How to grow pitted cherries at home?

Sweet, early ripening cherries are loved by many. Gardeners are thinking about how to grow cherries from a stone, who, for whatever reason, do not have access to varietal seedlings or those who simply do not mind seeing how such an experiment will end.

Features of pitted cherries

Compared to its closest relative, cherry, sweet cherry is less winter-hardy and does not occur in the wild form north of the south of Ukraine, Moldova, Kuban. To "tame" the southern beauty, to teach it to bear fruit in areas with a more severe climate and to give stable yields, breeders have created cultivars and hybrids, including plants that combine the properties of sweet cherries and cherries. Self-sterility became the payment for the acquisition of useful properties. That is, for pollination in the garden, several trees are planted at once, suitable for the timing of flowering varieties.

Is it possible to grow a cherry from a stone? Yes, but it will only be very difficult to determine its variety. It is possible that a seed from a large sweet berry will eventually turn into a wild game with tart small fruits.

However, such a seedling, in comparison with purchased seedlings, has a lot of advantages that will help the gardener get a hardy, and subsequently a fruiting plant:

• with increased winter hardiness;
• with excellent adaptability to local conditions;
• with reduced susceptibility to common diseases of stone fruit crops.

Young cherry from the stone will bear fruit, but thanks to these qualities, the trees are much more profitable to use as rootstocks for cultivated varieties and hybrids.

On grown plants, two varieties are sometimes grafted at once. This increases the likelihood of pollination, allowing you to increase the yield without spending area for planting pollinators.

Selection and preparation of cherry seeds

The germination rate of most stone fruit crops is very good. From 10 drupes of cherries, 7–8 form a strong, viable sprout. Whether the cherry will grow from the seed depends largely on the quality of the seed and its proper preparation.

To increase the chance, it is better to take drupes from fully ripe or already lost presentation of the fruit. The fresher the bone is, the easier it will hatch. Dried seeds stored from last season are not suitable. But what to do, because planting in the second half of summer will lead to a weakening of the shoots, which risk stretching out or even perishing during the winter?

You can preserve the germination and strength of seeds by placing them in barely moistened and pre-calcined sand. In addition, in this form, it is convenient to send drupes for stratification, which simulates wintering in natural conditions and prepares the embryos inside the shells for friendly germination.

Hardening of cherry drupes before planting

In different regions, the preparation of cherry seeds before planting them in the ground has significant differences. The farther south, the shorter the period of stratification and the greater the chances of getting strong shoots with autumn, not spring sowing:

1. In the Crimea, in the south of Ukraine, in the Kuban and in the Krasnodar Territory, planting material is kept in wet sand until autumn. Then the drupes winter well in natural conditions, and shoots appear in the spring.
2. In the south of the Chernozem region, in the Rostov region and in the Stavropol region, drupes are in a moist substrate for 5 months. And since late autumn, the bones are hardened in natural conditions.
3. In the middle lane, winters are too harsh for seeds, so they are kept for 6 months at a temperature of 1–5 ° C in sand, sand-soil mixture or vermiculite, and sown into the ground after the snow melts.

Before the seeds are sent for hardening, they are treated with fungicides. This measure increases their safety, preventing the development of molds, which readily multiply in a closed container at high humidity.

Before sprouting cherry seeds, they are regularly examined, sorted and aired. In early spring, containers with seeds are taken out to the balcony or in the yard, where they are sprinkled with snow.

How to plant a cherry pit?

When the shells are parted, and a sprout is shown between them, it is time for planting. To grow cherries from a stone at home, you will need:

• a plastic or ceramic pot with a capacity of at least 0.5 liters;
• drainage, which is poured onto the bottom with a layer of 3-4 cm;
• light nutritious soil for fruit crops.

Seeds are buried in moist, slightly compacted soil to a depth of 1 cm, then sprinkled with substrate and moistened again. If the drupes are planted in a common container, a gap of at least 10-15 cm is made between them. As the seedlings grow, they dive and then transferred to a larger container.

Until a year, young trees do not need special care, except for watering and regular, but careful loosening of the soil. The soil should be moistened as the surface dries up, and if the seedlings grow in the open air, then once every 2-3 weeks.

Crown formation begins in the second year, which is especially important if the plant will continue to be grown in a pot. The grown cherry tree is again transferred to a large container.

Grafting of pitted cherries

Growing up, the seedling turns into a young tree, which for 4 - 5 years can bloom and form the first ovary. However, neither in quality nor in quantity it can be compared with the parent. How to grow a cherry from a stone, which would give a summer resident a scattering of sweet fruits every summer?

The only way is vaccination. It can be carried out in the third year after sowing. As a scion, you can optionally choose any of the available varieties, zoned for a given area.

On small-diameter stems, the easiest way is to inoculate into the cleft. For this, a cultivated stalk with several healthy buds is prepared in advance and cut off, making a clean oblique cut. The stock is shortened, leaving 15–18 cm from the soil surface.

In order for the grafting of the cherries they have grown to be successful, it is important to maintain cleanliness. Before work, tools are washed and sterilized with alcohol. Smooth cuts should be free of soil.

The split in the rootstock stem is made to a depth of 3-4 cm, which will ensure reliable contact and better survival. Once the wood is aligned, the graft site is secured with tape, adhesive side out, or other similar material. Next, processing is carried out with garden pitch.

The fact that an important operation was successful is indicated by the appearance of young foliage above the graft site. From this moment, you need to monitor the tension of the harness and gradually tame the tree to stay in the open air. Grafted cherries are transplanted in autumn or spring, depending on the gardener's place of residence.

How to grow beautiful and tasty cherries - video

Who doesn't love cherries? These juicy and sweet berries are delicious fresh, and compotes, jams and preserves made from them are a real treat for those with a sweet tooth.

No wonder gardeners do not disregard this culture. Especially in the southern regions, the gardens are replete with trees, strewn with burgundy or yellow berries in season.

As a rule, cherries are propagated by seedlings. But those who want to experiment and see the whole process of the birth of a new tree are thinking about how to grow a cherry from a stone.

Why are pitted cherries grown?

Those who have not abandoned this idea should know that with this method of cultivation, cherries very poorly convey varietal characteristics. And the fact that a full-fledged tree will grow from the seed, giving the same fruits, is very doubtful. Usually from a large-fruited sweet hybrid, a wild game with small sour berries grows.

The question immediately arises of why many are interested in how to grow a cherry from a stone. It turns out that this is a great way to get a stock, which can then be grafted with good varieties.

Why is this method used? Everything is very simple. Usually the best varieties are characterized by a capricious, pampered character, and by grafting them into the wild, you can create a hybrid that retains all the original varietal properties, while becoming resistant to adverse weather conditions.

Seed planting time

To understand how to grow cherries from a stone, certain conditions must be observed, one of which is the planting time. You can plant seeds in open ground both in summer and autumn.

If planting is planned in the spring, then the planting material must be stratified, namely matured for planting in the necessary conditions. Stratification should be carried out in accordance with the required temperature, aeration and humidity conditions. This approach promotes the maturation of the seed to the desired state, which in the future will enable it to germinate faster. That is why you should not rush to plant if you really want to learn how to properly grow cherries from the seed.

How to choose planting material?

It is no secret that the key to the successful cultivation of any plants, and this also applies to fruit trees, is a good planting material. Therefore, for the propagation of cherries, it is necessary to take fully ripe berries, and not those that are sold on the market, which were removed from the tree ahead of time, so that they would normally endure transportation. Fruits ripe on a tree are suitable for you. And you can even take a carrion - this will not affect the quality of the bone in any way. Take as many berries as possible, because many of them will not germinate or will be discarded during the growing process.

If you want to plant seeds of different varieties, then put them in separate containers, and do not mix when planting, forming separate groups.

Remove the seeds from the collected berries and rinse them well. This is the very first step, how to grow a tree from a cherry stone. Do not forget that cherry seeds have a very thin shell and can dry out very soon, losing germination. That is why it is necessary to move quickly to the next stage.

Preparing the seeds

It is advisable to immediately transfer the washed seeds to a humid environment. For this, a small container is taken, where the bones are placed, sprinkling them with moistened sand, peat or sawdust.

As mentioned above, in order for the seeds to germinate and give full-fledged seedlings, they must undergo stratification, that is, undergo cold treatment. Usually this process lasts about 3-4 months, after which the seeds can be planted in open ground or in a ceramic pot, this applies to those who want to know how to grow cherries from the seeds at home, which will be described below.

There are two ways to stratify bones:

• immediately after the harvest is harvested, put them in a container with wet peat or sand and plant in pots in the fall so that they are at home all winter;
• again, after collecting, stratify and plant in open ground in the fall, where they will overwinter normally (if there is no severe frost) and will sprout next fall.

In the process of stratification, it is very important to ensure that in dampness the seeds do not begin to rot, and the soil does not grow moldy. That is why once a week you should pour everything out of the container onto a clean place, look through the bones and the mixture, then put it back in the container and, if necessary, moisten it a little.

How to grow cherries from a stone at home

The main thing that is required in this case is to create conditions for the plant that are close to natural. To figure out how to grow cherries from a stone at home, you need to know that since the growth of culture will take place in a limited space, it needs to be fed periodically. For this, organic and complex mineral fertilizers are suitable, which should be alternated, adding to the pot once a month.

In the pot, it is imperative to make drainage from expanded clay or crushed stone, and periodically loosen the substrate so that the roots receive oxygen. It is not recommended to keep the plant warm all the time; insignificant temperature changes are shown to it. Those who know how to grow a cherry from a stone (see photo below), in the fall, put a pot with a plant on the balcony so that it goes into hibernation.

The crown of a young tree is formed from the first year of life, and then pruning is carried out every spring.

Planting seeds in open ground

Bones are planted in the ground in late autumn. Those who want to know how to grow seedlings from a cherry stone should, first of all, decide on a place on the site. It should be chosen well-lit and draft-free. Moreover, it is advisable to prepare the soil a few months before planting by enriching it with organic or mineral fertilizers.

In the prepared soil, rows are made 3-4 cm deep, observing the distance between them 30 cm, and between the planted bones - 15 cm. Planting material is planted and covered with earth. The place is marked with pegs so as not to lose it and begin to take care of it in the spring.

Seedling care

The emerging seedlings require care, but absolutely not burdensome. All summer, the soil is periodically loosened, weeds are removed and, if necessary, watered. With the onset of autumn, weak plants are removed, and viable plants are sheltered for the winter, for which they use fallen leaves, straw or spruce branches. The next year, the seedlings are planted, and in the third year of growth, young trees can be vaccinated.

Now, knowing how to grow cherries from a stone, you can easily fulfill your desire, and maybe you will be able to breed unusual hybrids.

It is not easy to produce good planting material from seeds - such plants poorly retain varietal characteristics. Planting material must be selected from zoned varieties for a specific climatic zone. Cherry seeds, adapted to the climate of southern latitudes, will feel uncomfortable in the middle lane or in the north. The type of soil, acidity, and the depth of groundwater also have a significant impact on the development of young plants. Even if planting is done for growing stock, it is better to collect planting material from plants in your zone. You can harvest seeds from your favorite plants in your garden, your neighbor's garden or the nearest fruit nursery.

Storage and preparation of planting material

In order for the seeds to germinate, you need to properly store and process them before planting.

Harvested healthy cherries - without damage and signs of disease. Berries that ripen very early are not always healthy. Perhaps they reacted in this way to some kind of stress or illness.A full-fledged planting material is formed during the period of mass ripening of berries. They are left on the tree until they are fully ripe and soft.

Advice

You should not harvest berries to get seeds from carrion under trees, as they can be infected with fungal diseases.

Cherries of unknown origin, bought at the market or in the store, should also not be used. Perhaps they were removed from the plant before full maturity, zoned in a completely unsuitable climatic zone, or are carriers of fungal spores.

From well-ripened berries, the seeds are extracted quite easily. Then they are thoroughly washed from the remnants of the pulp, deformed or damaged are thrown away. The sorted ones are laid out in the sun in a thin layer and dried well, but quickly, preventing the formation of mold. There is no need to mix the varieties, as they give different results when germinating.

Storage conditions depend on the chosen planting period.

• For planting in the fall, the material is placed in a plastic bag, into which you can add wet sand, and left in the refrigerator or cold basement.
• For planting in spring, dried seeds are first stored at temperatures up to 20 degrees Celsius in a paper bag wrapped in polyethylene until early December.

Landing

You can grow cherry seedlings on the street and at home, in a flower pot. The germination rate of stone fruit crops is from 50 to 80%, depending on the variety and quality of preparation. This means that not everything planted will germinate.

The choice of the planting date determines the further work schedule.

• Autumn planting

The seeds stored in the refrigerator are sown in the open field in October. The soil is preliminarily freed from weeds, fertilized with humus, ash is brought in and dug up. On the bed, grooves are made with a depth of no more than 5 cm, the seed is laid out in them at a distance of 10-15 cm and covered with soil. If the planting depth is less than 2 cm, germination will be significantly reduced due to freezing and lack of moisture. Given the low germination rate, it is better to plant with a margin. But if the shoots are more active, thinning is carried out in the spring and the best specimens are left at a distance of 25-30 cm between shoots.

In winter, cherry seeds will undergo natural stratification, split and sprout in spring.

Advice

You should not pin your hopes on sprouted shoots that have a withering appearance, curved, poorly developing. They need to be removed, perhaps they are affected by diseases.

Since the seedlings will not appear very quickly in the spring, when planting, you need to clearly mark the rows so that you can loosen the aisles and destroy the weeds.

• Spring planting

Growing seedlings in this way takes more time, but is considered more efficient. The preparation of the material is more troublesome than in the first case. In this case, stratification, that is, the creation of a long cold period, must be carried out artificially. In December, the bones are immersed in water for 4-5 days so that they are well saturated with moisture. The water is changed daily. At the next stage, they are buried in a ventilated container (box or container with holes) filled with wet moss, river sand or sawdust, and kept for about 100 days at a temperature of + 1 to +5 degrees. After the correct procedure, the shells of the bones will begin to crack and are ready for planting. The optimal time is the beginning of April, before budding on the trees. To preserve moisture, the bed can be covered with plastic wrap. Under favorable conditions, seedlings should appear in 28-30 days.

Seedling care

Care for young shoots of sweet cherry consists of loosening, watering, weeding and feeding during the summer. Top dressing is carried out 4-5 times during the summer growing season, using complex mineral fertilizers, infusion of humus, wood ash. In the fall, an audit is carried out and weak shoots are discarded.The remaining plants are covered for the winter with spruce branches or sawdust.

Annual plants can be planted permanently. To do this, prepare a planting hole with a diameter of 60 cm and a depth of 40-45 cm. The size of the hole should ensure free placement of the root system. The soil for filling the pit is mixed with humus with the addition of superphosphate, ash and potassium chloride. On heavy clay soils, sand is poured onto the bottom of the pit.

The cultivation of a two-year shoot is carried out according to the same scheme as in the first year of the growing season. Agricultural technology depends on its purpose.

• If it is decided to leave seedlings for the production of berries, then from the second year they begin to form a crown. The upper part is cut at a height of one meter so that the plant directs energy to the growth of side shoots.
• If the young plant is used as a rootstock, then in the third year of the growing season, you can start grafting with shoots from cultivated trees that have proven themselves well. An affordable grafting method that provides good engraftment is improved copulation with a cuttings with two healthy buds.

Some amateur gardeners grow cherry seedlings at home in flower pots, and then planted in open ground. For this method, it is necessary to prepare the soil especially carefully in order to prevent the development of mold and fungal diseases. The soil is heated in the oven or spilled with fungicidal preparations.

Let's summarize

Growing cherries from a stone is an exciting activity that will definitely give a positive result. Even if the plant does not retain the best varietal qualities, it can simply decorate the garden, become an excellent stock for cultivated varieties.

Or it may happen that the tree will thank you for your diligence with a wonderful harvest of berries with a completely unique taste.

Many experienced and not so much gardeners are wondering whether it is possible to grow a full-fledged cherry tree from a small stone. It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously, since with such a cultivation there are a lot of points that are worth paying attention to.

Positive and negative aspects of growing from seeds

To begin with, it is worth noting that the same variety from which the seed was taken from will not turn out from the stone, so you should not expect to get a very significant result.

Cherry grown from the stone will have to be grafted, otherwise it will be wild with small and sour berries.

However, this does not mean that a full-fledged tree cannot be grown from such an undertaking. A tree grown from a seed will be so-called wild. The fruits will be small, sour or with a sour-tart taste.

Such a plant also has positive aspects:

• unpretentiousness;
• strong immunity to major diseases;
• high level of frost resistance;
• not susceptible to the invasion of insects;
• not susceptible to attack by birds;
• maximum level of adaptation;
• endurance for gassed areas;
• use for stock.

  Having grown a rootstock from a stone, you will get a plant ideally adapted to the microclimate of a given area.

Due to the fact that the mother plant has already passed all stages of adaptation, the new seedling grows more hardy, does not require special care... But also all the preventive treatments that were carried out with the ancestor were also not in vain - a high level of immunity to major diseases was formed.

Such trees can be grown near industrial areas with heavy pollution - the quality of the fruit does not suffer from this.

Bone planting

After special processing of the seeds, they must be planted. In the central regions, planting is done in the spring, but in regions with a southern climate, seeds can be planted in the fall. At the same time, autumn planting is considered the most favorable option for maximum adaptation.

The seeds should be taken from fully ripe and even overripe fruits.

Planting material sprouts, as a rule, well, while almost eighty percent of germination is noted. If the seeds are of excellent quality, the sprout will have strong immunity and endurance. Planting material should be taken from overripe fruits.

Variety selection

It is characteristic that it is recommended to plant only varieties that were grown in a given area, since imported species must be removed from the tree before the time of full maturity.

Whether a healthy cherry will grow from a stone depends on the quality of the planting material and its proper preparation.

This will preserve the basic qualities of the culture. However, it should be the variety that is most suitable for this region due to the risk of no result. It is noteworthy that the full development cycle includes staying inside the soil throughout the winter. Summer shoots are poorly adapted, unable to get stronger, which is fraught with death.

To keep seeds fresh must be placed in a damp sandy substrate, which must first be washed and calcined.

Stratification

Germination begins quickly, but hardening is necessary to improve the properties and adaptive qualities.

The seeds are rinsed well with water to remove any remaining pulp.

The preparatory period is developed depending on the region of cultivation, that is, the periods of stratification decrease as the region is located closer to the south. Respectively, in northern regions, stratification is extended... In the south, the material is embedded in a wet sandy substrate and left until autumn. In late autumn, planting is carried out inside the ground, it is left to winter.

In colder regions, the seeds remain inside the sandy substrate for about five months. The beginning of hardening occurs in late autumn, it is carried out in the natural environment. If severe frosts come, the pots with soil must be removed to an unheated veranda. The conditions of the middle lane and cultivation in the north exclude hardening. The pots of sand are placed in a room where the temperature is at least five degrees above zero.

Landing inside open ground is carried out after the snow melts.

Preparing for landing

It is recommended to treat the seeds with a fungicide before planting.

Basic rules of preparation:

• selection of the largest seeds;
• washing and cleaning;
• drying;
• placement in a paper container;
• storage at a temperature of 20 degrees;
• soak;
• fungicide treatment;
• penetration into a sandy substrate.

The selection is carried out taking into account that not all planting units can ascend.

The sprout has hatched!

You need to dry it on a fabric rolled up in two layers. After placing in a paper container, you need to put on a plastic bag on top. Not only sand can serve as a substrate. For this purpose, you can also use moss or sawdust.

Planting and leaving

After the emergence of the sprout, the planting unit is planted in a pot.

Better to plant in a ceramic pot, moisture in it lasts longer.

The first layer in the container - drainage flooring, then moss or calcined sand is poured. Bones are embedded to a depth of at least two and a half centimeters. If a mass planting is carried out, there should be a distance in the tray within twenty centimeters between future shoots.

The surface is moistened, covered with plastic wrap or glass, and left in a cool room with sufficient lighting.

First shoots

The sprouts will appear in 3-4 weeks.

The first shoots should be expected in about a month. However, if, during planting, the shell was already disturbed by the hatched sprout, then the emergence may be expected a week earlier. It is recommended that the grown sprouts be picked and planted in separate containers.

Seedlings should be watered with great care. - only as the soil dries up. If there is not enough moisture, it can cause the loss of the deciduous part of the plant. If an excess of moisture is noted, it is a provocation of the development of fungal pathologies and the death of sprouts.

Top dressing

You need to start feeding only with the appearance of the first full-fledged leaf. The interval between dressings is fourteen days.

The best food for young cherry seedlings is humus.

It is worth knowing that you need to feed only through humus. In no case should manure or droppings be used as top dressing, since a strong concentration of ammonia can lead to burns of the root system.

It is allowed to spray the plant with water every week to avoid drying out.... Also, the soil must be systematically loosened. This will free up access for oxygen.

After disembarking

These seedlings can be transplanted into soil or into a larger container.

After planting in a separate container, care cannot be stopped, since a young tree is subject to many hazards at the initial stage of development.

• Determine that the sprouts have taken root as much as possible and are actively developing, it is possible by the strength of growth... As a rule, after spring planting, seedlings grow by about thirty centimeters by September.
• If the sweet cherry is planted in open ground at the right time, the young seedling is left in the house for another two or three years, depending on the degree of development.
• If the seedlings were grown for use as rootstocks, then in the second half of autumn all the leaves are removed on the seedling, cut off the top, leaving a stalk at least twenty centimeters long.

Further, the scion is placed in the basement for the winter.

conclusions

Now we will wait until it gets stronger and we will plant a varietal twig.

It is worth remembering that sweet cherry is a deciduous fruit tree, with a voluminous root system, which can grow to large sizes over time, therefore, as the culture grows, it is necessary to periodically provide the seedling with a larger capacity for normal development.

But it is also necessary for the plant to provide a full climatic cycle, that is, to arrange a change in the temperature regime as close as possible to natural conditions. If it is planned to plant in open ground, it is recommended to graft a high-quality variety to the seedling in order to provide a more significant result - large fruits that are distinguished by high taste.

You can vaccinate at the age of three.

Video about planting cherry seeds in open ground