How to Start Peach Trees
Peach trees are a refreshing summer treat. The peach tree itself is also a beautiful addition to your garden. Peaches are a sweet, juicy fruit with a yellow and orange skin. A thin layer of fuzz covers the skin, which is edible, but most people prefer to peel their peaches. A peach seed---or pit---is found at the center of a peach and is roughly the size of a walnut. Following a few growing guidelines can help you grow some successful peaches for your late summer enjoyment. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Save the pit after you eat your peach. Rinse and scrub the peach pit to remove all remaining traces of food. Dry the seed with a towel and set it aside for a few days to completely dry out (10 days should be sufficient).
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Fill a four-inch pot with well-drained soil. Dig a two-inch deep hole into the soil and insert the dried pit. Cover the pit with soil. Place a small refrigerator bag over the four-inch pot and poke small holes through the plastic. The small holes increase airflow.
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Place the bag in the fridge (the pot should still be in the bag) and leave it there for 90 days. The seed needs to go through one "cold season" averaging 40 degrees before the seedling starts to grow. The fridge will simulate the perfect cold season weather.
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Monitor your pot to make sure no mold is growing over the soil. If mold appears, remove the plastic bag for a short time to increase airflow to the soil. The increased airflow should help fight the mold development.
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Set the pot in a sunny windowsill after the 90 day simulated cold season. Make sure the location gets at least eight hours of sunlight a day for best results. Germination should take two to three weeks.
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Tips & Warnings
Late August is the best time to plant your peach pit to start the simulated cold season. This way, the growing season is just starting in time for your peach tree germination.
Keep your soil evenly moist, but not soaked.
Use a 40-watt light bulb to warm your peach pit if you do not have a sunny window. Only heat the peach pit after the 90 day simulated cold season.
If your region gets winter weather around 40 degrees consistently you can plant your peach tree outside. Remember, the peach pit needs to be in soil for an entire cold season before the new growing season.
