After removing the pit from an avocado, don't throw it away. Wash the pit. Stick three toothpicks around the pointy upper third of the pit. Then fill up a jar water and rest the avocado pit on the rim with the large portion of the pit in the water and small portion above water.
Avocadoes make excellent trees, I just stick mine on nails or toothpicks, three of them, and point them towards the sky and wait. They all have their own time. Some of them never grew, some of them did.
I never pinch mine back either.
They are so wonderful! I have had my most recent plant since last spring, while it was still cold. I also put tomato seeds in the soil of my other potted plants. I have become kind of tomato crazy, I love them! After they sprout, I move them to another plant holder. They kind of keep the soil happy and the avocado plant seems to love having plants growing around it.
Mine is now three feet tall, and I talk to it each day. They like it a lot, and they like being in a pot which is big enough so they don't become pot bound. OK I admit it, I occasionally name mine.
