Growing Plants from Seeds from fruits you bought from the store to eat.

[destinduck]

I have a pomegranette tree that beared delicious fruit this year for the first time( three years ago) A peach tree that gave me one peach first time same age.( I probably would have had more but yall know how them birds and squirrels are!) Planted a honey mango two years ago that looks great.(Have it in a pot so I can bring in if gets too cold).An "Anna" Apple tree. It dont look all that good at 2 years but it IS living at least. Got a "meyers" lemon going real good. And a" hass" avocada tree thats two years old and looking awesome. Started some papaya seeds today and got a kumquat coming up from my tree I got at "lowes" 7 years ago.Cheated on the" store bought seed "on that one.LOL! Anyway It sure is alot of fun to do and I enjoy trying to get them to produce.

 

[Gryphon]

I don't know about the other fruits/veggies, but I can tell you that the apple seed, no matter what apple you got it from, won't be like the parent. Each "type" of apple is actually a clone, they take a graft from say, a granny smith apple tree, and stick it onto root stock so when it's fully grown it'll produce more granny smith apples. Apples are a strange fruit in that their seeds produce TONS of different types of apples. In fact, if you took out all the seeds from one granny smith apple and planted them, each one of those seeds would make a completely different apple.

Not saying that it's a waste of time to grow it! In fact it can be really interesting to see what you'll get. Most of the time you end up with apples that aren't very good to eat, but are fantastic for apple cider (especially hard apple cider! ) This video talks about the history of apples in America, it's fascinating stuff! http://www.pbs.org/thebotanyofdesire/

 

[Kev]

Yeah surprisingly a lot of people don't understand some vegs/fruits are clones so the seed won't 'come true'.

At my childhood house I used to eat the fruits 'right at the spot' and tossed the seeds around. Most of them didn't germinate or they did but were killed by accidental weedwhacking.. the few apricots that did survive and grow to bearing age did produce very nice fruits. but a neighbor who deliberately planted apricot seeds only grew trees that didn't bear for many years or were very poor producers- either very few fruits or fruit were not very good.

I currently have a tree germinated from a Mejdool date fruit(friend germinated, grew in a gallon pot for years, gave to me when they moved).. it finally fruited... but it's definitely not a pure date palm. Crossed with something... as the fruits are almost round and extremely hard.. plus it keeps trying to make side branches all way up the trunk to the crown, very messy and annoying... am just about ready to get rid of it.. if possible.

Did you know that you can cut pomegrante branches and just bury most of the length underground and they'll grow? They do need a lot of watering post planting and entire year but after that they really take off and would be clones of the parent.

 

[destinduck]

Im glad you posted that about seeds not always being like the parents when you plant them.So true. And yep, knew that when ever sticking seeds in the ground from fruit in the store. its a roll of the dice and most the time you lose. I just been on a roll! LOL! If you can get a cutting you are getting exactly what you want and thats the best route. Every little tree you buy at any store are grown from a root stock if you look at the bottom. I posted another thread about rooting hormone powder to use when getting cuttings. The pomegranate was a huge success though as was the peach being delicious. While I aint holding my breath on that mango tree just because of what yall stated maybe Ill get lucky yet again.I did it because no one had a honey mango for me to get a cuttin from and they dont sell them locally here.I love free surprises.

 

[Gryphon]

If you have the right mentality (and it looks like you do!) then rolling the dice can be a lot of fun. And who knows? Maybe you'll end up with a new cultivar that everyone would love to have!

 

[Phage]

Did you know that you can cut pomegrante branches and just bury most of the length underground and they'll grow? They do need a lot of watering post planting and entire year but after that they really take off and would be clones of the parent.

So what time of year should you plant the pomegranate branch?

 

[gjensen]

I take pomegranate cuttings in the spring, around May. Pomegranates are very easy. They must be. I do it. I start them in one gallon pots, and run a soaker hose down the row of pots.

DestinDuck, that is part of the fun in gardening for me. I like to try things. There aren't any rules. Of course, along the way, I usually found out why the experts do it the way they do or don't.
That or why no-one else does something where I am. Still, expirementing is what got me started. I must like it, because after all of my failures, I still do it.

What I wanted to contribute is a success story. My Grandfather took some peach pits back to Iowa from a visit. He planted one in his garden. It survived eight years, and set some good fruit before it was finally winter killed. He enjoyed the tree, but he never expected anything from it when he planted it. He enjoyed that tree. Ironicly, another relative planted some here (from the same peaches) with no success. It is like rolling dice. Maybe weighted dice. Every now and then, you get lucky.

I do have a yellow plum that someone started from seed that they collected from an old plum tree in their yard. Medium/ Small fruit of decent quality. I like it as much as my named cultivars because of the story. Who knows what the plant's background is. I intend to try crossing it with some wild plums this year. Again, just expirementing.

 

[destinduck]

Good deal.Thats my point. To have fun with it. A great gardener Im not but I keep plugging away and keep getting a little better with time.Yeah Ive had some apple trees bomb.

But there is no greater reward about getting a seed to take hold and getting your first flower or some good fruit off of it. Thanks for sharing. Most people and the internet say the mango tree probably wont be good but I always cheat and say a prayer over a seed whenI plant it. My Mom showed me that trick long ago.LOL!

 

[destinduck]

I know this is a coupla months old. But I was just told that if your mango seed has multiple plants come out of it there is a excellant chance of it being exactly like the parent plant. Whoo hoo. That what mine did. I just hope I have it long enough to bear a fruit.

Edited to also say its in the ground now