Have you ever been to the countryside for the requisite fall apple picking activity before coming home? warm apple pie from your harvest? Are you counting the days until you see that sweet red fruit basking in the autumn sun?

Apples are the perfect fall treat, and there’s nothing more appealing than seeing a tree full of apples. ripe applesready to be selected.

So where do these trees come from? Like all plants, they are of course grown from seed. But you don’t often see apple seeds advertised in garden stores. Instead you will find small apple trees ready to be planted.

Why is this so, and more importantly, can you grow an apple tree from seed at home with seeds you collect from the orchard or save from apples you buy at the market? Here’s what you need to know about how to save and plant apple seeds so you can (one day) have your own fall harvest at home.

Can You Grow Apple Trees from Seeds?

Yes, theoretically you can grow apple trees from seed. The apples you buy from the market or grocery store have seeds, and if planted, they can sprout and become an apple tree.

But the real answer is a little more complicated.

Most apple trees grown to produce edible, consumer-ready apples are not grown from seed. Instead, they are grafted from other specifically selected apple trees to create a hybrid that is as beautiful as it is delicious. If you plant an apple tree from seed, it may not have the same look or taste as the original apple, and you may not even know what you’re getting for about a decade, which is when the tree finally begins to grow. producing ripe fruit.

Whatever the end product, there’s still something fun about growing apples from seeds you bake in the fall or pick for snacks.

How to Save Apple Seeds

To store apple cores, start with a ripe apple:

1. While you usually throw away the core and core when eating an apple, this time you’ll want to remove the seeds to save them. Be careful not to cut the seed (we’ve all seen a sliced ​​seed!). Try to get as many whole, undamaged seeds as possible, then clean them to remove any apple debris.
2. Place the seeds on the ground to dry. This may take three to four weeks.
3. Once the seeds have dried, it’s time to rehydrate them. Take two damp paper towels and place the seeds between them. Place the towels and seeds in an airtight container, then place the container in the refrigerator for up to one month. This will create the right conditions for stratification, which helps the seeds germinate.

How to Plant Apple Seeds?

When you check your seeds again, you will see that they have germinated quietly in the refrigerator. Assuming you have sprouts, it’s time to transfer them somewhere where they can grow safely until it’s time to plant them in your new home garden.

Fill a small pot with potting mix, then drop the seed in and cover with soil. The soil should remain slightly moist to encourage the sprouts to continue growing. Eventually new leaves should begin to emerge from the ground. At this point the seedlings can survive in a warm, sunny window where they can grow further.

If you have seedlings that have reached a few inches in height, it is time to plant them in the ground. Ideally, you should transplant them in the spring, around March or April. Look for a sunny spot and plant them away from other trees, giving them plenty of room to continue growing.

Tips for Planting Delicious Apple Trees from Seed

There’s a reason apple trees are often planted in an orchard; They do best when there are multiple trees around for cross-pollination. You will want to plant at least two apple tree saplings 8′ to 15′ apart. As each tree grows, it will cross-pollinate, resulting in a tastier apple. This may not be the same Honeycrisp apple you buy at the store, but you can take pride in knowing that you planted and harvested it yourself.

Just don’t expect this to be a quick process. Planting an apple tree from seed can take up to ten years from the first sprout until you have a delicious red apple in your hand.