SUPERMARKETGURU FOOD &
HEALTH WEEKLY NEWSFLASH!
Peach Pits
Published on: August 28, 2008by Diana Greenwood Mead
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This week Judy in Florida, the owner of a fine set of peach pits has written to ask Diana's advice:
Dear Diana,
I have some wonderful peaches and I have saved each and every one of the pits or seeds.
Can I really expect a peach tree if I plant them? I live in NW Florida in the Panhandle.
Thanks for the wonderful tips that you have for us!
There's good news Judy! According to my most trusted gardening book, "Peaches are among the few fruits that may give good results when grown from seed".
I suggest that in September you put three to five stones in a pot of good garden soil (or soil-type compost) and depending on what facilities you have, keep them slightly warm (greenhouse, conservatory, propagator, or in a plastic bag on a warm windowsill) –no lower than 5 to 10 degrees centigrade until the spring – when, just as you have forgotten them, you will suddenly see very small green leaves sprouting and you will have an infant peach tree or three.
A sealed plastic bag is quite a good way to deal with most things you want to propagate – be careful only to put a little water in the bag (if you see any lying in the bag it's too much) and every fortnight or so, when you have a moment, unbag the pot or pots and check that the soil is just damp and that there are no unwanted weeds growing!
Then bag them up again and wait for spring.
You may have one or two small fruits in the first summer (I’m assuming that in Florida you will be able to put the tree/s outside) – but in all honesty, they are more likely to fruit in the second year and from then on.
However you will have all the pleasure of raising your own tree, which is pretty good.
In due course, if you are successful, put the young trees into larger pots or plant them in a suitable place in your garden.
Happy Horticulture,
Diana.
