Avocado stones with toothpicks in a jar of water. Which way up?

[allhailtheaubergine]

The internet is giving me conflicting advice.

[YougreatPumpkinmousse]

Leave the stone to dry for a few days, toothpicks around the widest part then rounded end just in the water.

[TheSkiingGardener]

If you search for images the germinated ones seem to be pointy end up.

[allhailtheaubergine]

Pointy end up it is. Thanks!

[Driftwood999]

If that method does not produce a result, put a avocado stone along with some moist compost into a pastic bag and leave in a dark cupboard for 4-6 weeks, by which time it should have sprouted.

[catwithflowers]

Will it actually produce fruit (eventually) if kept in a cold greenhouse? Or would you grow it as an ornamental house plant? Have avocado in fruit bowl and am tempted to try

[catwithflowers]

hmm have just googled and apparently the plants often take up to 10 years to bear fruit so may try growing as a houseplant. Also just read this which made me smile!!

An old gardeners? trick in the southern hemisphere to encourage the plant to flower is to treat the tree roughly. When it is of a decent size, (no smaller than 1.5m), attack the trunk of the tree with a knife, or sharp implement. Make sure you don?t damage the tree so it can?t grow properly, and only cut the surface of the bark ? never make big cuts in it. The stress brought on by this attack is said to shock the plant into flower, where it will then hopefully bear fruit.