How to Plant Peach Tree Pits to Grow Trees

Save a peach pit and plant the pit in your garden in autumn.

If you've ever wondered if a funny-looking, wrinkled peach pit can actually grow a brand new peach tree, save one from your next fresh, juicy peach, then plant it and see what happens. Keep in mind that it will be at least three years before the resulting tree will bear fruit, and the peaches may not taste quite like fruit from the parent tree. Planting a peach pit can be an interesting and rewarding experience, and is easy enough for young gardeners to do with just a little adult assistance.

Things You'll Need

• Peach pit
• Plastic bag
• Shovel
• Stake
• Organic mulch
• Container
• Sand
• Garden soil

Instructions

1. Place the peach pit in a plastic bag and allow it to dry out in the refrigerator until autumn. Don't put any bananas or apples in the refrigerator with the peach pit, as apples and oranges produce ethylene gases that will prevent the peach pit from germinating.

2. Plant the peach pit in a protected area of your garden in autumn. Dig a hole and plant the pit about 4 inches deep. If you are planting more than one, allow 4 inches between each pit. Place a stake in the soil near the peach pit to remind you where the pit is planted.

3. Cover the peach pit with a 1-inch layer of organic mulch, such as pine needles, straw or leaves, then water the area, saturating the soil.

4. Water the area during the winter if the weather is dry. Watch for the pits to germinate when the weather warms in spring.

5. Move the peach seedling to its permanent location after the pit germinates in spring. Choose a location where the seedling will be protected from hot sunlight. Alternatively, transplant the seedling into a container and allow it to grow larger before planting the seedling permanently. Use a container such as a 2-pound coffee can filled with half sand and half garden soil. Cut a hole in the bottom of the can for drainage.

Tips & Warnings

• If your garden is a gathering place for hungry squirrels and rabbits, place a piece of screen over the peach pit and under the mulch to protect the pit until it germinates in spring.

References

• Colorado State University: Starting Peaches From Pits
• Texas A&M: Peach
• Michigan Peach Sponsors: What Will Happen If I Plant a Peach Pit?

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish