{"id":11257,"date":"2022-01-05T10:54:37","date_gmt":"2022-01-05T10:54:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=11257"},"modified":"2022-01-09T10:49:13","modified_gmt":"2022-01-09T10:49:13","slug":"how-to-grow-an-apricot-tree-from-a-seed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/how-to-grow-an-apricot-tree-from-a-seed\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Grow An Apricot Tree From A Seed?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Plump, ripe, juicy apricots are a delicious summertime treat. Have you ever considered growing an apricot tree of your own? You don\u2019t even need to visit your garden store, as it\u2019s possible to take the pit straight out of the fruit and grow yourself a tree from that. In this article, we will explore how to grow an apricot tree from a seed. Read on to find out more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can I Grow an Apricot Tree from a Stone?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"can<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Yes, it is relatively simple and fun to grow an apricot tree from a stone!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get a stone, take a lovely ripe, juicy apricot and remove the hard pit (stone) from the center. Give it a wash-off, then, turn it on its side, so the thin edge of the pit is facing upwards. Give it a gentle tap with a hammer, and the pit will break in two, revealing the seed hidden inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t hammer the pit on its flat side, however, as this will destroy the seed no matter how carefully you hit it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also try removing the seed by using a pair of nutcrackers \u2013 again, squeeze the pit along its narrow sides, not the flat sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trees with pits include not just apricots, but also nectarines and peaches. They usually have the best traits of their parents carried in the seeds. Because this isn\u2019t always the case, commercial growers usually take cuttings from their best trees and graft them onto rootstock to produce almost exact clones of the mother trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will An Apricot Tree Grown from Seed Produce Fruit?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Normally yes, an apricot tree grown from seed will produce fruit, providing that it is given the right conditions for its particular cultivar and if the flowers are pollinated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The length of time it takes for a tree grown from seed to produce fruit<\/a> can vary, but it will take at least several years.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do You Get an Apricot Seed to Sprout?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you have removed the seeds from the pits, as I explained above, you need to prepare them for sprouting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clean<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Make sure that all of the sticky fruit residues are removed from the seeds by giving them a good wash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soak<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Then, in clean water, soak the seeds for 24 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stratify<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Stratification is a process of cooling the seeds over a period of time that mimics them going dormant when spending a winter out of doors in the cold ground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Different cultivars need varying lengths of time in the cold. This can vary from as few as 300 to as many as 900 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some seeds will germinate without stratifying because they have already been kept in cold storage during transportation to the grocery store. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is still best not to skip this step, as successful germination outcomes are more likely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To stratify your seeds:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Place them onto a sheet of kitchen paper about one inch apart. <\/li>
  2. Fold the paper over the seeds.<\/li>
  3. Spray the paper with water until it is good and moist all over.<\/li>
  4. Place the paper with the seeds inside into a Ziplock bag and place it in the refrigerator. <\/li>
  5. After three weeks (500 cold hours), check the bag weekly to see if the seeds are growing any shoots. Change the kitchen paper if it begins to show any signs of mildew.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Plant <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Once the seeds have grown some root shoots of an inch or more, remove them from the refrigerator and carefully unwrap the kitchen paper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Next, <\/strong>plant in equal amounts of sand and potting compost, being very gentle so as not to break off the root.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The seed should be placed approximately one inch below the surface of the soil in the pot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can also stratify seeds naturally over winter by planting them in potting compost and putting the pot into the soil outside, so it will get cold naturally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can see the process from taking the pit from the fruit to having a young seedling in this video: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
    https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wKKACLeUEtY<\/a>