Projects for Kids: A GARDEN IN YOUR KITCHEN, Growing an Avocado Pit

It may take up to six weeks for an avocado pit to sprout.

Look around your kitchen. Some of the things we eat are seeds. Some of the things we eat have seeds in them. And some, such as pineapples and carrots, will sprout new leaves if placed in water. Now, at a time when many schools are closed, I will post a new simple gardening project each week that kids can do at home. Have fun watching things grow!

Avocados
Did you know that the pits inside peaches and avocados are seeds? Most pits take a long time to sprout. The hard outer covering must split or rot away before the seed inside can grow.
An avocado pit takes two to six weeks to sprout. But when it does grow, it makes a beautiful houseplant.
First wash the pit, and remove any bits of avocado. Then poke three toothpicks into the side of the pit, and place the seed on the top of a glass or jar filled with water. The round end of the pit should be down, and the pointed end should face up. Be sure than there is always some water covering the bottom of the pit.
As the pit begins to grow, it will split. When the stem is about six inches long, cut off the top half. Then, when new leaves have formed and the root is thick, plant it in a large pot (about ten inches across).  Keep it watered, and it should grow into a beautiful plant.

Update July 1, 2020:
Three months after putting my avocado pit in water, it has sprouted its first leaves. (The root began to grow about a month ago.) Soon I will plant it in a pot with dirt.

Look for all the  kitchen garden projects in these posts:
Dried beans and peas 3/25/20
Fresh Vegetable Seeds 4/1/20
Herbs and Spices 4/8/20
Birdseed 4/15/20
Citrus Fruits  4/22/20
Carrots  4/29/20
Pineapple  5/6/20
Avocados 5/13/20