Tips for Planting Cherry Seeds Can You Grow a Cherry Tree Pit?

If you're a cherry lover, you've probably spit out your share of cherry pits, or maybe it's just me. In any case, have you ever asked, “Can you grow a cherry tree pit?” Did you wonder? If so, how to grow cherry trees from pits? Let's find out.

Can You Grow a Cherry Tree Pit?

Yes definitely. Growing cherry trees from seed is not only an inexpensive way to grow a cherry tree, it's also a lot of fun and delicious!

First, can you grow a cherry tree in your area? Cherry varieties are hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, depending on the variety.

Now comes the hard part. Eat some cherries. That's hard, huh? Use cherries purchased from a tree grown in the area or from a farmer's market. Cherries bought from the grocery store are stored in the refrigerator, making it unreliable to buy seeds from them.

Remove the seeds from the cherries you just ate and put them in a bowl of warm water. Allow the pits to soak for five minutes and then gently rub any sticking fruit. Spread the clean pits on a paper towel in a warm area and allow them to dry for three to five days, then transfer the dry pits to a labeled plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. Store the pits in the refrigerator for ten weeks.

Why are you doing this? Cherries need to go through a period of cold or stratification, which normally occurs naturally during the winter months, before they can germinate in the spring. Cooling the pits artificially mimics this process. Well, the seed planting of the cherry trees is now ready to begin.

How to Grow Cherry Trees from Pits

After ten weeks, remove the pits and allow them to come to room temperature. You are now ready to plant the cherry seeds. Put two to three wells in a small container filled with planting medium and water the seeds. Keep the soil moist.

When the cherry seedlings are 2 inches (5 cm.) tall, thin them out, remove the weakest plants and leave the strongest seedlings in the pot. Keep the seedlings indoors in a sunny area until all danger of frost has passed for your area, and then transplant them outside. Multiple trees should be planted at least 20 feet (6 m.) apart.

Planting Cherry Trees

From Seed Growing cherry trees from seed can also be attempted directly in the garden. In this method, you skip the cooling and let the seeds go through a natural stratification process over the winter.

Collect dried cherry seeds in the fall and plant them outside. Plant a few as some may not germinate. Plant the seeds 2 inches (5 cm.) deep and one foot (31 cm.) apart. Mark the planting places.

In the spring, the pits will sprout. Wait until the seedlings are 8 to 12 inches (20-31 cm.) high, and then transplant them to their permanent place in the garden. Thoroughly mulch around transplanted seedlings to retard weeds and aid water retention.

Here you got it! Sowing cherry seeds is that simple! The hard part is waiting for those sweet cherries.

Cherry Tree Pollination: How Do Cherry Trees Pollinate?

Sweet cherry tree pollination is primarily done through honeybees. Do cherry trees cross pollinate? Most cherry trees require cross pollination (another kind of help). Sweet cherries are capable of only a couple of self-pollinations, such as Stella and Compact Stella. Pollination of cherry trees is necessary to produce fruit, so it's best to plant a compatible variety at least 30 feet (30.5 m.)

How Are Cherry Trees Pollinated?

Not all cherry trees need a compatible variety, so how do cherry trees pollinate? Almost all cherry varieties are self-fruiting. This means they can take pollen from the same variety to produce fruit. Sweet cherries, with a few exceptions, need pollen from a different but compatible variety to grow cherries. Pollination of a sweet cherry tree with the same variety will not result in fruit.

Natural reproductive systems are often described using the analogy of birds and bees. In the case of cherry trees, birds sow the seeds, but bees are required to pollinate the flowers that form the fruit and seeds. This explains how, but not who, if you like.

Trees that require another variety will not bear fruit without a compatible tree. Two of the best overall matches are Lambert and Garden Bing. They are cross-pollinated with the widest range of cultivars. Few flowers are wind-pollinated and a good honey bee population is also required.

Sweet Cherry Tree Pollination

There are several varieties of sweet cherries that are self-fertile. In addition to Stella cherries, Black Gold and North Star sweet cherries are self-pollinating. All remaining cultivars must have a different type of cultivar for successful pollination.

North Star and Black Gold are end-of-season pollinators, while Stella is an early-season variety. Van, Sam, Rainier and Garden Bing can be adapted to any cross pollinator available other than their own.

Pollinating a cherry tree when you are unsure of the variety can be done with Lambert or Garden Bing varieties in most cases.

Pollination of Sour Cherry Trees

If you have a cherry tree or a pie cherry, you're in luck. These trees are self-pollinating, but will do better with another variety nearby. The flowers are still pollinated by honeybees, but they can only produce fruit from the pollen on the tree.

Any of the sweet or sour varieties will increase the likelihood of a bumper crop. In some cases, pollination does not occur due to weather conditions.

Additionally, heavily pollinated trees may drop some flowers before fruiting to make room for healthy cherries. This is not a cause for concern, as the plant retains plenty of flowers for a well-loaded tree.