Apple seeds are easy to make at home with proper preparation and the seedlings are often more vigorous than their grafted nursery counterparts. Give an apple plant 3 to 4 years and it will catch up and exceed the size of a potted transplant. From there you have a tree that can live for centuries.
The main reason apple trees are not grown from seeds is that the fruit will not be identical. Just like humans, offspring may bear some resemblance to their parents, but with their own flavor and habits. Humans tend to want predictability, and for this reason, apple trees are cloned by grafting rather than from seed.
The fact is…all of the tastiest apple varieties were seedlings at some point in history. Planting an apple from seed is like playing the lottery, and since you’re probably going to compost that apple core anyway, you have nothing to lose.
Since a seedling tree will have some of the characteristics of its parents, we simply choose seeds of our favorite varieties to plant. Chances are many of them will yield apples better suited for cider or to please wildlife, but even then the trees will still feed bees with abundant flowers and nectar in spring. And they’ll help pollinate the other tastier trees, so it’s a win either way.
Preparing apple seeds for planting
Apple seeds need cold stratification to break dormancy. Seeds should be stored in a humid refrigerator for at least 6 weeks before planting. Place the apple seeds in a damp paper towel, then place that paper towel in a plastic bag, leaving it open just a crack for air exchange. Store it in the back of the refrigerator, checking the towel every week or so to make sure it is damp.
Sprouting Apple Seeds on a Paper Towel
After 6 weeks, some seeds may have already started to germinate. This is a good thing because apple seeds have a very low germination rate. Some sources say it is as low as 30%.
If you buy local apples late in the season, months after harvest, they have already been stored in the refrigerator for several months. It’s also a good idea to cold stratify these seeds in a damp paper towel, as additional stratification won’t hurt them, but not enough cold hours means no apple seedlings. When you cut local apples that have been stored for a long time, it is possible that some seeds have already started to germinate inside the apple…
How to Plant Apple Seeds
After a minimum of 6 weeks in a damp paper towel in the refrigerator, you can plant apple seeds as you would any other seed. They can be sown directly outdoors if it is after the last spring frost and the soil can be worked. Since germination rates are low and predation by squirrels, mice and voles can be a problem early on, I advise germinating them in pots.
Place about a dozen seeds in a recycled nursery pot with some seed starting potting soil. Keep the soil warm and moist, as you would any other seed planted in spring (i.e. tomatoes).
How long do apple seeds take to germinate?
After 6 weeks of cold stratification, apple seeds actually germinate quite quickly. Many seeds will already germinate on the paper towel in your refrigerator, and these will emerge from the soil most quickly after planting. Assuming soil temperatures are warm enough (around 24°C), seeds should emerge from the soil in 1-2 weeks.
From there, grow the apple plants in pots until the young trees reach at least 4 to 4 inches in height.
Transplanting apple seedlings
If you want to get them in the ground as soon as possible, just wait until nighttime temperatures are consistently above 10°C in spring (or early summer).
Once the apple plants are in the ground, they will begin growth into a full-sized tree. Since they are not grafted onto dwarf rootstocks that cripple them and limit their nutrients, apple plants will grow strong and healthy, but also large. Proper pruning can keep apple trees smaller, but full-sized apple trees should always be planted at least 20 feet apart.
How long do apple seedlings take to bear fruit?
Surprisingly, not really any longer than an expensive grafted nursery tree. Apple trees purchased from a nursery usually begin to bear apples about 8 years after planting. They may have been in the pot for a while, making them a little root-bound and stunted. Even in the best of cases, large nursery trees up to 15cm tall do not cope well with transplantation and it takes some time for them to recover and start growing vigorously again.
After three years in the ground, your apple plants will be taller than grafted nursery trees. It will take about 5 years to have apples, but nothing is certain, time will tell.
