Starting Fruit Trees From Seed

Categories: Fruit Growing

How shall I start, and when, the following seeds: Peach, plums,

apricots, walnuts, olives and cherries? In the East we used to plant

them in the fall, so as to have them freeze; as it does not freeze

enough here, what do I have to do?



Do just the same. In California, heat and moisture cause the parting of

the seed-cover, more slowly perhaps, but just as surely as the frost at

the East. Early planting of a l fruit pits and nuts is desirable for two

reasons. First, it prevents too great drying and hardening and other

changes in the seed, because the soil moisture prevents it; second, it

gives plenty of time for the opening and germination first mentioned.

But early planting must be in ground which is loamy and light rather

than heavy, because if the soil is so heavy as to become water-logged

the kernel is more apt to decay than to grow. Where there is danger of

this, the seed can be kept in boxes of sand, continually moist, but not

wet, by use of water, and planted out, as sprouting seeds, after the

coldest rains are over, say in February. Cherry and plum seeds should be

kept moist after taking from the fruit; very little is usually had from

dry seeds. The other fruits will stand considerable drying. Very few

olives are from the seed, because of reversion to wild types - also

because it is so much easier to get just the variety you want by growing

trees from cuttings.