Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mordor.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!seismo!ut-sally!mordor!sjc From: sjc@mordor.UUCP Newsgroups: net.garden Subject: How to germinate an avocado Message-ID: <1310@mordor.UUCP> Date: Fri, 24-Feb-84 14:24:47 EST Article-I.D.: mordor.1310 Posted: Fri Feb 24 14:24:47 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 26-Feb-84 01:23:04 EST Organization: S-1 Project, LLNL Lines: 25 In reply to the question about germinating avocados, the following approach works well for me: Hold the pit so that the narrower end (the one which was originally nearer the stem) points upward. Stick three toothpicks into the pit, equal distances apart, along the equator. Place the pit in a small cup of water so that the toothpicks suspend it half-immersed. Wait a long, long time (it often takes a couple of months, so don't give up too soon). Once you get a stem and a few leaves, transplant it to a pot. Soon thereafter, two problems usually occur. First, the plant refuses to branch. Sometimes you can convince it to branch by pinching it back; sometimes you can't. Second, the leaves start turning brown and shriveling. This supposedly results from accumulation of salts in the soil. Sometimes you can deal with this by putting the pot atop a couple of blocks so that whenever you water it, you can pour an enormous quantity of water in and let it run out the bottom into a pan or onto the ground (the blocks keep the bottom of the pot above the water level so that the salt-rich water doesn't get reabsorbed). Good luck.--Steve Correll (S-1 Project, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) MILNET: sjc@s1-c UUCP: ...!decvax!decwrl!mordor!sjc