Have you ever tried growing apple trees from seeds taken from an apple? You can think that they are good for germination. These are seeds and seeds are meant to grow, right?

I have heard people say that apple seeds harvested from apples are hybrids and therefore they cannot germinate them because hybrids are sterile.

It is correct to say that cultivated apples have hybrid seeds inside them. But it’s probably incorrect to say that’s the reason apple seeds don’t sprout.

The myth that seeds collected from hybrid apples are sterile could be due to the fact that apple seeds must stratify before they can germinate. Stratification means that the seeds must be treated with cold temperatures for a certain period of time before they germinate. Most people probably don’t think about stratifying their apple seeds. Seeds never germinate without stratification, hence the idea that they are sterile or infertile.

If you collect the seeds from an apple and put them in the ground or a pot, your apple seeds will likely not germinate for 2 reasons. Seeds need a dry period followed by a stratification period. If you ignore these two steps, you probably will not have the expected success in germinating your seed.

If you want to germinate apple seeds collected from an apple, first let the seeds dry for 3-4 weeks. Spread the seeds on a piece of paper and roll them every 2 days. After a month or two, the seeds lose their shine and take on a drier appearance. This is a good indication that the seeds are well dried.

Once the seeds are dry, place them in a zip-top bag or plastic Tupperware box. You can also add soil if you wish. Place the container or bag in your refrigerator for about three months.

If you choose to add soil, you can moisten the soil after about 10 or 11 weeks. Take a good look at the bag from time to time and let fresh air in frequently. You should start to see leaves coming out of the ground within a few weeks if everything has gone well.

If you did not choose to add soil, you can try planting the seeds directly in pots or in the ground. You can let the seeds dry over the winter and put them in the refrigerator for 3 months before freezing. The cold weather seems to be helping the apple seeds. Commercially grown apple varieties are usually grafted onto a wild rootstock variety. The wild variety will be abundant and adapted to the local climate. Not only does this method produce more apples, but without grafting some varieties would not be able to thrive in certain climates. Grafting allows farmers to produce more varieties in limited climates.

This brings another complication because you won’t know the new variety you are getting and will be tolerant of your local climate. The tree may simply die after a winter or two.

If you manage to grow apple trees from seeds, remember to protect them from pests. Rabbits and deer like to eat fruit trees, especially young ones. Put up some type of rabbit fencing and use other defenses against deer and the like.

A good time to harvest apple seeds is when mom is baking an apple pie. Sometimes I eat an apple, I think it’s great for saving the seeds. Who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky or just have a little fun.

Growing apple trees from commercially grown seeds isn’t exactly a bad thing. Ultimately, it’s beautiful to see what kind of apples you’ll get. I suggest starting this project at a young age, if you want to see the end results.

Good luck with your apple seeds!