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Whenever we have a good piece of fruit, I often stop and wonder if I should collect the seeds to try and grow them in future seasons.
That curiosity got the better of me, and I did just that- taking seeds from all manner of fruit (namely fruit grown on trees), saving them in our fridge for cold dormancy, and planting them the following season. Some have been a success (so far), many have failed outright, and the experiment into growing fruit from seed is, admittedly, still ongoing.
But before doing this yourself, you need to stop and think about your plan here, because there are some very good reasons why you shouldn't grow fruit from seed and others why you should.
So if you're okay doing some careful research, finding the right type, and being patient, you may be able to make it all work. So let's break down the pros and cons in this one!
Why You Should Not Grow Fruit From Seed
Not All Fruit Seeds Are True to Type
One of the biggest issues with growing fruit from seed, especially fruit trees, is that, in many cases, their seeds do not grow true to type. Some fruits can have mutations occur such that trees that grow from their seeds are different from the parent tree. Some of these may produce fruit with slightly different characteristics, with some being delicious and some not, while others may not produce any fruit at all!
As such, you have to always carefully research what fruit you intend to grow from seed to see if they are the kind that can grow true to type. Fruit trees like cherry, apricot, peach, orange, lemon, lime, mango, and pawpaw are often true to type or incredibly close. Others, like apple, banana, guava, pear, persimmon, avocado, lychee, and more are often not true to type to name a few (especially if it is a hybrid at the start).
That said, we are not pretending to be the best source of what type of fruit seeds can grow true to type, so depending on the kind of fruit you're considering, research this extensively before moving forward. Our next reason not to grow fruit from seed illustrates why this is so important.
Growing Fruit from Seed Takes Time
The biggest pitfall to growing fruit from seeds, particularly fruit trees, is that going from seed to a mature and fruiting tree can take years. It isn't uncommon for fruit trees to take 3, 5, or even 7+ years before they begin fruiting, and some may even take a decade or more before they produce a reliable harvest- if the even do at all!
I'm personally growing a cherry tree from seed and am in year three at the time of publication, and I have no realistic expectations to see fruit from this for another three to five years. I did it because it was kind of fun to try and the tree started growing after planting (more on that in a second). But ultimately, if I really wanted a fruit producing cherry tree, I would've just bought a larger tree at the start.
Most of my tropical trees, for example, were likely anywhere from two to five years old at the time I purchased them. Some of these were as short as two feet tall, and others, like my pink guava tree, were well over six feet tall when delivered. Many of these arrived with fruit on the tree already, and the vast majority of them started producing fruit, albeit limited in quantity, within a year or so.
So if time is of the essence, there really is only one option here- just buy the fruit tree from a reputable grower and cut years off your wait.
Success Rate for Growing Fruit Trees from Seed is Low
The final downfall we've seen when growing fruit from seeds is that the success rate over time is quite low. Our germination rate of seeds saved is well under 50%, and then going from seedling to sapling and from sapling to an established tree has a lot of risks.
Young trees can die from many reasons including too much water, not enough water, too much sun, not enough sun, animals eating the leaves, animals trampling on it, and so many more that established trees are simply better at enduring the bigger they get.
I had a peach tree that I established from seed that was growing quite well; however, in its third year, a hot and dry period in summer caused it to burn and die. A pawpaw tree grown from seed was thriving- until animals found a way to eat all the leaves where it, too, died. I could go on.
This is why I prefer propagating trees from cutting if the tree type allows (figs are great for this), as it seems a fair bit easier to root, take hold, and subsequently grow successfully. Some even think trees grown from cuttings produce fruit faster; however, not all trees can do this, and you, obviously, would need to know someone who owns said tree to get a cutting to begin with over growing from seed.
Ultimately, these are just a few reasons why you shouldn't grow fruit trees from seed. But there are some reasons why you may want to consider it if you find fruit that can grow from seed, too!
Why You Should Grow Fruit From Seed
It Is Free
Ultimately, one of the best reasons you may want to consider growing fruit from seed is that, assuming you have the seeds and the infrastructure to plant them, growing fruit from seed is completely free. You do not have to spend $3, $10, $50, $100, or $200+ for a plant when, if true to type at least, you can simply save seeds from fruit and let nature take its course.
If you're not banking on success and just trying something for fun and have room, this one is as free (or close to it) as it comes!
Some Fruit Produces Relatively Quickly
Now, we personally like this method more for annual type fruit plants like tomatoes and watermelon over perennials such as trees, if only because if the seeds don't take, you are not really at a loss for much and could even acquire more seeds before a single season is over. Likewise, in those cases, you don't have to wait upwards of a decade to see if your fun little project is a success.
Still, we can't get over the fact that this is a free way to grow fruit- if you're patient, at least.
It is Rewarding
Finally, there is something to be said about growing your own fruit, be it a bush, vine, or tree, from seed and having it work out in the long run. The success rate is, as noted, quite low, and the risks of not true-to-type seeds cannot be overstated. Still, it is fun to see nature take its course and overcome all obstacles to eventually produce fruit where you can look back and go “I did this!”
Is this enough to justify the effort and wait? Maybe, or maybe not. We really can't say, but I do know that whenever we get a piece of fruit from our trees, purchased or otherwise, we cannot think of anything better. If I ever get fruit from a tree I grew from seed, even more so.
But, we have to admit that we like to stick to faster-producing fruits when starting from seed and err on the side of caution for long-term growers like fruit trees. While we hope our cherry tree will make it to maturity and produce fruit, for the rest, we just buy our trees and hedge our bets on time. Sometimes, it just isn't worth the wait.
Have you found success growing any fruit from seed? Comment below to share your experience!