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Monday, March 21, 2011

Planting an Avocado Seed


Materials
  • avocado seed
  • water
  • clear plastic cup
  • toothpicks





Directions
  • Carefully remove the avocado seed from the avocado (fruit).
  • Clean the seed (gently rinse and/or wipe the seed with a paper towel).
  • Have students observe the seed with a hand lens and sketch a picture in their science notebooks.
  • Using the pointy end of the avocado as the top, insert 3 toothpicks into the sides of the avocado seed. (Place the toothpicks at a 45 degree angle from the horizon, if you want the seed to sit below the rim of the plastic cup.)
  • Place the seed in the cup (pointy end up).
  • Fill the glass with water so that half of the seed is in the water.
  • Place the cup in a sunny spot.
  • Be Patient!
  • Add water as needed.
  • In approximately a few to several weeks, the seed will crack open and roots will start to grow from the bottom and a stem will sprout out from the top of the seed.
  • Have  students continue to observe the seed and sketch its growth.
  • When the roots and stem have grown a bit more, you may want to plant the seed in a small pot with some fertile soil.
  • The plant can later be repotted to a larger pot or to a sunny spot outdoors.

7 comments:

  1. I keep almost doing this every time we make guacamole.

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  2. I do't know how many times my mother did this while we were growing up. But we never ended up planting it in the ground. It would eventually get moldy and be tossed. Sometime I'd like to complete it and plant it. Wouldn't that be cool! visiting from HHH.

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  3. I'm your newest follower from the hop! Great blog! I'd love for you to follow back when you get a moment! Happy Tuesday!

    April
    http://greenmissionmama.blogspot.com

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  4. April,Thanks .... I am following you now.

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  5. So cool- my kids love this experiment!!

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  6. Fun! We are going to have to try this.

    Stopping by from HHH!

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