Can You Grow a Cherry Tree from a Pit? Yes – and Here’s How! 🍒🌱

Dark red cherries, sweet, juicy, and such a delight to eat right off the stem. But as I sit here with a little pile of pits beside me, I can't help but wonder… can I grow a cherry tree from this?

The short answer is: Yes, you can! But there’s a little more to it than just tossing the pit in the soil and hoping for a miracle.

First Things First: Seed or Pit?

When it comes to cherries, that hard center you spit out is actually called a pit – and inside it is the seed. The pit acts like a tough shell that protects the seed until conditions are right for it to sprout. So yes, technically you're growing a cherry tree from a seed, but it starts with the pit.

Here’s How to Grow a Cherry Tree from a Pit:

1. Eat the Cherry and Clean the Pit

Enjoy your cherries (the best part!). Then rinse the pits and remove any remaining fruit flesh. Let them air dry for a few days.

2. Crack the Pit (Optional, But Helpful)

To speed things up, you can carefully crack the pit open with a nutcracker or hammer to access the seed inside. Be gentle – you don’t want to damage the seed!

3. Cold Stratification: Mimic Winter

Cherries need a period of cold to sprout. Place the seed in a damp paper towel inside a plastic bag and keep it in the fridge for 10–12 weeks. This mimics winter and helps break the seed’s dormancy.

4. Plant the Seed

After chilling, plant the seed in a small pot of well-draining soil. Place it in a sunny window and keep the soil moist (but not soggy). With luck and patience, you’ll see a sprout in a few weeks!

5. Transplant Outdoors

Once your seedling is big enough and after your last frost, you can transplant it outdoors. Remember: cherry trees love sun, space, and well-drained soil.

A Few Things to Know

• Trees grown from seed may not produce fruit identical to the parent cherry, especially if the cherries were store-bought hybrids.

• It may take 7–10 years for a cherry tree grown from seed to start producing fruit.

• Even if you don’t get fruit right away, cherry trees make beautiful ornamental plants in the garden.

So go ahead and give it a try! Whether you’re aiming for a full-blown cherry orchard or just want a fun gardening experiment, growing a cherry tree from a pit is a sweet journey from fruit to foliage.

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