Think twice before you toss the pit or seeds from your favorite fruit. Why not plant them and grow a new fruit tree? It takes time and patience, but the reward is worth it.
You can grow many grocery store fruits from their seeds or pits. However, they usually don’t grow true to type. For example, planting a Honeycrisp apple seed will give you an apple tree, not a Honeycrisp apple.
Most fruit trees cross-pollinate, meaning their seeds carry mixed genetics from two trees. Professional gardeners graft fruit trees onto rootstock to ensure they produce a specific variety. While growing from seed won’t give you an exact match, it can still yield delicious fruit. This process even creates new varieties. Experimenting can be fun, and you never know what you might get!
How to Grow Fruit Trees from Seed or Pit
Planting fruit tree seeds or pits isn’t much different from growing any plant from seed, but some fruits need extra steps.
Cold-hardy fruits like apples and peaches require cold stratification. Their seeds only germinate after exposure to cold temperatures. Plant them in the ground during the fall or store them in the refrigerator over winter before planting them in spring.
Plant the seeds anytime for tropical fruits that can’t tolerate cold. If you live in a colder climate, grow these fruit trees in containers. Move them outside in summer and bring them indoors during winter.
Stone fruit pits germinate more quickly if you crack the hard outer shell. Be careful not to damage the embryo; just a light crack will do the job.
Smaller seeds sprout better after soaking in water for 24 to 48 hours. If planting seeds or pits directly outdoors, cover them with wire mesh to protect them from pests.
1. Cherries
Cherries are among the best fruit seeds to grow in winter, as they handle cold weather well. So, they’re a great choice even in winter.
Follow these steps to grow your own at home:
- Wash the seeds (also called stones) and remove all pulp.
- Gently rub the stones on a rough surface to speed up germination.
- Place them on a damp paper towel inside a plastic container and store them in the refrigerator.
- Once they start germinating, plant them in the garden.
Cherry trees take up to five years to produce fruit, but the wait is worth the time!
2. Lemons and Oranges
You can grow a lemon tree straight from its seeds, whether in a pot or the garden.
However, lemon trees are susceptible to cold. For best results, plant the seeds when warm weather begins.
Like lemons, you can also grow mandarin oranges or tangerines from seeds in pots or directly in the garden.
3. Peaches and Plums
Start by cleaning the pits and removing as much fruit pulp as possible. Since not all pits will germinate, use several. Gently crack them with a nutcracker, not damaging the seed inside.
Cold stratify the pits by storing them in the refrigerator with moist paper towels or planting them outside in the fall. Plums need 60 to 90 cold days, while peaches require 98 to 105. If stratifying indoors, keep the paper towel moist throughout winter, then plant the sprouted pits outside in spring. Protect young seedlings from critters with mesh.
4. Apples
After removing the seeds from the apple, help them sprout.
To do so:
- Wrap them in a damp paper towel.
- Seal them in a bag.
- Place them in the refrigerator.
Once they sprout, they’re ready to plant!
5. Loquat
Once the seeds germinate, transplanting them is easy.
Loquat trees thrive in all soil types and need little care. To grow them from seeds:
- Clean the seeds by removing all pulp.
- Place a paper towel in a container, lay the seeds on top, and cover them with a damp paper towel.
- Close the container and wait a few weeks. Once the seeds sprout, plant them!
6. Pears
To grow your own pear tree, germinate the seeds in a glass with cotton wool and water.
Once they start growing, transfer them to a pot.
As the tree gets bigger, move it to the garden when it’s strong enough to thrive outdoors.
7. Avocados
Avocados are among the best fruit seeds to grow because they are low-maintenance. To grow an avocado tree, start by removing the stone from the fruit and washing it.
Insert three or four toothpicks into the center of the stone and suspend it over a glass of water. After a few weeks, a root will sprout from the bottom. Once it reaches about 10 cm, remove the stone from the water, remove the toothpicks, and plant it in a pot.
