Once you have eaten an avocado, don’t throw the stone away. Instead, start a project together with your youngster to grow an avocado tree at home that will give them valuable experience of the world of nature over the weeks and months to come.

Here’s what you do:

1) Wash the avocado stone.

2) Stick three cocktail sticks, at equal distances apart into the stone and suspend it in a water-filled pot or glass. The stone should be wide end down and covered by about an inch of water.

3) Place the container out of direct sunlight and somewhere warm.

4) The stone should sprout roots and a stem within two to six weeks. Your child will be fascinated to see it grow - and why not suggest they keep an avocado tree chart to monitor its growth?

5) When the stem is six to seven inches long, cut it back to approximately three inches.

6) As soon as the roots are thick and the stem has sprouted leaves, plant it in a rich soil with about half the stone exposed: a terracotta pot with a diameter of 10-15 inches is ideal for this purpose.

7) Your avocado tree should be watered generously and frequently, but you should let it dry out a little in between waterings.

8) The more sunlight you give your avocado tree, the better.

9) When the stem grows to twelve inches high, cut it back to approximately six inches as this will encourage additional growth.