How to Plant Fruit Trees From Harvested Seeds
Planting fruit trees from harvested seeds is an enjoyable project that can be completed for little to no cost. While the harvesting and planting process of fruit seeds is simple, growing fruit that is identical to the original is all but impossible. Most fruit trees are grafted to fast-growing, disease-resistant root stock, thus producing fruit that is a hybrid of the two plants. This hybrid fruit may look different or lack the desired qualities of the original fruit. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Fruit seeds
- Paper towels
- Shovel
- Spade
- Hoe
- Aged manure
- Peat moss
- Perlite
- Coarse builder's sand
- Wire screen
Instructions
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Harvest seeds from store-bought fruit or from fresh fruit that has fallen from its parent tree. Wash the seeds in warm water to remove any sticky fruit pulp. Lay the cleaned seeds on a paper towel to air dry.
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Select a planting location for your harvested fruit seeds. Look for a full-sun planting location that receives six to eight hours of direct sunlight to provide your fruit seeds, and eventually your fruit trees, with the sunlight they need for healthy, vigorous growth. Choose a planting location that also offers fertile, well-draining soil.
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Remove any vegetation, including grass, weeds or other plants, from the chosen planting location. Dig deep into the soil to completely remove the root systems of unwanted vegetation to prevent their regrowth.
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Boost the nutrients in the soil at your planting location and improve the soil's aeration and drainage before planting. Work organic amendments such aged manure, peat moss and perlite into the soil at your planting location to a depth of 8 to 10 inches. Add the amendments as required by your specific plant and soil needs.
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Make planting holes for your harvested fruit seeds that are no more than twice as deep as the length of the seeds. Drop two or three seeds in each of the planting holes; not all of the seeds planted will germinate and sprout successfully. Cover the seeds with a 1/2- to 3/4-inch layer of soil. Top the thin layer of soil with 1 to 2 inches of coarse builder's sand.
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Cover the planting area with a wire screen to prevent squirrels from digging up and eating your fruit tree seeds. Remove the wire screen in the spring, when new growth is observed, to allow your fruit tree seedlings to grow freely.
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Tips & Warnings
Erect chicken wire enclosures around your fruit tree seedlings in the spring to prevent them from being accidentally stepped on or eaten by deer, squirrels or rabbits.
Avoid planting your fruit seeds in constantly wet soil or they may rot rather than germinate.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Seeds image by Beth Porter from Fotolia.com
