How to Propagate Peach Trees From Seeds

The best way to way to propagate a peach tree is to start with a grafted tree from a greenhouse or nursery, but the expense is a drawback for many home gardeners. If you're adventurous, you may be able to grow your own peach tree from a seed, and because peach trees grow faster than most fruit trees, you can have fresh peaches in just a few years. Keep in mind that the peaches propagated from seed may not taste exactly like the original peach.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Peach pits
• Hammer
• Plastic bag
• Potting soil or perlite
• Container for planting
• Hoe
• Manure or compost

1. Save a few peach pits from healthy, ripe peaches. A peach that has been grown in your area will be best. If the original tree was right for your climate, a tree grown from that seed will do better than a seed from a tree grown elsewhere.

2. Save several peach pits and wash them under clear running water. Lay them on a paper towel to dry for four to five days, or until the pit looks very dry. Tap the tip of the pit lightly with a hammer to break it open. Be careful not to break the seed inside the pit, but some of the seeds will probably be broken anyway.

3. Soak the peach seeds in a bowl of warm water overnight. In the morning, put a handful of damp potting soil or perlite in a plastic bag. Poke the seeds deep into the middle, and fasten the top of the bag very loosely. Put the bag in the refrigerator for at least two months. This technique, called stratification, replicates natural conditions, in which the peach would fall from the tree and the seed would lay dormant until spring.

4. Check the peach seed after two months to see if it has germinated. If it hasn't, put it back in the refrigerator and continue to check it every couple of weeks. Once the seed germinates, you can plant it outside if the weather has warmed up and danger of frost has passed. Otherwise, plant the seed in a container of potting soil, put it in a sunny window and keep it moist until the weather warms up.

5. Prepare a sunny place to plant the seedling outdoors. Hoe out weeds and work some manure or compost into the top 8 inches of the soil. Protect the seedling from deer or squirrels until the trunk is about 4 inches in diameter and can fend for itself. Keep the tree moist, especially in hot weather and periods of drought, but don't overwater it.

References

• Peach Will Grow from a Seed, But Expect Surprises
• Peach Seed Planting
• Grow Free Fruit Trees