Out of season right now. The next sowing window opens in March.
Growing Calendar
This month: Jul
Plan ahead for this crop
- •Check growing conditions
- •Prepare for next stage
Watch Out For
Cold draughts and temperatures below 10°C will damage or kill the plant
never leave it in an unheated room over winter
Overwatering causes root rot and yellowing leaves
let the top few centimetres of compost dry out between waterings
Don't expect fruit
avocados grown from a shop-bought stone in the UK almost never flower or fruit; grow it for the foliage
Grown Organically
Every method in this guide works with natural systems — no synthetic chemicals, no shortcuts.
Read our approachCommon Questions
About growing Avocado in the UK
Will my avocado tree ever produce fruit?
Almost certainly not. Avocados grown from a supermarket stone in the UK are grown for their foliage, not fruit — they need years of growth, a specific variety, cross-pollination from a second tree, and a much warmer, frost-free climate to flower and fruit reliably. Treat it as a long-term houseplant, not a food crop.
Why won't my avocado stone sprout?
Refrigerated supermarket avocados often have stones that are already partly dead from cold storage, so a low success rate is normal — expect roughly one in three to sprout. Nicking the base lightly and soaking overnight before planting improves your odds.
My avocado plant is tall and leggy — what should I do?
Pinch out the growing tip once the main stem reaches about 15cm, and again after each new flush of 5–6 leaves. Left alone, avocados grow as a single tall cane; regular pinching forces side shoots and produces a fuller, sturdier plant.
Can I put my avocado plant outside in summer?
Yes — from June to August, once nights are reliably above 12°C, a sheltered, warm, partly shaded spot outdoors can boost growth. Acclimatise it gradually over a week and bring it back inside well before the first autumn frost.
Member guides
There's more to growing Avocado than this guide covers.
Seasonal reminders, deeper guides, and the small adjustments that change a harvest.
