I tried with 2 seeds. One grew. It's about 4 inches tall. I sat it out some time in March. Had growth, when we got the warm weather first of April. Figured, I had nothing to lose.

You can WS apple seeds, collect the seeds, let them dry for a few weeks on a plate, then pack in paper, label it, and stash it away until the beginning of winter. Then WS and expect germination around the middle of spring. Sow heavily as not all seeds will be viable and sprout.

Apples are very interesting in that their seeds will not truly reproduce. You'll get apples for sure, but they will be somewhat different from the fruit you took the seeds from. Also, the apples you grow from seed will become full size trees, so give them room, lots of love and in about six to ten years they'll start cropping for you. They are long-lived trees, but do need to mature before they begin to flower and fruit.

Growing apples is a wonderful hobby, I have several grafted apples in my own garden. My best advice is to go to the library and look up how to take care of a home orchard. Also, before saving your seeds, check with your local extension to see which varieties will thrive in your area. Knowing what does well where you live can help you to narrow the choice of apples to save seeds from. Usually most neighborhoods have a nice green grocer or farmer's market with a large variety of apples every fall. Buy apples that you know will thrive in your neighborhood and save seeds from them. This gives you an 'edge up' because you'll be starting seeds of apples that will hopefully require minimal care to protect against the regional disease pressures.

T

I haven't tried sowing apple seeds but one of the first things I tried wintersowing several years ago was a crabapple that I thought was pretty. It's taller than me and big enough to bloom and make fruit now. Here's a photo from this spring.

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It's gratifying to grow a tree from seed.

I sowed some last year. 43 germinated. Here they are in April 2009:

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May 2009:
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And the link takes you to a June 2009 video

Here is a link that might be useful: Apple tree seedlings

And in this video, at the very end you can see the same seedlings a year later (April 2010).

All but two made it through the winter.

Lynda

Here is a link that might be useful: Apple trees 2010

Hi Amy-
I did apple seeds a couple years ago. They are slow going, but I have two that have survived and are doing ok. Who knows what the final outcome will be, but I was only looking for replacements for a couple that fell down in my 100+ yr old orchard.

by the way, it's SO not too late to winter-sow. The method can be used now to spring sow lots of things. I recently started my veggie patch, and (after the recent frost this week), I have to re-do my nasturtiums and some zinnias that bit the dust. I'll do cosmos, too on a schedule that I've used for an existing bed for several years now. They'll be transplanted after the poppies go by sometime in early July.

My morning glories aren't out yet around my poles...I'll get to that, too.

Your absolutely not too late!

Great video Lynda, I love that HUGE garden you have.

T

Thanks for all the wonderful info. It looks like the apple trees can grow pretty fast. Lynda, you have lots of great plants! Christie, I love that shade of pink of your crabapple tree!

I saved apple seeds from some fuji apples the kids and I ate and they have sprouted for me. I am very excited and intend to gift them to my Mother who has room for an orchard once they get bigger.
I think like trudi said I just put them in a paper envelope after letting them sit a little while to dry then when it was time to wintersow out they went. I got pretty good germination on both kinds I tried.
I will say that lgslgs/lynda inspired this attempt. :)