AboutTom Alonzo Expertise I have been growing plants from seeds for at least 20 years. I have grown literally hundreds of different kinds of vegetables, trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, tropicals, some cacti, water plants, iris, rose, lilies, cannas, etc. I enjoy starting from seed.
Experience I've been growing my own seeds for 20 years with indoor propagation equipment I built myself. I am also an Allexperts volunteer on the perennial forum. I have completed the Master Gardener course through the Kansas State University Extension. I have experience with a wide variety of seeds and I have also read through Norm Deno's books on seed germination.
Question I bought several black cherries at Winn Dixie this summer. I planted some of the seeds and they actually germinated to my surprise. They look nothing like a tree though. They look more like a vine such as watermelon or cantaloupe with the little fingers that grab onto limbs, brackets, etc. in a garden. Is that how very a young cherry trees look? What are the odds that these seeds will actually produce a cherry worth eating? I would love to email you a picture of them to see what they look like. My email address is if you want to reply. Can you suggest the best way to plant these cherry trees? I’ve read all kind of methods of putting the seeds in the freezer for a while or in the refrigerator. What do you suggest? Lastly, if you think these seeds will not produce a good fruit, where online do you think I can buy cherry trees?
Thanks a lot
Frank
Answer Hi Frank,
Thanx for your question. Black cherry seedlings should not look like vines. You may have had some other seeds mixed in the soil possibly? Can you attach a picture of them to your response to this message? Seedlings should stand upright. Here is a picture of a black cherry seedling. http://www.theforester.com/graphics/b_cherry_seedling2.jpg
If your seedling doesn't look like this then something else was in the soil and sprouted. Black cherry seeds require a cold period in order to break dormancy and germinate. About 90 days should be sufficient. This can either be done naturally by planting seeds 1/2 inch deep in a pot and leave the pot outdoors if you have consistent winter temperatures below 40°F/5°C or you can place the seeds in a damp paper towel, place inside a plastic baggie and seal it. Place inside the fridge for 90 days.
The trouble with using seeds from fruit brought from the floor are almost always seeds from a fruit of a hybrid tree. The resulting trees and fruit will not resemble the parent plants/fruits and will most likely be inferior although that does not mean they won't be edible or acceptable.
Rather than go to all this trouble, local nurseries are your best bet for getting high quality fruit trees. You can often find them on sale in late spring and there are numerous varieties from which to choose. Miller, Stark, Henry Field, Gurney are all reputable companies with whom I have dealt and there are other companies that deal with farmers and other agricultural professionals on a wholesale basis.
