The Avocado Addiction: From Kitchen Scraps to 7 Trees

It started with a single avocado pit and a glass of water. Before I knew it, I had seven avocado trees taking over my windowsills. If you've ever tried to grow one, you know it's a test of patience, but it's also incredibly addictive.

Skip the Gadgets

I’ve tried almost every method out there. I even bought a specialized glass with a floating cork disk designed to keep the seed at the perfect water level. It sounded great, but after a while, the cork became waterlogged and sank. I’ve also tried the "damp paper towel in a plastic bag" trick, but for me, it just didn't work as well.

My takeaway: You don't need fancy gadgets. The simple methods are often the best. I usually just use three toothpicks to suspend the pit over a glass of water, or simply place the pit in the bottom of a shallow glass with just enough water to cover the bottom half.

The Secret Ingredient: Forgetting About Them

The biggest mistake people make is giving up too soon. I've had pits take several months before they finally cracked open and showed the first tiny root. My secret? I just forget about them.

As long as the bottom of the pit touches the water, it’s fine. I just leave them on the windowsill to look "dead" for as long as it takes. Eventually, nature kicks in. The only maintenance I really do is changing the water frequently to avoid algae buildup while waiting for the magic to happen.

Transitioning to Soil

Once the plant reaches about 15-20 cm and has a decent root system, I move it from the water into a pot with soil. Many people recommend "pinching" the top (cutting off the new leaves) to encourage the tree to grow bushier. I've only done this once because, honestly, I find it a bit heartbreaking to cut off the growth I've waited months for!

Because I rarely pinch them, my trees tend to grow tall and slender rather than like bushes, but I personally like that look.

Where Are They Now?

Life happens, and during a period of study internship, I wasn't home enough to keep up with the watering. Most of my "forest" moved to my mom’s house for safekeeping. The largest of the original seven is still with me — it’s lost a few leaves over the years, but it’s still standing as a reminder of where my plant journey really began.