Have you ever wondered if it is possible to take the seeds of the delicious apple you are eating and simply plant them in the garden? Well, the answer is yes! However, growing apple trees from seeds takes some effort, patience and organization. Read on to learn how to grow your own apple trees, even if it will take some time!
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Simulating Winter
Step 1. Get two different types of seeds
Apple trees need to be sown in pairs to bear fruit because they are not self-pollinating. You can store the seeds of the apple you are eating, or buy them at the nursery. Remember that sowing and growing apple trees from seeds does not necessarily guarantee that you will get a fruit tree. Try to get a variety of seeds that can acclimate to the area you live in, or they will die when moved outside.
- You should purchase a sapling at the nursery rather than growing a plant from seeds. To learn how to plant trees you can read this article.
- When you want to germinate an apple tree from the seed, you should also remember that you will get a plant with characteristics other than the "parent" (it could grow to a maximum height of 30 feet). If you think you have enough space in the garden, great! Consider that apple trees born from seeds need 8-10 years to produce fruit, while transplanted ones require much less.
Step 2. Dry the seeds
Once extracted from the fruit, remove any residual pulp and wait for them to dry. Simply leave them in the air until their shell is no longer moist.
Step 3. Cover the seeds with moistened kitchen paper and then place them in a sealable plastic bag, jar with lid, or Tupperware container
Whichever you choose, make sure the seeds are well sealed.
If you have peat moss, you can use it instead of kitchen paper
Step 4. Place the seeds in the refrigerator
They must remain in the cold for the "dormant" phase. Basically you are simulating winter: in this phase the seeds begin to grow sprouts and roots. They must remain in the cold for at least eight weeks. The refrigerator temperature must be kept between 4 and 10 ° C, even if the optimum would be between 4, 4 and 5 ° C.
If possible, do this during actual winter so that when you remove the seeds from the refrigerator, you will be aligned with the season. Plant the seeds in early spring, after the last frost
Step 5. Check that the paper is damp from time to time
After 8 weeks, the seeds should have sprouted and developed their first roots. At this point you can take them out of the refrigerator.
Part 2 of 4: Potting the Seeds
Step 1. Prepare the pot and soil
Use a good type of soil, apple seeds grow best with a neutral pH. Fill the pot and make a hole that is 2-3 times larger than the germinated seed.
Don't use fertilizers. It is not necessary, although you can add compost or mulch if you want to enrich the soil
Step 2. Put the seed in the hole
Make sure you handle it very gently, cover it and lightly compress the soil. Water the seed immediately, so that it is as moist as the soil that surrounds it.
Step 3. Keep the jar at room temperature
As it develops inside the pot, the seed needs room temperature or slightly higher. It needs to be exposed to the sun for most of the day, so it's best to place the pot near a window.
Step 4. Check the seed as it grows
Several weeks after planting it, small leaves will begin to sprout. Over time they will get stronger and bigger. Keep them in the jar until they harden and there is no longer any risk of frost. If you feel the pot has gotten too small, transfer the seedling to a larger container and water it daily.
Part 3 of 4: Moving the Plant Outside
Step 1. Find a good spot for your tree (or trees)
There are several factors that make a plot of land suitable for apple tree growth: exposure to sunlight, soil quality and space.
- Sunlight: Apple trees need sun. This means they need to be exposed to light at least 6 hours a day, every day. If possible, plant them on the east or north side of the plot.
- Soil: Apple trees do not like to live in puddles. So it is essential to have a soil that retains moisture, but which is at the same time well draining. Furthermore, the pH must be neutral and the soil moderately rich.
- Space: since the plant is born from seed, it could reach full height (6-9 meters). Make sure there is enough space for the root system to develop and space the trees 4.5m away from each other.
Step 2. Recognize the optimal conditions for moving outdoors
Now that your sapling has grown large enough not to be walked on or confused with weed, you can move it to the garden being careful not to damage any of the roots. The best time of the year for this job depends on the area you live in: in warm areas it is best to do it during the fall; otherwise, in cold areas, it is better to act in spring, when there is no more risk of frost.
Step 3. Remove all weeds within 2 feet of the planting area
Dig a hole that is twice the diameter of the root system of the sapling. Also make sure it is deep enough (60cm). Now that you have made the hole, move the earth along the walls so that you will allow the roots to penetrate them.
Step 4. Transfer the sapling
Gently spread the roots apart so they don't get tangled together in the hole you dug. Start covering them with soil and then compact it to empty any pockets of air. Finish filling the hole with loose soil.
Again, do not add fertilizers or compost: they could "burn" the young roots
Step 5. Water it to get rid of any air bubbles
Then sprinkle mulch at the base of the tree to conserve moisture. Distribute it for a 45cm radius all around the tree. Hay, straw or bits of organic wood are fine. Mulch, in addition to conserving moisture, prevents weeds from competing with the tree for nutrients and water.
Part 4 of 4: Caring for the Tree
Step 1. Water the tree
When it is still low (15-20 cm) it should be wet every 10-12 days. As it grows, you will need to reduce watering so the soil remains moist but not muddy. However, during the summer, it is best to water every week or two.
For the rest of the year, let nature take its course, unless you live in an area of great drought. In this case, remember that 2.5-5 cm of water per week is the ideal amount in the first year of the apple tree's life. Make sure you water well, don't just sprinkle
Step 2. Keep pests away
If there are deer in your area, you will need to protect your sapling. These animals love to nibble on young apple shoots and can even damage the trunk. Build a fence that is a little larger than the tree - in some cases, poles are enough. Monitor the growth to prevent the vine from becoming entangled.
- In low-pressure areas, spray the tree with commercial or even artisanal repellents;
- If deer aren't a problem in the area you live in, keep rabbits and mice away with a wire mesh fence around the base of the tree;
- Spray insect repellent. Pests can transmit disease to the tree and spoil the fruit. You can buy products in the nursery to remove them;
- Fight the carpocapsa. It is the most common and most dangerous pest for apple trees. In June, hang a red ball (like a baseball) from the branches of the tree. Coat it with a sticky product (such as fly glue).
Step 3. Fertilize the adult tree
Apple trees need nourishment every spring. Wait until the last snow has melted, but take action before the apple tree begins to bud. Use a product with a 10-10-10 ratio. You can deposit fertilizer at the base of the tree, over an area as large as the canopy of the tree itself. Place 250 g for every 2.5 cm in diameter of the trunk.
- Always do a soil test before applying fertilizer. Depending on the test result, you may need to use a low-release organic fertilizer. Too much nitrogen will cause vegetation to develop at the expense of effective fruit production.
- Do not use fertilizers that also contain pre-emergent herbicides, this combination damages the apple trees.
Step 4. Refrain from pruning a young tree
Prune as little as possible during the first two years, so fruit production does not delay. Remove any dead or diseased branches. An apple tree needs to grow quite a lot before it starts to bear fruit, as that's how it reproduces, so allow it to become an adult.
- Eliminate buds that pop up in the wrong places before they turn into branches that you will then need to prune.
- It will also be necessary to prune the tree to develop a main branch. If there are two branches that are growing vertically, prune the smaller and less desired one so that the tree can direct all its energy towards the main branch.
Step 5. Shape the plant
It may sound strange, but apple branches need to be "sorted" to maximize fruit production. Any branch that forms an angle of 35 ° (or less) with the trunk must be better "oriented". Bend the branch so that it is more horizontal and tie it to a pole in the ground with a string. Leave it in this position for a couple of weeks.
Step 6. Reduce excessive fruit production
Producing a lot of fruit can be bad for the tree, because they weigh down the branches and worsen the quality of the apples. You should reduce the production so that there are no more than one or two apples per cluster and that they are 15-20 cm apart. In the end you will be very happy when you bite into a good apple.
Step 7. Prune a mature tree annually
Now that it has become productive, you need to prune it regularly. Do this when it is in the dormant phase, eliminate the branches that grow vertically (usually develop in the upper part). Obviously, eliminate dead, diseased and broken branches, as well as those that grow towards the trunk or that cross each other.
- Cut each branch too long; as a general line, the branches should not sprout below 45 cm from the ground.
- You will need to remove the weak branches that grow on the sides of the main branches.
Advice
- Put only one seed per pot, so there is no competition for nutrients and sunlight.
- Keep the sapling in a pot until it reaches 40-60 cm in height.
- Before eating the fruit, check for parasites.
- Never let the tree dehydrate or it will die.
- Talk to other farmers / gardeners about apple tree care, or grab a good book in the library.
- Keep an eye on rainfall in your area; if you notice that the leaves are wilting and no rain is expected, wet the tree.
