The Year of the Avocado: Pits are Part of Life
As 2021 drew to a close, the year in review was a mixed bag of relief and letdowns. A few even ventured to describe 2021 as a disappointing avocado…
A plump fruit, ripe with the potential to be the source of rich, savory guacamole. The perfect, festive appetizer for a celebration of the return to normalcy and certainty.
It has been suggested that 2021 began like that dark green avocado, full of promise when first picked. As the year ripened, we cracked open some pursuits and habits we’d put on hold during lockdown.
Unfortunately, the delta strain took a toll on our avocado. Underneath it’s firm skin was a massive pit couched in barely a spoonful of flesh. Certainly not enough to make our guacamole dreams finally come true. Or avocado toast. Or whatever it is you dreamed of for 2021.
2021 had its fair share of disappointments for me too. Some were the indirect result of the pandemic, but most had zero to do with a global health crisis:
We tried to save a goat that had been hit by a car, only to find out his injuries were fatal. My running unraveled as my hip pain increased. Patrick had a tooth removed, and then a spot on his back that turned out to be skin cancer. My Subaru’s serpentine belt snapped on our one drive to Kahuku, and instead of spending the day hiking, we spent it being hauled by our best friends to Kona and back for a new belt. And several writing gigs I worked hard to land didn’t pan out. Those were some of the unpleasant moments that stand out when I reflect on 2021.
But there was some fruit in there! We moved to a new ohana hidden away in a bamboo grove with a magic river (it only appears when there is flooding up mauka). As a writer and nature lover, it’s brimming with the peace and inspiration my creativity craves.
In fact, I wouldn’t even be a full-time brand storyteller and freelance writer if it weren’t for the proverbial pits. Because when 2021 gave me large avocado pits… I planted them!
That resume I posted for a company that passed me up in favor of a cheaper, content mill writer? I kept it up on Indeed.com. And the article I wrote that never got published? I saved the Word Doc anyway.
Consider those pits planted!
Was I disappointed in the moment when I was handed those pits? You bet. But the thing about a pit is that if you plant it, water it, place it in the sunlight, and give it some time, it will unfold into a miracle that is worth the wait!
One morning, you’ll stumble outside, sipping your Kona coffee (if you live here on the Big Island) and you’ll rub your sleepy eyes to be sure that the green shoots stretching out from that pit are not just a dream.
As you prune it, keeping the soil moist, the shoots will swell into branches. And eventually that avocado plant will be a tree that has undeniably outgrown its container. A tree that will bear hundreds of avocados (at the very least), season after season. A goldmine of guacamole for years to come!
I literally and professionally planted larger than ideal avocado pits in 2021, and the patience paid off! Hawai’i Life found my resume on Indeed and reached out to me about writing for them. And the article that was never published? Hawai’i Life picked it up: 8 Local Tips for Living in the 808
As for that company that chose a content mill sucker over me? I used the time I would have spent writing for them to redesign the Marie Powell Gallery’s website and I’m still working with the artist on brand storytelling to this day. What’s more, I had time to be the guest speaker for Kona’s AAUV branch, sharing a presentation about things I’ve learned from Disney’s Moana: 6 Things I Learned From Moana About Being a Female Solopreneur
I even planted an exceptionally large avocado pit of my own. Below I share some tips on how to start your own avocado plant!
The moral of 2021’s story: Pandemic or not, pits are part of life!
At some point, you’ll encounter a pit when you had your heart set on guacamole. And it’s up to you to decide if you’re going to be disappointed in the lack of instant gratification and toss the whole avocado…
Or you’re going to see its potential to be a whole TREE of fruit, and have the patience to plant it and tend to that seed of a dream!
As for starting your own avocado plant, it’s fairly easy and definitely rewarding!
Here’s how to grow your own avocado tree:
Remove the pit (which is actually the seed) from your avocado without cutting it or removing the pit’s brown skin (the cover of the seed).
Wash all the fruit off the seed. You may want to soak the pit in water for a couple minutes to make it easier to wash the remaining fruit off.
Poke three toothpicks at a slight downward angle into the top of the avocado pit, spacing them evenly and firmly around the avocado’s girth. Which way is up?! The slightly narrow, pointier end is the top, while the wider, flatter end is the bottom.
Fill a mason jar or clear glass with water and rest the bottom end of the avocado pit in the water, using the toothpicks as support.
Set the half-submerged seed on a windowsill with sufficient sunlight or on a sunny spot on your lanai if you live someplace tropical.
To prevent bacteria, fungus, and mold from growing, change the water every five to seven days.
In two to eight weeks, your avocado seed will begin sprouting. Don’t be alarmed if the pit dries out and cracks first - It’s all part of the process! Soon enough, you’ll witness a tiny taproot emerging from the cracked seed.
When the stem is around five inches high, you can encourage more growth by cutting an inch or so off.
When the stem reaches approximately 1o inches, it’s time to pot that puppy! Fill a 15-gallon container with drainage holes in the bottom with potting soil (I prefer terracotta for its breathability). Transfer your avocado seed (the sprouted pit) from the water to the pot. Be sure to leave the top half of the seed exposed.
Return your fledgling avocado plant to a sunny spot, where avocados are happiest!
Don’t forget to water your avocado plant frequently to keep the soil moist, but not soaked. For me, that means watering the plant every other day.
A few tips on growing an avocado plant in a container:
Once the avocado stem is a foot tall, pinch off the top two sets of leaves to promote the growth of side shoots, more leaves, and a bushier plant in general. Repeat this pinching every time your avocado tree grows another 6 inches.
Since my husband and I rent an ohana (attached studio) from our landlords, 100% of my gardening is in containers, including our avocado. I’m proof that you can keep your avocado tree happy in pot for its entire life!
Although some avocado plants never grow fruit, most trees will produce some fruit after three or four years! In the meantime, enjoy the process and remember… When life gives you enormous pits, plant a tree!
