El Pastor’s Free Avocado Seedlings: Grow Your Own at Home

Grow On Avocado Seedling Project

A little while ago, we decided to give our surplus avocado seeds a new lease of life, germinating them in our kitchens and giving them to our guests as seedlings. They’re available to take home for free at any of our restaurants, or you can buy an ILEX glass vase (£25) like the ones we have on display from us – they make great gifts for plant-loving friends.

If you’ve picked up your seedling and want some tips on how to grow it, read on.

We love receiving updates on how these avocado plants are getting on, so tag us in your pictures on Instagram @tacos_el_pastor.

Getting Started

If using an ILEX vase: Fill with water to the base, place the stone root-down in the holder, and keep in a warm, partly sunny location. Your seedling can stay in the vase for up to a year before potting.

If potting directly: Start with a 13cm pot. Add broken crockery to the bottom for drainage, then fill with a soil and compost mix. Plant with the roots buried but only half the stone covered – the top half should sit above soil. Water well and repot annually into larger pots.

Care

Avocados are tropical plants that thrive in bright, dappled sunshine. Keep soil slightly damp (not wet) with tepid water – this might mean daily watering depending on your home. Drooping leaves mean it’s thirsty, yellowing leaves mean ease up on the water.

Culinary Use

Your plant won’t produce fruit in this climate, but the leaves are an edible bonus. Avocado leaves are used throughout Mexican cooking, adding a subtle earthy anise flavour. Use them as a bed for roasting or add dried leaves to soups, stews, and moles – we use them in our frijoles refritos.

To dry: rinse and pat dry healthy leaves, then bake at the lowest oven temperature for 1-2 hours, turning every 20 minutes, until dry and brittle.