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START PLANTS FROM SEEDS


Question
I WOULD LIKE INFO ON HOW TO GROW TREES FROM THIER SEEDS  IE: PEACH AND CHERRY I RELLY LIKE TO START MY OWN PLANTS AND TREES THANK YOU LUTHER

Answer
Hi Luther,
Thanx for your question.  In the future, if you will use the FIND feature at the top left-hand corner, you can find a lot of these questions already answered.  Yours is a very popular question.

At any rate, basically, I start off with a caveat.  Seeds from fruit bought at the store, generally come from hybrid fruit.  Fruit trees that have been hybridized and then grafted onto a hardier rootstock.  Hybrids are not genetically stable and most often will revert back to prior generations of less desirable plants.  This means the plants could be less hardy or have some other undersirable trait such as being prone to certain diseases or not heat or cold resistant, or flower too early or too late.  Resulting fruit, while most often quite edible could be inferior too such as not as productive, not as sweet, doesn't keep well, prone to certain pests, diseases, etc.  Ok.  If you're ok with all of that, the next caviat is that it will take an average of about 3-7 years, depending upon variety for the first fruit from seed to fruiting tree.  If you're okay with that.  Takde your seeds and clean off the pulp.  In the case of peaches, you can crack the outer shell and free the nut inside.  Place the nut/pits in a damp paper towel and place inside a plastic baggie.  Put in the fridge for 90-120 days.  Do this in the fall or mid-winter.  Once the cold stratification period has been satisfied, this should break the dormancy of the seed.  Plant 1 inch deep in a pot and keep warm.  Germination should begin within 30 days and may be sporadic.  Keep track of the number of seeds you have.  Most should come up after a couple months.  In very rare occasions, a seed will require two cold periods.  I wouldn't bother with it if you have enough seedlings.  After the seedlings have their second set of true leaves, gently prick them out of the pot and plant in separate pots.  You can plant them outdoors after the danger of frost has passed.  Plant in full sun and keep watered, once a week if no regular rain.  Fertilize with a fertilizer recommended for fruit trees.  Follow the directions on the package.  I hope this helps.
Tom

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