Exact Answer: 2-4 Weeks
Avocados are the joys of summer. These are also known as alligator pear or butter fruit and are a part of the plant family, ‘Lauraceae’. Avocados come in various shapes, sizes and textures.
Avocados are richly laden with important nutrients. It is rich in vitamin E and calories. The fruit has a heavy monosaturated fat content which causes it to be high in calories.
Growing an avocado from a pit finds its way across many school assignments. This gives the kids an opportunity to conceptualize the growth of avocados and the germination process. Conversely, growing avocados in a pit is also a fun activity for adults who want to see the seed sprouting.
How Long Does It Take An Avocado Seed To Sprout?
| Germination Status | Time Period |
| Ungerminated | 1-2 week |
| Germination | 2nd week onwards |
It would take two to four weeks for the avocado seed to sprout. This depends on several factors like sunlight, water, and air received by the seed.
To see the growth of avocados seeds into sprouts, the water method of germination is the best. Under this water method, the avocado seed is first thoroughly washed.
Next, the avocado seed has to be suspended in a glass filled with water using three toothpicks. However, it should be kept in mind that that the broad end of the seed should be facing downwards or in other words, submerged in water. It may also be noted that only about an inch of the avocado seed has to be submerged in water and the rest should be in the air.
Apart from these, care should be taken in positioning the glass and water. The glass has to be kept in a place that is warm but is devoid of direct sunlight. It also may happen that in the course of sprouting, the water may get dirty and so, should be regularly changed.
Generally, no changes are visible to the naked human eye in the first two weeks. However, sometimes, there might be a slight growth indicating the advent of roots and stems in the coming period.
Meanwhile, with time, the avocado seed starts sprouting. Roots and stems can be seen between second to fourth weeks and stems can be as long as six to seven inches.
Why Does It Take That Long For Avocado Seeds To Sprout?
The sprouting of an avocado seed is contingent on several factors. The amount and intensity of sunlight it receives, the water and soil conditions are a few prominent factors that determine how sooner or how later the seeds sprout.
It may also be known that the sprouting of the avocado seed is a natural process that has its time constraints. Just as a human baby needs forty weeks before it is born, an avocado seed requires up to two weeks to sprout. Similar to a proper diet being necessary for the mother to give birth to a healthy baby, these conditions are needed for sprouting.
Sunlight is of paramount importance for the growth of any plant. However, avocados should be kept away from direct sunlight in a shade. Here, it would receive indirect sunlight which would be perfect for it.
The importance of water cannot be overlooked. The seed requires a regular deep soak. Watering should make the soil wet and moist but not saturated with water which would be harmful.
Besides these natural conditions, once the avocado seed sprouts, it may need fertilizers every few months. This helps them to continue the sprouting of its flowers. They would also need a lot of space once they start growing into big trees.
Conclusion
Sprouting of avocado from its seed would take up a few weeks, ranging between two to four. After four weeks, they would have to be transferred to a pot where they would grow for a few years. After a few years, they would need more space and have to be planted in open space for it to bore fruits.
Germination of the avocado seed is a natural process. Although it would surely sprout in a few weeks, yet it has to be provided with all the favorable conditions to aid the process.
References
- https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.78.2026.389
- http://dissertations.mak.ac.ug/handle/20.500.12281/9376
