How to Start Peach Trees From Pits

Collect pits from ripe peaches in January.

Starting peach trees from pits isn't a venture for the impatient, as it could take more than five years for the resulting tree to bear fruit. It's also a gamble because the plant produced may not be identical to the parent tree. Propagating a peach tree from seed is an interesting project, though it isn't as simple as dropping a pit into the ground; a period of exposure to cold temperatures is necessary to increase the chance of successful germination. Begin the pre-planting process in January so that the pit is ready to be sprouted after all danger of frost passes in spring.

Things You'll Need

• Knife
• Paper towels
• Resealable plastic bag
• 4-inch planter
• Potting soil
• Spade

Instructions

1. Cut open a fully ripened peach with a knife and retrieve the pit inside.

2. Rinse the pit well to remove all remnants of pulp.

3. Wrap the pit in moistened paper towels and drop it into a resealable plastic bag. Place the bag inside the freezer and allow it to stay there until April.

4. Fill a 4-inch planter with potting soil. The planter should have a hole in the bottom to allow moisture to escape.

5. Plant the peach pit four inches deep and water until the soil feels uniformly moist. Place the planter in a sunny outdoor location.

6. Continue to water as needed to keep the potting soil lightly moist.

7. Transplant the young peach tree to its permanent location in the landscape when it is four to five inches tall.

References

• Colorado State University Extension; Starting Peaches from Pits; Robert Cox
• Texas A&M University Extension: Peach
• University of Illinois Extension; Planting a Peach Seed; Jay Hayek