The Natural Habitat of Avocado
Can you grow avocados indoors? This question is proposed by many people aware of avocados’ natural habitat. Most of the varieties grow in tropical areas, such as South America, the Caribbean, Indonesia, and parts of Africa.
Avocados typically live in places with moderate humidity and temperature (around 60 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit).
Additionally, avocados require a high volume of sunlight exposure. The soil where it is planted should be well-drained as well. The specifications make people anxious about growing the plant indoors.
The truth is that many farmers have successfully grown avocados indoors. Some small varieties are perfect for this task.
Without a doubt, growing avocado indoors demands a lot of preparation. You have to make sure that the indoor situation fits the criteria needed to make the crop prosper. Your yield may not be as plentiful too.
Steps to Plant Avocado Indoors
Now, you know the answer to “can you grow avocados indoors?”. For the planting, you can choose between two mediums: soil and water. The steps to plant avocado in the soil are:
- Extract the seed from the fruit and wash it.
- Prepare the soil inside a 6 to 8 inches pot.
- Plant the pit with the flat side inside the soil and the upper half above the ground.
- Place the pot in a warm spot (60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit) and indirect sunlight.
- Wait for sprouting.
Meanwhile, the steps to plant avocados with a water medium are:
- Extract the seed from the fruit and wash it.
- Identifying the end (it is the flat part)
- Insert four toothpicks on the pit with even space, following a downward angle, to be a support.
- Place in the water with the upper part above the water level.
Taking Care of Avocados Indoors
When you already know the answer to you can grow avocados indoors, you must be prepared for several factors influencing the plant’s growth, such as:
- Humidity
This plant requires a high level of humidity. You can place the plant near water and pebbles to improve humidity or resort to a humidifier to make it easier.
- Light
The avocado tree needs to receive at least six hours of non-direct sunlight. Placing the plant near the window on the south or west side is better for optimum exposure.
- Water
You should not let the soil where the avocado is growing to be too wet. Watering must be done only once a week or when you see that the leaves begin to wilt.
- Pruning
The plant must be pruned when it reaches 12 inches in height. The trimming should be done above the growth node to stimulate lateral growth.
The Pros and Cons of Planting Avocados Indoors
Like everything, planting avocados indoors has its pros and cons. The pros are the ease of planting avocados even in areas where the plant is not native.
Being indoors enables you to control the environment required for avocados to grow. It is a relatively low-maintenance houseplant once you have established its home.
Additionally, there is a lower risk of pests when you are growing avocados indoors. The avocados will also provide a nice view as it grows bigger. The indoor space will have a more refreshing vibe.
The cons of growing avocados indoors include the time it takes for the tree to fully mature. It would not grow to be a tall tree as you see in the wild due to space constraints.
You can purchase dwarf avocados, genetically modified for indoor planting. It should solve most of the problems.
Beware of Pests and Diseases!
Although growing avocados indoors reduces the pest infestation, your tree is still at risk of experiencing such an attack. Many pests are known to be fond of avocado trees and will create significant damage.
The most common ones are borers, lace bugs, thrips, and mites. You need to pay attention to these infestation signs:
- Leaf discoloration (the color is no longer lush green).
- Scabs or brown scars on the fruits.
- Small black and yellow spots on the leaves.
- Webs forming on the leaves.
- Dry spots (usually yellow or black) on the underside of the leaves.
- Damaged leaves (holes).
- Branches seem to have weakened.
Harvesting Avocados Indoors
How do you know when to harvest your avocado is the right time? You will notice that your avocado fruits are already at a perfect harvest size.
To determine if it is ready to harvest, pick one fruit and let it sit at room temperature for several days. The fruit will soften well if it is ripe enough. But if it is not ripe, it will remain hard after several days.
Not taking down all of your fruits in one sitting is recommended. Just go through your crop slowly. You also need to be careful of infestation on the fruits.