How to Grow an Apple Tree from Seed (Step by Step)

Start with a ripe, organic apple. Slice it in half through the middle so the core sits right in front of you, and you will see the seeds tucked into the little chambers. Work the tip of your knife around each seed and lift it out.

Be gentle. A nicked or crushed seed usually will not sprout. One apple gives you a handful of seeds, and since not all of them will germinate, save every good one you can find.

Spread the seeds out in a single layer and let them air-dry for two to three days. A plate or a square of paper towel on the counter works fine. Keep them out of direct sun and somewhere warm and dry.

The goal is only to dry the surface so mold cannot get a foothold. Damp, closed-up storage is what ruins a batch of seeds, so leave them loose and open to the air until they feel dry to the touch.

To start seeds indoors, fold them into a damp paper towel and set it inside a container or a zip bag. Spray the towel so it is just moist, never soaking wet, then tuck the seeds in and seal it up. Slide the whole thing into the fridge at around 40 degrees.

This cold, moist spell is called stratification, and it tricks the seeds into thinking winter has come and gone. Sprouting can take anywhere from two or three weeks up to a couple of months, so check every few days that the towel stays damp and no mold is forming.

Rather skip the fridge? Direct-seeding is the easiest method and closest to how nature does it. In fall, pull back any mulch or wood chips down to bare soil, scratch a shallow furrow, and drop the seeds in about half an inch deep. Cover them with good dirt and a very thin layer of mulch so they stay moist over winter.

Over-plant heavily. Not every seed comes up, so if you want three trees, sow fifteen to twenty seeds and pick the best seedlings later. The cold winter ground gives them the same stratification the fridge does, no work required.

Come spring, watch for little green seedlings to push up through the soil. Apple seedlings often have a reddish tint to their new leaves, so they stand out from the weeds once you know what to look for. This is the moment all that seed-saving pays off.

Since you planted plenty, let them grow for a few weeks, then choose the strongest few to keep. Look for a sturdy stem and healthy, evenly colored leaves, and thin out the weak or leggy ones so the keepers have room.

Give your seedling a bright spot and keep the soil evenly moist while it settles in. If you started it in a fridge paper towel and it pushed out a taproot, move it to a pot of seed-starting mix or straight into the ground once spring arrives.

Handle the sprout with care. Apple trees hate having their taproot disturbed, and a seedling planted right where it will grow keeps that root intact. That deep, undisturbed taproot is one of the big advantages of growing from seed instead of buying a potted tree.

Now comes the patient part. People often say a seed-grown apple takes eight to ten years to fruit, but that is not always true. Prune it hard while it is young and you can get apples in as few as three years, the way James did with his Prigioni apple.

The real reward is the surprise. Your tree will not match the apple you took the seed from, so you end up with a one-of-a-kind variety that is entirely your own. Sweet, tart, big, small, you never know until it fruits, and that is the whole fun of growing from seed.