Rooting For Avocados: the Design of the Rooting Raft.

Rooting For Avocados the Design of the Rooting Raft.
By Ted Kinsman
Rochester Institute of Technology
July 2015


I am always want Once set up, there is no need to add water for several months.that the seed is always in the water no matter the water level. I have kept this prototype on my office window in the sun for 6 months without having to add water after the start.

The seed raft is printed to be 81mm in diameter, which is a correct fit for a cylindrical vase commonly sold for decorating. I suspect this size is chosen since an adult hand can fit inside the cylinder and clean it out.

The 3D file is free here: There is a stl file with 15% fill listed here. When printing with low fill values test out your print to see that it floats overnight. Higher fill percentages will decrease the buoyancy of the raft and will require the height of the object to be increased. If there is a leak in the print it will slowly sink. Prints with holes can be fixed with a higher fill percentage. The prints here are ABS plastic. Try one and see what happens!

I have no interest in producing the rooting raft for sale, and make this file available free of charge. I think this is an interesting thing, and hope others find it so too. The design was originally created so rooting of plants could be easily observed for time-lapse photography.

The Rooting Raft is designed to float avocado pits at the correct level for rooting, with the added benefit that they rarely need watering. The Rooting Raft is a free 3D design, and the STL file can be downloaded on the right.

After six months the sprouting seed looks quite good.

Once set up, there is no need to add water for several months.

Once set up, there is no need to add water for several months.

Close-up of root development.

On the left is the wooden prototype, the wood does not look so good after several months in the water. On the right is the 3D printed design. The seed pocket is large enough to fit the largest avocado pit as well as fit daffodils. The seed raft is printed to be 81mm in diameter, which is a correct fit for a cylindrical vase commonly sold for decorating.