How to Grow a Cherry Tree From a Pit

Cherry trees grown from seeds do not always bear fruit.

Cherry trees can grow up to 30 feet tall and non-ornamental varieties will bear delicious fruit. While amateur gardeners probably are better off buying a small cherry tree to plant if they want to ensure a fruit-bearing tree, it is possible to grow a tree from a cherry pit. Also called cherry seeds, cherry pits should be stored in a cold place before they are planted in the ground.

Things You'll Need

• Peat moss
• Sand

Instructions

1. Remove the pit from a cherry and clean it. Lay the pit out to dry for several days, then remove any dried pulp from the seed.

2. Place the cherry pit in a loosely covered jar or plastic bag. Store it in the refrigerator at a temperature between 33 and 41 degrees for at least 90 days.

3. Add dampened sand or peat moss to the jar or plastic bag and put it back into the refrigerator.

4. Wait until the most severe frost of the season has passed, then plant the cherry pit in the ground. Place the pit in a hole about 1/2-inch deep.

5. Surround the pit with wire or fencing to keep squirrels and other critters from digging it up.

6. Keep the cherry pit -- and the ensuing tree -- damp, but be careful not to drown it. Wait at least two years before trying to transplant the cherry tree.

References

• OnlineTips: Planting Cherry Tree Seeds
• Iowa State University Extension: Germination of Tree Seed
• About Cherry Trees: About Cherry Trees