Quick Tips

Seeding Avocados

• Make quick work of seeding an avocado by cutting the avocado lengthwise all the way around, then gently twisting the halves of the avocado in opposite directions to separate them. Firmly smack the seed with the blade of a sharp, heavy knife; twist the knife slightly and lift the seed, still attached to the blade, right out.

After seeding an avocado, it is hard to resist planting its seed. To get the seed sprouting quickly, it needs immediate planting. Indoor gardeners have developed their own "traditional" planting method. This is done by poking three toothpicks into the side of the seed so that it can perch, halfway immersed in water, on the rim of a drinking glass. The seed could also be planted in potting soil, but this misses some of the fun of watching the roots and the shoots grow.