Growing Fruit Plants from Seed

What about taking the seed from the fruit and planting it to grow out into a tree for their garden? Unfortunately, fruit trees do not grow out from seeds in the fruit. If you collect seed from a plant, the seeds will produce plants that will be a hybrid of two plants. The new plant will be the same kind of plant, but its fruit and vegetative portions may not look or taste the same as the parent because the plant is "heterozygous." The seed is a product of the union of the pollen (male organ) from one plant and the flower (female organ) of the tree that produced the fruit.

Therefore, all fruit trees must be vegetatively propagated by either grafting or budding methods. You can purchase rootstocks from specialized nurseries to graft a bud or shoot of the female plant onto to produce a tree that will produce the exact same fruit as the one that you enjoyed. Commercial fruit growers choose specific rootstocks because they produce trees with specific characteristics such as smaller trees or trees that produce fruit at an earlier age.

Suppose, however, you cannot or do not want to purchase the rootstock you want. You can produce your own rootstock from the seed of the same type of fruit; therefore, you could grow your own rootstock.

The seeds of all common tree fruits (apple, pear, peach, and cherry) require a chilling period before they will germinate and form new plants. The chilling period, known as dormancy or after-ripening, occurs after the fruit portion is ripe. During this period the embryo develops until it is mature. The necessary after ripening could be accomplished by the following two systems.

Method One: Refrigerator

Extract seeds and/or pits from the fruit you want to reproduce. Remove all adhering fruit portions and allow seeds to air-dry. Then, place them in a glass jar or other suitable container to which a loosely fitted lid or cover may be added. Set the seeds aside in a cool place until mid-January. Seeds require after-ripening. The length of this period varies by type of fruit (Table 1). The temperature at which the seeds are stored will also impact the success of germination. Seeds should be stored dry in a sealed container at the appropriate temperature. Most seeds can be stored in airtight containers for up to 1 year if the temperature is controlled. Be sure that you use a container that is airtight. If using your home refrigerator, do not expose the seeds to any climacteric fruit, those that produce ethylene gas. Climacteric fruit include: apple, banana, pear, apricot, peach, plum, nectarine, blueberry, cantaloupe, mango, papaya, avocado, guava, passion fruit, and plantain. If seeds have not previously received a cold treatment, mix the seeds with either moist (not wet) peat moss, sand, or shredded paper towels in mid-January. Return the mixture to the container and replace the lid. Place container and seeds in the refrigerator until after the last severe spring frosts. The seeds should remain in the refrigerator for at least 60 days. In early April prepare a garden-soil seedbed with furrows as described above and plant the seeds. Keep the soil moist but not wet. Do not add fertilizer.

Method Two: Outdoors

Prepare a garden-soil plot in the fall as you would for planting any other type of seeds. Make a furrow no deeper than one or two times the longest dimension of the seed. Cover the seeds with a light cover of soil and add an inch or two of sand over the row. The sand will prevent the soil from crusting, which inhibits germination. Next, place a wire screen, or hardware cloth, over the row—be sure that all of the edges are pushed several inches into the soil and that the ends are closed. This prevents chipmunks and squirrels from digging up the seeds. The following April watch the seeded area closely for newly germinated seedlings. As the seedlings grow, remove the wire screen to prevent restricting the new plants.

Handling in the Nursery

When the plants are 6 to 8 inches tall, apply 1 to 2 tablespoons of urea along every 12 inches of the row in a band on one side of the seedlings. Keep the fertilizer about 3 inches away from the seedlings. Water thoroughly every 10 to 12 days. The new seedling has a taproot. To facilitate transplanting, cut the taproot by pushing a spade under each plant. Push the blade into the soil to cut the taproot about 5 to 6 inches below the surface. Peach, nectarine, almond, and apricot seedlings may be budded the first summer, usually in late July or early August. Apples, cherries, pears, and plums should be allowed to grow through to the July-August period of the second year before budding is done.