How To Grow A Cherry Tree From Kitchen Scraps (And If It's Worth It)

Nothing tastes more like summer than a big bag of plump, red cherries. Once you're done plucking off the stems and eating your way around the pits, there's more you can do to keep the cherry party going; you can actually grow your very own Prunus avium—or sweet cherry tree—from those scraps. Believe it or not, those tough little cherry pits can be germinated and planted, eventually resulting in a healthy, fruit-bearing tree. 

So what does it take to grow a cherry tree from seed? It's a straightforward process, but it does take a little patience. After washing the pit, you'll put it in the fridge for three to four months—yes, months—to mimic a natural process called stratification. Once it's been thoroughly chilled, you'll plant your pit in a small pot and care for it indoors until the time is right to bring it outdoors and transplant it to the ground. A word of warning: It can take anywhere between seven to 10 years to fully mature, so get ready to hurry up and wait.

Choosing which type of cherry tree to grow is key to your success here. You'll want to consider your USDA Hardiness Zone, how much sun your intended planting spot gets, and whether you have room for two cherry trees (a requirement for the cross-pollination that is necessary for fruit-bearing trees.) It's also important to note that many types of cherry trees, including sweet cherry trees, are considered invasive species in many parts of the country.

Once you have your pit, remove all of the fruit from the surface in order to avoid mold. Try soaking the pit, as that will make it easier to remove fruit bits and will also soften the skin of the pit, potentially giving it a head start on sprouting. You should chill, or stratify, your pit in a moist half-and-half mixture of sand and peat moss at a temperature between 33 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Your fridge is more than likely sitting within this exact temperature range, so feel free to store your pit behind your eggs and milk. And if you're running out of room in your fridge, check out these five refrigerator organization hacks you didn't know you needed. You'll want to leave the pit in the fridge for three to four months, timing your stratification so that you can plant the tree in the spring.

After stratification, it's time to plant your seed an inch deep in a pot of well-draining soil for another several weeks to months while the seed germinates. Water regularly and make sure the pot stays in a sunny location in your home in the meantime.

Once you've germinated your seed and sprouted your tree, it's time to get to planting. It's important to note that in order for your tree to produce the most fruit, you'll want to plant it in a full sun area. And, as mentioned previously, for most cherry varieties, you'll need to plant two trees about 12 to 20 feet apart in order for them to cross-pollinate and bear fruit. However, Prunus cerasus—tart cherry trees—are self-compatible, meaning they don't require another tree nearby to produce fruit.

When transplanting your tree from its small pot to the ground, it's important that you don't use fertilizer, which could result in the roots of the tree never growing beyond the fertilized area. Mulch about four inches around the base of the plant and place a tree guard around the mulched area. You'll want to give about 1 to 2 inches of water to your young cherry trees per week—a good soaking—but be careful not to overwater. Placing a stake near your young tree can help it to grow straight and tall. If your tree has been growing in a pot for one to two years, you can expect it to produce cherries between two and five years after planting it in the ground. Want even more fruit? Check out these tricks to help your fruit trees grow and produce faster.