fruit varies depending on the variety, approximately 5 - 10 cm long and 0.05 - 2 kg. The taste of ripe fruits is creamy, slightly buttery and sweet.

Height. Reaches a height of 1-2 m indoors, in greenhouses and winter gardens the height is 3-5 m, in natural conditions - about 18 m, grows quickly.

How to grow from a seed

Often grown from seeds that can be germinated in water or directly in the soil in the spring. The highest survival rate is for fresh seeds - only from a ripe fruit. The fruit should be soft to the touch, but immediately regain its shape. Unripe avocados can be wrapped in thin paper and placed in a dark place for 1-2 weeks to ripen. It is advisable to put a ripe apple or banana nearby - they emit acetylene gas, which accelerates ripening. Even slightly dried seeds germinate with difficulty. For germination to be successful, you need to wash the pits from the pulp. It is also worth cleaning the pit from the brown shell. You can slightly cut the seed from the sides with a sharp knife along the halves of the seed - later it will split along this line.

When germinating in soil, the seeds are deepened with the blunt end down so that they protrude a third from the substrate, which must be constantly kept moist.

When germinating in water, place the seeds with the wide end down 1/3 of the way into the liquid. Activated carbon can be added to the water for germination. The seed should be covered with glass or a transparent plastic cap to maintain humidity. Without such a cover, the seed can split only from below, and the sprout will have nowhere to develop. Change the water regularly - about every week. At a temperature of about 20 °C, roots will appear in 6 - 8 weeks, and then a sprout. After germination, the seed is planted in the ground so that the top protrudes slightly from the soil. The container is covered with a polyethylene cap to maintain the required level of air humidity. Remove the lid every day and ventilate the plant for about 2 hours.

You can germinate in a paper towel or cloth. Soak the towel in warm water and put an avocado pit inside. Put the bundle in a plate and cover with a plastic bag to retain moisture, put it in a dark and warm place. Do not allow it to dry out and in 3-8 weeks you will see the first roots. When the roots reach 7 cm in length, the seedling can be planted in the ground. For faster germination, you can cut off the thin caps from the flat and sharp ends of the seed with a sharp knife. The trees are pinched for the first time when 4-6 leaves appear - this way they form a larger number of lateral shoots. Sometimes they are propagated using cuttings - but this is rarely successful; the bush is difficult to grow even with the use of growth hormones. If you want to try - cover the cuttings with a transparent bag or glass and put them in a warm place, protected from direct sunlight.

How to replant

Can be planted in fresh soil and a larger container annually in spring. The signal for the need for replanting will be the roots that appear in the drainage holes of the pot. Be sure to place a layer of drainage at the bottom of the pot; make sure the pot has large enough drainage holes. Carefully shake off the roots from the old substrate and dry with a paper towel. When planting, the roots should not be bent or pointing upward. Avocados will grow best in unglazed clay pots, the walls of which allow moisture and air to reach the roots. Since the root system is poorly developed, it is better to plant the tree in small pots.

When blooms

It is rare to find a flowering house tree in a pot; in its natural habitat, the tree forms buds in spring and summer.

Care at home

How to care and trim

Growing indoors is quite a troublesome task, as this plant can hardly be considered an indoor plant. In order for the tree to branch well, its shoots need to be pinched several times. The first pinching is done when the branches reach a height of about 25 cm - the upper 2 pairs of leaves are removed. When the formed lateral shoots stretch out by another 12 cm, they are also pinched. The branches of the third, fourth order, etc. are cut in the same way. In one season, the plant can gain more than 1 m in height, so it will constantly need formative pruning. Avocado will appreciate being outdoors in the warm season, but if night temperatures drop below 7 ° C, the pot should be brought indoors. Young specimens may need support.

Soil 

Rich soils, garden soil, humus, loam, coarse sand, well drained, with the addition of moss, peat, pH 6 - 8. Loose soil is preferred, the mixture can be made up of coconut fiber, nutritious humus and perlite.

Fertilizers 

From spring to autumn, feed twice a month, preferably with organic fertilizers. Mineral fertilizers should contain sufficient potassium. Seedlings require a large amount of nitrogen for rapid growth of green mass. During the dormant period, the tree should not be fed.

Temperature

Representatives of this genus are thermophilic, but wintering should take place in a cool room at a temperature of about 18°C, but not below 16°C; the optimal temperature during the growth period is about 25°C.

Lighting 

A plant grown in a pot can tolerate some shade, but is best placed in a sunny, warm location.

Spraying

Growing avocado at home is not that difficult, but at high air temperatures, high humidity is also needed. Daily spraying is necessary, but if the tree is kept cool, it can tolerate dry air. Do not allow water droplets to fall on shoots and leaves in the evening hours - this can provoke the appearance of rot.

Watering

Watering should be abundant, until the soil ball is completely wetted; water regularly in summer and in winter, just so that the leaves do not dry out and fall off. The need for watering will be indicated by the turgor of the upper leaves. During the period of active growth, the upper soil layer should be dried to a depth of about 2 cm between waterings. Excess water from the tray is drained approximately 15 minutes after each watering. Soft water at room temperature is used for watering.

Diseases and pests

• The leaves dry out and turn black if the roots were damaged during transplantation or the root system rots due to excess moisture - the avocado loses its lower leaves.
• The foliage turns yellow when there is too much moisture in the soil. If this happens to a young bush, take it out of the pot, blot the root system with a paper towel and leave it to dry in the air for several hours. Cut off the rotten roots with a sharp sterile knife and sprinkle the wounds with activated carbon powder. Plant such specimens only in new soil.
• Leaves may dry out due to lack of nutrients. Shrubs are susceptible to bacterial, viral and fungal infections.
• With the onset of hot weather, the tips of the leaves may dry out.
• When there is not enough light, the shoots stretch out and the crown becomes loose.
• The edges of the leaf blades turn black and become dry when there is insufficient air humidity.
• Light green or yellow leaf blades with dark green veins indicate a lack of trace elements such as iron and magnesium.
• When exposed to direct sunlight, the plant can get burned - the leaves curl.

Pests include mealybugs, scale insects, whiteflies and aphids. Spider mites can be prevented by simply increasing the humidity.

Purpose

An evergreen tub variety that can be grown in a winter garden. Several specimens look interesting grouped in one pot - since young avocados have thin, flexible trunks - they can be braided into a beautiful braid. Life expectancy at home can be 25 years. Avocado oil has many useful properties and is used in medicine to treat arthritis, and is also eaten; it contains essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. It is believed that products prepared using this oil contain a minimum of carcinogens - it has a high smoke point. The fruit is used in cooking more as a vegetable than as a fruit. The second name - alligator pear - is given for the pear-shaped form of the fruit, and the slightly uneven surface of the skin resembles crocodile skin.

Hydroponics

Avocados grow well in hydroponics.