Hello all,

Just wondering if someone could tell me how to start a nectarine tree from seed.I had the most wonderful nectarine today and would surely love to try to grow my own tree! We live in zone 6(se OH.). Thanks a bunch, May God bless you all,

~~~~~Tracy~~~~~~

-- Tracy Jo Neff (tntneff@ifriendly.com), June 23, 2000

Answers

Tracy, nectarines are rather interesting. They are a peach mutation, and from a nectarine pit you might get a nectarine, a peach, or something in between. If peaches will grow where you are, you shouldn't have trouble growing your nectarine. Plant it in good soil about 4 inches deep, keep watered but don't drown. Either mark it well or plant it in a pot so nothing happens to it (like getting weeded out). If it does grow and bloom, it almost surely will be self-fruitful. However, there's no guarantee that even if it does survive and fruit the fruit will be as good as the one you ate. Worth a try though. Good Luck. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), June 24, 2000.

This is a very interesting question. First of all, just about any fruit tree seed should be put in the freezer a few weeks before planting. This simulates winter dormancy for the seed and allows it to sprout. I am fascinated by fruit tree seeds. They are not reliable at all when it comes to fruiting like their parents. Still most new varieties were once seedlings that came up in someone's orchard and was allowed to fruit. The Granny smith is an example of an apple grown this way. The thing is, if you do this, it is better to set aside a certain part of your property for experimentals. This is because you have to be brutal. Once the trees start fruiting, it is necessary to cull religiously and replace and start new trees when a variety proves unacceptable. You can expect a one good fruiting tree out of ten bad fruiting ones. If you do better than this count your self very lucky. My friend Virginia, has always seemed to be the luckiest person when it to great trees coming up from seed. it is amazing. First she had a pecan tree come up in her yard. It reliably prduces pecans every year and now it is twice as tall as her house. Then she had two mulberries come up from seed. One was white, and one was purple. Then she had the most wonderful white nectarine come up from seed and it produces the sweetest nactarines every year. All of these trees came in from bird carried seed. Keep in mind that Virginia lives in a southern California neighborhood and has lived there for 38 years. She made sure she cultivated those trees and watered them once they were there. I could only hope to have such luck when we own our own property.

little bit farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@calinet.com), June 26, 2000.