You buy nectarines at the grocery store and road side markets. They are one of your favorite fruits, but buying them can be costly. Have you ever thought about growing your own nectarine tree? You can sow your own nectarines from seeds and it is a fun project for the entire family to participate in. There is one thing to remember when you are planting nectarine seeds. The seed you sow, usually does not produce the same fruit as the neither parent tree, nor does the fruit taste the same.
Prepare the Seeds
Gather the seeds from the nectarines. If you already have a nectarine tree, or you know where to find one, pick several rips nectarines. Do not pick the fruit off a tree that is not yours without asking permission first. Always respect someone else’s property. The fruit can also be purchased from the store. Enjoy eating the sweet, juicy nectarine, but save the pit. The seed you find inside the nectarine pit will not produce the same type of fruit as the parent. Even the fruit will taste different.
After you eat the nectarine, you will be left with the pit. Wash the pit to remove the pulp from the nectarine seeds. You can do this under warm -running water, or you can fill a bowl with warm water to wash them.
Put the nectarine pit on an absorbent towel. Leave the pit and allow it to dry for about two days until dry. Next comes the most difficult part of this project. You need to release the seed from the pit. This can be done in two ways. Position the long sides of the pit in a nut cracker and open the pit as you would a walnut, or an acorn.
You can also use a vice grip to make the job easier. Place the pit with the long sides against the jaws of a vice grip. Slowly tighten the jaws until the pit cracks open. The seed inside is what you need to plant.
Fill a bowl with tepid water. Place the seeds in the water and leave them soaking overnight. This helps soften the seed and expedites the germinating process.
Stratify the Seeds
Before you fill your pots with soil, you will need to stratify the seeds in the refrigerator. You can do this by filling a pint jar with moistened potting soil. Only put in enough soil to fill the jar half-full.
Drop the seeds into the jar, but do not cover them with potting soil. Put a lid on the jar, but do not tighten it down.
Set the jar in the refrigerator for a period of four months. Check the soil every month to see if your seeds are germinating, or to see if the soil is dry. The soil should be barely moist, not dry and not soggy. Moisten the soil with several drops of water if it is dry.
After four months, it is time to plant the nectarine seeds. If you have any seed germinating before the four month period is over, you need to put them in a pot.
Prepare the Pots
You will need one 6-inch pot for each seed you want to plant. Place a coffee filter at the bottom of the pot, or you can use pieces of shard to cover the drainage holes. Fill the pots with well-draining potting soil. You can buy potting soil in any garden supply center, or you can mix your own. An easy recipe for potting soil is to mix equal parts of compost, peat moss and perlite.
Carefully remove the seeds from the jar by dumping the contents onto a newspaper. Dig a hole in the center of your potting soil with your fingers. The seed needs to be a half-inch to one inch below the soil’s surface. Cover the seed with soil. If the seed is already germinating, be gentle with it. otherwise you risk damaging the root system.
After Care
Find a bright window to place your pots, but keep them out of direct sunlight. Maintain the soil to keep it moist, but not soggy or the seeds may rot. As the nectarine seeds germinate and a tree grows, continue to keep them in pots until all danger of frost is gone. Then you can transplant them into your prepared garden site or continue to grow them in pots.
As with any plant, feed the nectarine with a houseplant fertilizer. Always mix and apply according to label directions.
Ohio State University: Growing Peaches and Nectarines in the Home Landscape
“Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening”; J.L. Rodale
“American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants”; Christopher Brickell
“National Garden Book”; Sunset Books; 1997
Mother Earth News: Grow Free Fruit Trees; Lee Reich; June/July 2008
Gail Delaney - I am a single, stay-at-home, mother who helped with the care of my parents until last year, when my father died of cancer, and my mom went ...
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