Potting avocado

11 years ago

I'm not sure whether to post this in Container Growing or in Avocado, but here goes:

I finally, after years of failure or very short-lived success, managed to sprout a supermarket avocado pit in potting soil with lots of perlite added, with the objective of producing a houseplant. Took about 3 or 4 weeks to sprout.

It is now about a month old, 8 inches tall after having had its growing top two leaves pinched off about a week ago, and is beginning to sprout side shoots (branches?). It is in a 5 and a half inch tall, 4 and a half inch diameter plastic pot on a sunny window sill. It gets very judicously applied watering, because I'm not taking any chances after so many years of failure. Looking good so far.

Question #1: Is that pot too small and should I be repotting?

Question #2: If potting is in order, what size pot to go up to next, and is plastic or clay preferable?

Featured Answer

Sugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)

11 years ago

Can't possibly tell if the pot is too big or small if we can't see the plant.

Here's a avocado thread regarding my plant with great advice and probably the only reason my plant continues on, haha.

So far, a 6-7" diameter pot has sufficed. I'm also not interested in making it into a big plant so I would I will go bigger.

Here is also Josh's thread -- more about avocados than one could possibly need and the reason I even tried it.

Grace

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

tomtuxman
Original Author
11 years ago
Dear Grace (Sugi_C) [don't you love the monikers we choose for ourselves?],

Thank you for the mountain of information, it is most welcome. Josh/Greenman's enthusiasm is infectious, and I hope his knowledge is, too.

I'm still torn between repotting or not. My plant seems to have a tiny bit of root peeping out from a drainage hole, so my concern is less potting volume but overall pot depth. I have the pot propped up so that the root (if that's what it is) will not get submerged and rotten.

Also, I have it in a standard commercial potting mix but it would seem more suitable in something grittier and crunchier, so I'm thinking maybe orchid mix?

So, I'm leaning toward repotting into a 6 inch diameter about 9 inch depth pot sometime soon. It seems from your and Josh's pix that pot material is immaterial -- I see plastic, clay, glazed ceramic -- even fabric pouch! -- so my propbably choice would be a nice clean plastic placed in an attractive glazed cermaic cachepot. She's a houseplant, after all.

Again, miliardi grazie!

Carolyn
Related Professionals
Florence Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Athens Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Williamsburg Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Harrisburg Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Temecula Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Pullman Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Morgantown Landscape Contractors · Madison Landscape Contractors · Fort Myers Home Builders · Chillicothe Home Builders · Bangor Home Builders · Huron Home Builders · Lewiston Home Builders · Olympia Home Builders · Magog Home Builders
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
11 years ago
Hi, Carolyn, it's not an optimum time to be re-potting (it's late in the season).

I would like to see some pics of your plant. That always helps with the advice given.

Josh
tomtuxman
Original Author
11 years ago
Sorry, Josh, I don't have a pic (I'm kinda technologically backward that way). The plant looks really healthy. Where I did the first pinch, at 8 inches tall, it has sprouted one side branch and a new main stem from the leaf axils. Then it grew further, so yesterday, now at 11-1/2 inches tall, I again pinched. I will continue doing a pinch every 3 to 4 weeks until the Spring, when, I have read (thanks to you and Grace), it is preferable time to repot. I am still concerned that it will get potbound in a 5 inch tall, 4 inch diameter plastic pot, so I am still tempted to repot now even if not optimum season to do so. It is an indoor plant here in zone 6b and in a sunny and warm location. Whether I repot now or in Spring, I will definitely do a hard chop in Spring. Thank you and Grace so much.
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
11 years ago
You could just slip pot it into a slightly larger container without disturbing the roots or the potting mix.

Josh
tomtuxman
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes, that was actually my plan! "Great minds think alike" LOL
shawneerie17
11 years ago
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/3341929/m=23/common-questions-about-jades

for greenman
tomtuxman
Original Author
11 years ago
And what exactly does this have to do with an avocado?
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
11 years ago
I think Shawneerie is just trying to get my input on that Thread.

Josh
tropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)
11 years ago
It is just so funny to think Josh is being stalked by a Jade guy. It is everywhere.
shawneerie17
11 years ago
hey sorry i originallywanted him for advice so...