Question
Hello Tom

My daughter is looking to grow a fruit tree from seed. Probably apple or pear seeds. Whats the best way to do this , and what is the easiest seed to propogate?

Thanks ,

Dan

Answer
Dan,

Thanx for your question.  The easiest seeds to propagate are those of the citrus family.  You can get an orange, lime, lemon, kumquat or grapefruit seed to germinate in 2 weeks or less.  You can also keep the plant trimmed in a miniature state.  I and many of my friends have kept "dwarf" orange and lime trees indoors.  I once had a friend who had a 5 foot tall lemon tree in his kitchen for over 10 years.  I had an avocado tree for about 5 years.  Just fill a pot with moist potting soil.  Press the clean and dried seeds into the soil and cover.  Keep the soil moist but not soggy and warm (about 70-75 degrees F).  Germination will occur in about 2 weeks.  Once germinated the seedling requires lots of light so get it to a sunny windowsill and feed it with a balanced fertilizer (12-12-12) about once every 10-14 days.  Once the seedling is 5 or 6 inches tall, put it in a bigger pot and keep it outside until the temps get down to 50.  You'll need to bring it inside then.  I hope this helps.
Tom