Think about all the cherry pits you’ve spit out and thrown away. Just one of those pits could’ve been used to grow a cherry tree! Then, you would’ve been able to enjoy as many cherries as your stomach can handle.
Despite all those wasted cherry pits, it’s not too late to start now. Cherries can be grown from seed pretty easily, especially if you live in the colder regions of the United States. However, it will take about ten years for you to be able to harvest your own fruit.
In addition, the cherry pit you plant will not be true to type. In other words, this means the tree that grows from the seed probably won’t bear fruit that tastes like the cherries you’re used to eating.
There are two types of cherry trees: sweet cherries and sour cherries. Sweet cherries are obviously sweet in flavor and are often used in baked goods or just eaten fresh. Sweet cherry trees require cross-pollination, so they will not come true from seed.
Sour cherries are smaller than sweet cherries. Because of their tartness, they’re usually used for cooking and baking instead of being eaten alone.
This type of cherry tree is self-pollinating; therefore, it breeds true from seed. For best results, plant sour cherry seeds if you want to grow an edible cherry tree. Here’s how to get started.
First, devour some fresh, delicious cherries and save the pits. Clean off as much of the fruit as possible, then soak the pits in a bowl of warm water for five minutes to remove any remaining fruit.
Once they’re clean, spread them out on a paper towel that’s placed in a warm, dry place free from direct sunlight. Let them sit for a few days.
Then, wrap the dry pits in a slightly damp paper towel or some moss and transfer them to a plastic bag or glass jar. Place the seeds in your refrigerator for approximately ten weeks. This cold period is a process called stratification, which normally occurs during the winter.
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After the ten weeks are up, plant the seeds together in small containers filled with potting soil. Place the planted seeds in a sunny location and keep the soil moist.
In a couple of weeks or so, you’ll see seedlings start to appear. When they have grown their second set of leaves, they can be moved to individual pots or relocated outdoors after the danger of frost has passed.
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