How to plant a seed and grow a peach from it at home

Experimental gardeners are interested in how to grow a peach from a seed. Is it possible, after eating a tasty and aromatic fruit, to then get the same in your garden from your trees? Some gardeners dare to experiment with growing fruit trees. For success, you should choose planting material wisely and be patient. And then you just need to follow the recommendations of agronomists. It is worth noting that the southern peach also works well in regions with a cool climate. So all gardeners can try to grow their own peach trees in the country.

Pros and cons of growing peaches from pits

This event has positive aspects:

1. The gardener has already tasted the fruit and has an idea of ​​its taste and consistency.
2. Propagation by seed allows you to obtain as much planting material as you need.
3. Seedlings are cheap: the gardener can experiment with the placement of plants.
4. Successful rooted peach trees provide rich material for grafting.

1. It will be possible to grow a tree with the taste of mother fruits only if the seed is taken from a variety. Hybrids do not convey the original qualities.
2. Sometimes it can be difficult to find the source material: the sprout comes from the seeds of fruits picked ripe.
3. The process is long and laborious: an impatient gardener is unlikely to succeed.

And yet, summer residents grow peach trees from seeds and are proud of the harvests they receive.

Will a peach grown from a pit bear fruit?

It depends on many factors. A tree will bear fruit if:

1. The seed is taken from a fully ripened fruit. It is free from insect damage and has an intact shell.
2. The peach tree from which the pit is taken is a variety, not a hybrid. The hybrid may also produce fruits, but their taste and quantity are unlikely to please the gardener.
3. The place for planting the young seedling was carefully chosen. The tree must be protected from cold northern and northeastern winds.
4. Fertilizers were applied correctly when planting.
5. The crown of the tree is well formed.
6. The climatic features of the region are taken into account and correlated with the technical characteristics of kernel wood.

In order to always have fruits, you need to take care of pollination. If the variety is self-fertile, then pollinating plants are not needed. And other varieties need peach trees to pollinate it. These are varieties or hybrids that bloom at the same time as the planted plant.

Which peach pits are suitable for planting?

For planting, pits from healthy peaches are selected. The fruits must be fully ripe, soft, with intact skin, without dark spots. It is recommended to buy local varieties of fruit at the market: this guarantees that the fruit is ripe on the tree.

The original plant must be a variety: hybrids do not transmit maternal qualities. This can also be found out from the seller at the market.

The bone must be intact, without damage by insects or cracks. It is important to remember: easy separation of the stone from the pulp is a varietal feature, and not an indicator of the ripeness of the fruit.

Methods for germinating seeds

You can grow a tree from a seed in several ways. And the gardener can choose the one he likes. To obtain a positive result, you need to prepare the material. The seed must be carefully removed from the peach, being careful not to damage the shell.Then the bone should be washed with cold water.

Cleaned and washed raw materials should be dried at room temperature away from heat sources and sunlight. If it is not possible to plant the seed immediately, you should store it in a cool, dark place.

It is important to remember: about 40% of the seeds germinate, 20% of the seedlings die when transplanted to a permanent place in the garden, so you should stock up on a significant amount of planting material.

Stratification

The essence of the method is that stressful conditions are artificially created for the seed, which accelerate germination and at the same time harden the plant.

How to proceed:

• prepare a substrate for stratification: neutral peat, sawdust, small wood shavings, coconut shavings;
• pour the substrate into a bag or pot, make holes for gas exchange;
• place the seed inside a bag or pot, sprinkle the substrate on top;
• slightly moisten;
• place in the refrigerator in the fruit department or cellar (temperature for stratification should be within 5-6 degrees Celsius);
• regularly moisten the substrate.

After 3-4 months the seed will sprout. It's time to transplant it into a pot for growing a seedling.

Seed extraction

This method of growing seedlings speeds up seed germination. But at the same time, the likelihood of death of the embryo increases due to a violation of the protective shell (shell).

The shell of the dry seed is carefully broken and the seeds are removed. In this case, the thin shell cannot be damaged. The seed is placed on a plate and filled with water (the liquid should only lightly cover the seeds). To speed up germination, you can add aloe juice, potassium humate or a root formation stimulator to the water.

After a visible increase in the material, the seed is taken out of the water, placed in the soil, moistened, and covered on top with a film with holes for air intake.

The container is placed in a warm place. The soil is regularly watered, and condensation is removed from the film. After the sprout appears, the plastic is removed and the sprout is placed in a bright place, but away from direct sunlight.

Warm way

The longest and least effective method. But it is suitable for growing seedlings at home. How to organize the process:

• dry seeds need to be stratified: placed in the fruit compartment of the refrigerator and kept there for 5-6 days;
• soak the seeds in a growth stimulator (aloe juice, potassium humate, Kornevin) for 3-4 hours;
• plant in the ground, deepening it to 6-8 cm;
• moisten and cover with film with holes for gas exchange;
• put in a warm place;
• Regularly moisten the soil and remove condensation from the film.

After the sprouts appear, the containers should be placed in the light, but away from direct sunlight. The temperature should be 16-18 degrees Celsius.

Seed growing technology

The number of seedlings obtained depends on how correctly the process is organized.

Preparing the container and soil

The containers must be thoroughly washed with a brush with hot water and soap or soda. Then dry. If the gardener composes the soil himself, then it is recommended to pre-freeze the components (to destroy pest larvae) and steam (to destroy fungal spores). Ready-made soil does not require such procedures.

Pot sizes and material

For germination, it is recommended to select containers made of plastic or clay. The first ones are light, and the second ones allow air inside. The size of the dish depends on the number of seeds. Depth - 30-35 cm.

Soil composition

The soil should be light and moderately fertile: peat, sand, humus, turf soil, sand in a ratio of 1:1:1:2:1. You can use universal soil for flowering plants.

Drainage

The roots of peach seedlings easily rot when in contact with water. Therefore, it is necessary to pour a layer of drainage 1-2 cm thick at the bottom of the planting containers. Broken brick, expanded clay, and crushed stone are suitable for this. Before use, drainage must be scalded with boiling water and cooled.

Seed planting pattern and depth

Several seeds can be placed in wide planting containers. In this case, the seeds should be planted at a distance of 8-10 cm from each other. When the first true leaf appears, the seedlings are moved to separate containers, where they are grown until planted in a permanent place in the garden.

The seeds should be buried 6-8 cm. At home, containers with sprouted seeds should be placed on light windowsills, protected from drafts.

When to expect sprouts to sprout

The germination process is quite slow: seedlings when planting seeds in a warm way will please the gardener in 3-4 months. When planting by stratification, 3-4 months will only be required if the material is kept in a cool place. But when planted with seeds extracted from the shell, after 2-3 months the seedling will reach a height of 50 cm.

Caring for peach seedlings before planting in a permanent place

To obtain strong seedlings, sprouted seeds require proper care. It will ensure success when planting trees in a permanent place in the garden.

Daylight hours

For normal development, peach trees require intense lighting for 16-18 hours. It is recommended to use an agricultural lamp: it gives a spectrum that best matches sunlight.

Irrigation and feeding of seedlings

The soil in the pots should be moistened, but not overwatered.Peach seedlings have an easily vulnerable root system. The plant is forced to exist in a limited capacity. For normal development, he requires adequate nutrition. It is recommended to feed the seedling once every two weeks. In this case, you should alternate the application of nitrogen and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

You can use ready-made complex fertilizers for young fruit plants. In this case, feeding should be done according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Optimal temperature

If a peach seedling lives in an apartment in winter, then it requires a temperature of 2-4 degrees. In spring the temperature rises to 18 degrees. With the onset of summer (if it is impossible to plant the plant in a permanent place in the garden), the peach needs a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.

How to properly transplant a peach into open ground

In order for a peach seedling grown from a seed to take root well in the country, it should be properly placed in the garden. It is planted when the soil warms up enough and return frosts have passed. 3-4 weeks before the intended planting in a permanent place, the tree begins to harden. It is placed on the balcony or veranda first for 20-30 minutes, then the time is increased. A few days before transplanting, the plant should be left outdoors around the clock.

Recommended transfer time

The optimal time for planting in open ground is spring or early autumn. It is not recommended to place the plant outside too early (in March). The seedling grown in the house has leaves, and the nights are still cold this month. In spring, the ideal planting time is late April - early May.

When planting in the fall, you need to take into account the time it takes for the plant to take root. It will take him 2-3 weeks to adapt to open ground. And the weather should be frost-free.

At what distance to plant

Peach trees are tall and have a wide crown. They need to be planted at a distance of 3-4 m from each other and from the walls of country buildings.

Planting hole depth

The planting hole for a young peach needs to be prepared in advance: when planting in the fall - in the spring, and when planting in the spring - in the fall. The dimensions of the pit are 70 x 70 x 70 cm. The excavated soil is mixed with mature organic matter (bucket) and returned to the pit. Cover it with a sheet of plywood and leave it until planting begins.

Required soil composition

Young peach requires light, fertile soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. In case of highly acidified soil, it is recommended to carry out deoxidation with dolomite flour, fluff lime or sifted furnace ash.

Heavy soil needs to be sanded, too light soil needs to be clayed. To do this, add a bucket of sand or clay per plant.

Algorithm for the procedure

To successfully root a seedling, you should proceed as follows:

• For planting, choose a cloudy day or after sunset;
• open the landing hole;
• form a planting hole (a place for free placement of peach roots);
• mix the excavated soil with mineral fertilizers (phosphorus and potassium);
• form a small mound at the bottom;
• drive a peg for gartering the tree;
• place the roots of the plant on a mound;
• add the remaining soil;
• trample the tree trunk circle;
• water and mulch the tree trunk well;
• tie the peach to the peg with a figure eight;
• install a lutrasil screen to protect from direct sunlight.

When the seedling sprouts new leaves, remove the screen.

Tree care

To get a quick harvest, peach requires proper care.

Watering

The young seedling requires regular watering.But at the same time, it should be moistened only after the trunk circle has dried. If there is excess moisture, the roots of the plant rot.

Fertilizer

When planting using a planting hole, the peach does not require fertilizer for the first 3 years. Then you should give fertilizers 2 times a year: in the spring, after leaving the hibernation, and in the fall (in September-October).

Trimming patterns and timing

Peach trees produce abundant growth. They need to be pruned in the spring (sanitary, thinning procedures) or in the fall (formative, sanitary).

It is important to consider: fruit buds are formed on the side shoots, therefore, when forming cutting, the central conductor must be constantly shortened. This will stimulate the growth of side branches and make it easier to care for the tree.

Treatment against pests and diseases

To prevent diseases, it is recommended to carry out preventive spraying. The first is done in early spring. Then - according to schedule. At the same time, weeds should be pulled out, anthills should be removed, and plant residues should be burned.

Shelter for the winter

Only in regions with positive average winter temperatures can peaches overwinter without shelter. In other places, the trunk circle should be mulched with peat, sawdust, shavings 20-25 cm thick. It is recommended to tie the trunk with spruce branches or mineral wool. This measure will protect the plant from damage by hares.

To prevent freezing and cracking of wood on the north and northeast sides, it is recommended to install a screen made of plywood, slate or plastic. It will protect from cold winds.