Why Growing A Plum Tree From The Pit Won't Always Give The Best Results

If your parents ever warned you not to swallow the pits of stone fruits because a fruit tree would grow in your stomach, you may have a mental image of fruits swiftly sprouting from pits. And while you have probably figured out that their warning isn't feasible, you may still wonder whether you can grow plum trees from pits. The answer is yes, but consider some caveats. First, the seeds of any fruit will produce fruiting trees, but the fruit is unlikely to be true-to-type to the parent tree. Will it be an edible fruit? Probably, but it just won't be the same as the fruit it grew from. Each tree is a mixture of the male and female parent sources, and just like you aren't an exact copy of your siblings, the trees can take on different characteristics. 

Plum trees sold in nurseries are grown through budding or grafting methods. Although plums (Prunus domestica) grow relatively quickly from seed, seedling nursery trees have a head start on your seed-grown trees, and you will have to wait longer for fruit. The nursery tree will produce fruit in two to four years compared to four to seven years for plum trees grown from pits. The allure of growing a plum tree from a pit is, of course, that you get it for free, along with the satisfaction that you grew the tree yourself. Although experts are not big on planting fruit trees from seed, some celebrated varieties, especially of apples, have come from seed planting. 

Plum pits require several steps, including a period of stratification, before you can plant them, but if you know how to give a peach seed the best chances of germinating, you can apply virtually the same process to plums. You will not actually be planting pits, but the seeds within them. Remove the pits from the fruits and clean off the pulpy debris, but don't worry about making the pit pristine. Identify the ridge or seam where the top and bottom of the pit join, and gently tap it will a small hammer to break it open and release the seed inside. Next, place the seeds in a container of water and wait 15 minutes to test for viability. Seeds that sink are viable; those that float are not, so discard them. Leave them in the water for 24 hours to hydrate. After removing them from the water, place them on a moist paper towel and give them an extra spritz of water. Fold the paper towel over them into a packet, and place it in the refrigerator for up to three months, checking regularly to see if they have sprouted. 

When the seeds begin sprouting, plant them 2 inches deep. Plums are among fruit trees you should plant in the spring for a healthy start. Water to keep the soil consistently moist, but don't fertilize at this time. Expect germination in one to two weeks. Having more than one plum tree to boost the fertilization process for plum varieties that are only partially self-fertile is a surefire way to make sure your plum tree produces fruit.