Has anyone started fruit trees (peaches, cherries, nectarines, etc.) from stones (pits)? If so, how is it done or should I say, what am I doing wrong? Thanks. - Sheryl

-- Sheryl in NJ (all295@aol.com), January 23, 2002

Answers

ive done cherries from pits,, got a truck load from a precessor,, then let the squirels do the work,, 2 years later,, had them spring up all over. I know they have to dry completely,, then winterover for a period

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), January 23, 2002.

I break the shell off the seed,discard if shriveled and dark,only about 10-20% are fertile. Soak in a weak tea solution, about a cup with ateaspoon of real aloe vera overnite,plant and keep warm. I don't know anybody thats ever started a cherry by seed, just cuttings or root buds. I've done all the rest though.Be patient. Ray

-- raymond l gray (rorlgray@graytv.com), January 23, 2002.

My mother has started and grown both peaches and cherries. Didn't produce true to type, but did grow decent trees and nice fruit. She just planted the pits outside in the soil and left them over the winter. Next year, up came small trees. Jan

-- Jan in Co (Janice12@aol.com), January 23, 2002.

I planted a bunch of Elberta peach seeds at our old house. I had the goomers lining the driveway! They produced a TON of peaches after about 5 years. It does take a long time to see any results. I sure hated to leave all of my trees when we moved. They were too big to dig up! Apples seem to be trickier. Oh...my chickens "planted" a plum or peach of some sort last year. We are waiting to see what it is. We know it is fruit by the pit on the end of the thing.

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), January 25, 2002.

I stayed with a family last summer, doing a work trade, and they had cherry trees, and apple trees, and oregon grape plants comming up in thier flower garden, from the compost that they put in the beds. Maybe try scarifying your pits somehow, as the bacteria in a compost will do to the outer layer of a seed. Have you ever seen the book Making More Plants by Ken Druse? Here's what he says about the family Prunus (the stone fruit that you mentioned are in this family) SEED-wash off all pulp, then outdoors in protected place, OR moist cold (90 days or longer) followed by sow indoors (65-70 F) (germinate 30-60 days); semi ripewood, hardwood cuttings; (some shrub types- layering); grafting. Let us know how you do.

-- roberto pokachinni (pokachinni@yahoo.com), January 28, 2002.