Free Guide to Growing Apricots From Seed

Understanding Apricot Seeds and Basic Requirements

Growing apricots from seed is a gardening project that takes patience and planning. Unlike buying a young tree from a nursery, growing from seed means you're starting from scratch with a small pit. Apricot seeds come from the stone fruit—the hard pit inside the apricot you eat. Inside that pit is a kernel that can develop into a tree.

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Before starting, it's worth knowing that apricots grown from seed may not produce fruit identical to the parent fruit. Commercial apricot varieties are often grafted onto rootstocks to ensure consistency. Seeds from these trees can grow into healthy trees, but the fruit characteristics—size, sweetness, ripening date—might differ. Some seeds produce excellent fruit; others produce adequate fruit. This uncertainty is part of the adventure of seed growing.

Apricots thrive in temperate climates. They need areas with distinct seasons, including a winter cold period. Most apricot varieties require 600 to 900 hours of temperatures below 45°F during winter to break dormancy and set fruit properly. If you live in a consistently warm region without cold winters, growing apricots from seed will be challenging. Regions with mild winters may see trees grow but produce little or no fruit.

The timing to collect seeds is during apricot season, typically late spring through early summer depending on your location. You need fresh, ripe apricots. The seeds inside must be mature. Immature seeds from unripe fruit won't germinate. When you eat an apricot, save the pit if you want to try growing from it, or collect pits from apricots you purchase or receive.

Practical takeaway: Assess whether your climate has cold winters and whether you're prepared for the uncertainty of seed-grown characteristics. Collect pits from ripe apricots during harvest season, then clean and dry them thoroughly before storage or planting.

Preparing Seeds Through Stratification

Apricot seeds require a cold period to germinate. This process is called stratification. In nature, apricot pits fall to the ground in autumn, spend winter in cold conditions, and sprout in spring. To replicate this, you need to expose seeds to consistent cold temperatures for several weeks or months before planting.

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Start by extracting the seed from the stone. You can use a hammer, vise, or nutcracker to crack the hard pit carefully. Work gently to avoid crushing the kernel inside. Once cracked, remove the kernel. It should look like an almond—tan or cream colored with a papery skin. Discard any kernels that appear dark, moldy, or damaged. Damaged seeds won't germinate.

Clean the seeds by rinsing them under cool water and patting them dry with a paper towel. Remove any remaining pit fragments. Some gardeners soak seeds in water for 24 hours before stratification, which can improve germination rates. After soaking (if you choose to), pat them dry again.

The most common stratification method is refrigerator stratification. Place seeds in a container with moist sand, peat moss, or a seed-starting medium. The medium should be damp but not waterlogged—similar to a wrung-out sponge. Mix the seeds throughout the medium so they're not clumped together. Cover the container and place it in a refrigerator at 35-40°F.

Seeds need 8 to 12 weeks of cold stratification. Check them monthly. If the medium dries out, add a small amount of water. If you notice mold developing, increase air circulation by opening the container briefly or adding a small vent hole. After 8 to 12 weeks, you may see small white roots beginning to emerge from some seeds. This indicates they're ready to plant.

Practical takeaway: Carefully extract and clean apricot kernels, then stratify them in moist medium in a refrigerator for 8 to 12 weeks. Check periodically for drying and mold, and watch for emerging roots as a sign of readiness.

Planting Seeds and Early Growth

After stratification, plant the seeds in containers or soil outdoors, depending on your climate and preference. Container planting offers more control over conditions and makes it easier to protect young seedlings from pests and weather extremes.

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For container planting, use a seed-starting or potting soil that drains well. Avoid heavy garden soil, which compacts and prevents root development. Fill a pot—at least 4 to 6 inches deep—with moist potting soil. Plant one seed per pot, pushing it about 1 inch deep into the soil. The emergent root should point downward. Cover the seed and water gently until the soil is moist throughout.

Place pots in a warm location with temperatures between 65-75°F. A sunny windowsill, greenhouse, or grow room works well. Germination typically occurs within 2 to 4 weeks, though some seeds may take longer. You'll see a small shoot emerge first, followed by seed leaves (cotyledons) pushing through the soil surface.

Once seedlings emerge, light becomes critical. Place them under grow lights or in a very bright window where they receive at least 12 to 16 hours of light daily. Without sufficient light, seedlings become leggy—tall and weak with long stems between leaves. Leggy seedlings struggle to develop into healthy trees. If using grow lights, position them 3 to 4 inches above the seedlings and adjust height as they grow.

Water seedlings when the top of the soil feels dry to the touch. Water thoroughly but don't leave soil soggy. Soggy soil encourages fungal diseases like damping off, which kills seedlings at the soil line. As seedlings grow their first true leaves (leaves that look like miniature apricot leaves), they're establishing. At this stage, you can begin fertilizing lightly with a balanced, diluted fertilizer every 2 to 3 weeks.

Seedlings grown indoors need air circulation to develop strong stems. A small fan on low setting, positioned to create gentle movement without directly blasting plants, helps significantly. Outdoor seedlings naturally experience wind, so air circulation is less critical for them.

Practical takeaway: Plant stratified seeds in well-draining potting soil indoors or outdoors, provide consistent moisture and warmth, and ensure seedlings receive strong light to prevent weak, leggy growth.

Transplanting and First-Year Care

As seedlings develop true leaves and roots fill their initial containers, they'll need larger homes. Transplanting gives roots more space and nutrients. When a seedling is 4 to 6 inches tall and has several sets of true leaves, it's ready to move to a larger container—typically 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Alternatively, if you live in an area with a frost-free period lasting at least 5 to 6 months, you can transplant directly into the ground.

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Harden off indoor-grown seedlings before moving them outdoors or to an unprotected location. Hardening off means gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Start by placing seedlings in a sheltered, shaded outdoor location for a few hours. Each day, increase their time outside and exposure to direct sun. By the end of the period, they should tolerate several hours of direct sun and outdoor temperature fluctuations. This reduces transplant shock.

When transplanting to larger containers, use fresh potting soil. Gently remove the seedling from its current pot, being careful not to damage roots. If roots are tightly coiled, gently loosen them with your fingers. Place the seedling in its new pot at the same depth it was previously growing—not deeper. Bury the stem too deep and it may rot. Water thoroughly after transplanting and keep soil consistently moist (but not waterlogged) for the first week.

If transplanting to garden soil, choose a location with full sun—at least 6 to 8 hours daily. Apricots produce better with abundant light. The soil should drain well; apricots don't tolerate waterlogged conditions. Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball. Place the seedling at the same depth it was growing. Backfill with native soil mixed with compost. Water thoroughly and create a mul