QuestionHello, I am a 3rd grader at Discovery Elementary in Palm Bay, Fl. I am doing a science project on growing apples and oranges from seeds. When should I start to see some growth in the plants? I started the project a week ago. I am using Valencia Orange seeds and Red Delicious apple seeds.
Thank you
AnswerHi Amanda,
Thanx for your question.
First, the Red Delicious apple seeds will germinate better if you give them a cold treatment. That means you take the seeds and place them inside a damp, paper towel and seal this inside a plastic baggie. Keep it in the fridge for about 60 days and then take it out of the fridge, remove the seeds and plant them 1/2 inch deep in a pot of potting soil. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Make sure the pot is allowed to drain. Keep the pot in a sunny window in an east or south facing window and make sure the room stays warm, say, around 75F. The seeds should begin germinating in 3 to 4 weeks, maybe sooner, maybe later it just depends. They can be rather unpredictable. Some people say that a small percentage of apple seeds will germinate without cold treatment. I don't know from experience about that. You can go ahead and plant another group of seeds in a pot and keep it in the window without benefit of the cold treatment and see what happens. Just keep the pot watered and warm.
In regard to your Valencia orange seeds. Make sure all of the pulp has been cleaned off of them and then plant 1/2 in deep in a pot of potting soil. Keep moist but not soggy. Seedlings should emerge in 10-30 days depending. Citrus do not require cold-treatment to germinate. I hope this helps.
Tom
