How to Start Cherry Trees From Seeds
Cherry trees (Rosaceae prunus) are popular with gardeners because of the fruit they produce and the abundant blooms this flowering tree yields every spring. Each cherry tree is grown from the seed found inside its fruit. Under the right conditions every seed has the potential of becoming a cherry tree. Growing cherry trees requires vigilance and patience on the part of the gardener but can enhance the aesthetics of your garden's landscape with their annual declaration of the arrival of spring. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Cherry seeds
- Water
- Paper towels
- Screwdriver
- Plastic jar
- Sand
- Peat moss
- Chicken wire, 1 foot by 1 foot
Instructions
-
-
1
Remove the cherry seeds from the fruits and wash them thoroughly in lukewarm water to remove all remaining pulp.
-
2
Dry the cherry seeds and set them aside on a paper towel for several days to allow the seeds the opportunity to dry completely.
-
-
3
Fill the plastic jar halfway with a 50-50 mixture of sand and peat moss. Place the cherry seeds inside the jar. Fill up the jar to the top with the remaining sand and peat moss mixture. Moisten the soil with water.
-
4
Punch holes in the lid of plastic jar with a screwdriver. This will allow for air movement inside the plastic jar. Place the lid on plastic jar.
-
5
Stratify the cherry seed, that is break the outer seed coat, by storing the plastic jar in a refrigerator at 33 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit for 90 to 150 days. Germination of the cherry seeds will not occur unless the seeds are exposed to both moist conditions and cool temperatures for an extended period of time.
-
6
Plant the cherry seeds outside in the spring after the last frost, each seed in its own hole twice as deep in the soil as the seed is long (approximately at a depth of 1/2 inch) in a sunny location.
-
7
Fill in the hole with sand to promote growth and prevent the heavy soil from crushing the cherry seeds.
-
8
Bend chicken wire around the planted cherry seeds and push wire into the soil slightly. The chicken wire will help keep the cherry seeds safe from squirrels and birds.
-
9
Water the cherry seeds. To encourage germination the soil must be kept moist, but not soaked. Over-watering the cherry seeds will cause them to rot.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit Cherry Blossoms image by dwight9592 from Fotolia.com
