5 things you’re doing wrong when trying to grow avocado pits

How often have you tried to turn your avocado pit into a plant?

If you didn’t succeed, this might be why.

Here are the top 5 mistakes beginners make when trying to grow avocado pits.

At Botanopia I’ve grown thousands of pits into plants, and made plenty of mistakes along the way. This is what I learned, so you can go straight to the winning method, without trial and error.

Soaking your avocado pit to start the germination process

1. You didn’t soak the pit.

To start germinating, your pit needs to be in the perfect growing environment. This can vary depending on the type of seeds you’re trying to grow. Avocados like it hot and steamy. They’re tropical creatures and need moisture and heat to thrive.

To speed up the growing process, start by soaking your pit in water for 1-2 days. This is the first step to get the magic started.

2. You didn’t peel the brown skin off.

It may seem like a small detail, but removing the thin brown skin on your pit really speeds up the germination process.

Peeling off an avocado pit with a knife, by Botanopia

Wrap the avocado pit in a moist towel and put it in a plastic bag, by Botanopia

3. You let it dry out.

Hot and steamy remember? You’ve got to lock the moisture in to get the magic started. Wrap the pit in a moist paper towel, and keep it sealed inside a ziploc bag or airtight container. You can peek in every once in a while to check on the process. If the towel dries out you should re-wet it (and check for unwanted holes in your baggie…).

4. You kept it too cold

Avocados thrive in tropical climates. The ideal temperature to germinate your pit is around 25°C. Look for places in your house that are consistently toasty to keep your baggie. Somewhere next to your hot water heater or furnace is a good spot… It might still work if you keep things colder, but it will take a lot longer.

The temperature is too low to germinate your avocado pit

Zoom on an avocado pit during its germination process with a growing root, by Botanopia

5. You didn’t wash your hands.

Bacteria from your hands will loooooove the warm and humid conditions inside the baggie too. They can multiply rapidly and ruin your germination project. If you notice a strong vinegary smell when you open the baggie… you can better start over. With clean hands this time

So if you haven't managed until now, give it another try!

Click here for our 1-minute video tutorial to get you started the right way.

Looking to learn even more about avocado plants?

Click here for our ultimate guide to growing avocados on our blog.