Meet Avner.
He came to live with us on Labor Day weekend, when we had invited friends over for a barbecue.
“Guacamole and chips!” the kids replied, when asked what we should serve (aside from J’s grilled burgers which are The Best!). So, guac and chips were added to the list, along with corn on the cob, green salad, baked beans … I don’t really remember, this was months ago, and my brain has made room for other things in the meantime.
This is where Avner comes in, along with two or three friends. I don’t remember their names, frankly, they weren’t that impressive. After we had composted their skins and smashed their flesh into yummy creamy guacamole, the seeds were discarded. Perhaps they’ve sprouted up in the landfill somewhere.
But Avner stayed with us. Being children of the 70s, J and I have fond memories of poking the sides of an avocado seed with toothpicks and suspending over the sides of a glass, the seed partially submerged in water. And waiting. And waiting. And changing the scummy water for fresh water. And waiting some more.
This is the fun we wanted to share with our children – lessons about time passing, and patience, and scummy water. (Can you hear the sarcasm here? I was ready to send Avner to the same landfill that his cousins visited, but J remained firm).
Finally, a root appeared at the bottom of the seed. It grew about 5 inches before we noticed the top of Avner had split as well, and a tiny sprout emerged.
Into the pot he went, and he’s been growing steadily. Up, up, up to about a foot tall, with four tiny leaves; J remembers the plant he grew as a kid being about five feet tall (and fruitless). I expect that he’ll keep growing, and I’ll transplant him outdoors in the spring. (oops, misplaced modifier, that’s he, Avner, not he, J).
Of course, a quick visit to Wikipedia tells me the Avner won’t bear fruit unless we cross-pollinate with another avocado (April? Angelina?), or graft a piece from a fruit-bearing plant. We’ll continue to buy our guacamole fixings from the local grocery store, and enjoy Avner’s greenery when we’re out on the patio this summer.
So tell me, friends in warmer climates, can you grow and harvest avocados in your yards, or is that a myth?
I did that when I was younger – can’t remember what age though (I’m thinking twenties!) But if he has a name, won’t that make it more difficult if something dire happens to him?
Oh we loved to do the same when we were kids. I haven’t tried to grow an avocado in years. Fun, fun, fun.
Huh. Well I have never cultivated an avocado pod EVER. So I can’t answer your question. But that cross-pollinating thing sounds complicated, especially for a person who can barely keep the heartiest of plants alive…
yep, I did that when I was a kid too…all those poor fruitless plants.
HAHAHAHA! We always did that, too. In fact, at one point, we had at least six different pits going on the kitchen window sill… I came home one day and they had all disappeared.
My grandmother had an honest to goodness avocado bearing tree (it was huge…tall like a palm tree) in her backyard in LA. I miss that tree… They had to band the bottom with metal though, so the RATS couldn’t climb it.
Newton (our fig tree) says to say hey to Avner.
I’m in Minnesota…. no friends of Avner will sprout up here… although I did bring some red beans to plant back from Honduras in November and my friend Julie said she did the same thing last year and had more beans then she knew what to do with! (I would have to name the plant – not the beans…. as that would probably involve charts like a family bean tree…)
I remember dong that when I was a kid too. Love that you named the plant Avner. LOL
Oh how I wish it were warm enough here to do this!
Hmmm, I never did that when I was a kid, and none of my friends did either, that I know of. Maybe because we lived in the city? It never entered my head to do something like that.
Anyway, Avner is a beauty!
Oh Dawn, this brought back memories. Our kids all liked doing this. I can’t say the scummy water was fun though. These days we buy narcissus bulbs and watch them grow. Much faster.
I really hope that Avner will sprout an avocado
Plants don’t really like me, so I won’t try myself (and also, the weather here is abysmal).
Carl and I did the same thing with avocado pits and never got fruit, and now I know why!
I never did the avocado thing but cress seeds on wet kitchen paper was like magic to me as a kid! And then you got to eat cress sandwiches! Which are kind of weird but hell, if I grew it, I’m eating it. Now I manage to kill even the hardiest herbs. :\ I wish Avner the best of luck!
I have never done this, but I forsee a project coming up! My daughter is always trying to grow things, and will even steal potatoes from the pantry to plant in the yard. It’s a problem. We have various weird plants growing out in the yard, and I have no idea where they came from, or what exactly they are. She is trying strawberries right now. I will have to show her this post!
We did alfalfa sprouts in cotton wool but not avocado as far as I remember!
So are you saying you need to find a MATE for your plant!? : )
good luck with your sprout
Cute. I have tried a few times to sprout an avocado plant but obviously I needed a J to encourage me from my impatience. I always end up throwing the duds out.