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thedarkness_gw

how do apple seeds sprout?

thedarkness
11 years ago

i put some seeds in water for about a week, one really took off and a few started. i put the one that was doing really well in a soup can with holes for drainage, then near a uv light by a sunny window 1/2 of the day. i put dirt on it lightly, about 4 inches under it. everytime i look at it, the seed is exposed, is this from the water washing away the dirt, or is it like beans where the seed goes up then leaves and more growth come out? i have never tried growing trees from seeds before, so any help is appreciated

Comments (14)

  • eric580
    11 years ago

    The seed should not be exposed. All my apple trees sprouted from seeds in the dirt. Maybe you should try a different pot? Maybe a plastic cup or a flowerpot?Here is a photo of my apple seedlings about a month ago. The seed stays covered and eventually, a green stem will appear with a seed case on it. You can peel this off carefully or leave it on to break open. Two little leaves will unfold after a few days then real leaves will develop. Hope this helps:) Also apples need to be cross pollinated by another apple tree to produce fruit. Even crabapple trees work. Good luck on your endeavour thedarkness!

  • thedarkness
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    thanks for the pic! its got about an inch long sprout, should i point that upwards and not bury it? right now i have the sprout on the side, and noticed some tiny hairs on seedcase, is that mould or normal? i will post pic of my set up for it in a few minutes

  • thedarkness
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    http://imageshack.us/a/img29/7462/img42851.jpg
    http://imageshack.us/a/img203/1368/img42841y.jpg
    http://imageshack.us/a/img853/427/img42831.jpg
    http://imageshack.us/a/img255/5411/img42871.jpg

    the second one is the seed with little hairs growing on it.
    and that is a bearded dragon tail in the 3rd if anyone was wondering
    can you tell me how to improve it? and wtf those hairs are, im really hoping it isnt mould since that is the biggest sprout ive gotten so far

  • flora_uk
    11 years ago

    The second seed certainly looks mouldy to me. What sort of seed is it?

  • thedarkness
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    will it countue growing if moldy? the sprout part is turning brownish, bad sign or is it becoming a legit root?

  • eric580
    11 years ago

    It will continue to grow,but eventually it will die. I would try making a fungicide. There are some recipes on the internet.

  • mrsg47
    11 years ago

    I would plant the apple seeds directly into the potting soil. Cover the top of the pot with a plastic bag. Tie string around the bag so it does'nt come loose from the pot. You have made a small greenhouse! Place the pot in a saucer and water from the bottom and place in a sunny window. Your apple seeds should sprout. Peaches pits are even easier! Hope this helps.

  • thedarkness
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    heres a pic of some seeds i sprouted in a glass bottle.I looked at it around 7 in morning and it has easily doubled in size since.

  • flora_uk
    11 years ago

    thedarkness - maximum possible speed of growth is not necessarily what you want when you sow seeds. Google 'etiolation' for what is happening to your seedling. Seedlings are best grown at their natural pace, not forced, if you want a sturdy baby to plant out later. Apples are fruit of temperate climates. They are not tropicals. They have evolved to grow in places with definite seasons, including a cold winter. Growing them in a moist warm place is not going to encourage them to be healthy in the long run.

    And have you planned how you are going to get it out of the bottle later? Things would be easier if you just invested in, or found, a couple of proper flowerpots, or at least used a container with outward sloping sides. Both your soup can and the bottle will make life difficult at the transplant stage.

  • thedarkness
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    i do not plan to take it out of the bottle, it should be able to live happily fo a few years.

  • eric580
    11 years ago

    Maybe if you try to bonsai it. Even that would be hard to do without access to the tree. Also a bottle seems kind of skinny for it to live in. When the real leaves come in they will press against the glass and it will have no more room. Also it will run out of dirt for its roots and die slowly. This baby tree needs room to grow and eventually, a home where it can be a tree. Here are my apple trees. They will be outside in Spring.

  • thedarkness
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    how long can it live in the bottle? i might plant bottle halfway in gorund then shatter bottom part to allow for roots to spread, its pretty close to top of neck and is only and inch away fropm coming out of bottle, so the room issue for leaves shouldnt be too bad.

  • eric580
    11 years ago

    If it's reaching the top it probably needs to be transplanted in a few days. You should just put it in a plastic flower pot or an old bowl with hole at the bottom for drainage. Also I don't understand why you would put it under a bottle outside. The increased heat and humidity of summer days in a glass bottle would kill the seedling and it still would not have any room for top growth. If you were planning to use the bottle as a shelter it wouldn't work. Just buy a small tree fence and it will be happy. Here are more of my seedlings.

  • mrsg47
    11 years ago

    thedarkness, how old are you?

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