North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Margie Luffman" <luffmanm@agr.gc.ca>]

Here is some more info on peach seed germination. Good luck.

Margie




APRICOT AND PEACH SEED STRATIFICATION - HARROW METHODS

Natural Stratification:

Bailey peach and Haggith apricot seeds can be fall planted successfully
without cracking if soaked in a THIRAM solution* for not more than 24
hours before field planting. Siberian C, Harrow Blood and Rutgers Red
Leaf peach do NOT respond well to fall planting.

Artificial Stratification:
If the following artificial procedures are used, apricot seeds will
sprout after 40 to 50 days of chilling and peach seeds after 60 to 90
days of chilling.

Small Lots

 
1.      Crack pits and remove seeds. Soak seeds in 10% solution of Javex
for 5 minutes then rinse 10 times in fresh water. Soak these seeds again
overnight in a Thiram solution* and DRAIN.
2.      Place soaked seeds in a clean glass container, stopper lightly
with cotton batten and store in the dark at 36-38EF (2E-3EC).
3.      Stir daily and sprinkle lightly with distilled or rain water.
4.      Keep moist but not wet by pouring off surplus water if it
accumulates at the bottom of the container.
5.      Remove mouldy seeds as soon as mould is detected.
6.      Stratification is complete when the seed coat is cracked and the
small root begins to emerge.
7.      Plant seeds in 2¼" round peat pots using sterile soil or compost
and grow in flats until 6" to 12" tall.
8.      Transplant to the nursery row in the field at 6 to 8-inch
spacing in the row and 42 inches between rows after danger of all frost
has passed.


Large Lots
 

Large lots of seed require some modification, especially if greenhouse
facilities are not available for growing transplants.

1.      Use the same sanitation methods as outlined for small lots.
2.      Place soaked seeds in sterilized, plastic lined greenhouse flats
but avoid piling seeds more than 2 inches deep. Store in the dark at
36-38EF (2E-3EC).
3.      Stir daily and sprinkle lightly with distilled or rain water.
4.      Keep moist but not wet by puncturing a few holes in the bottom
of the plastic lining to prevent water from accumulating.
5.      Remove mouldy seeds as soon as mould is detected.
6.      Stratification is complete when the seed coat is cracked and the
small root begins to emerge.
7.      Do no plant seeds outdoors until the danger of hard frost has
passed and the soil has warmed up to a temperature of approximately 50EF
(10EC).
8.      Plant the seeds directly outdoors in the nursery row about 1 to
2 inches deep and about 6 to 8 inches apart in rows 42 inches apart.

*Thiram solution - 1 level teaspoon of Thiram (75 WP) mixed well in 2
quarts of water.



Margie Luffman
Curator/Conservatrice
Canadian Clonal Genebank/Banque canadienne de Clones
Environment Team/Equipe d'environnement
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada / Agriculture et Agroalimentaire
Canada
Telephone/Téléphone:  519- 738-2251 x 474
Facsimile/Télécopieur: 519- 738-2929
2585 County Road 20 / 2585 Route 20
Harrow, Ontario /Harrow (Ontario)
N0R 1G0

>>> swilliamson@acespower.com 12/26/03 07:17AM >>>
For Christmas my grandparents gave me a bunch of seed from their peach
tree.  I would like to see if I can get any of the seeds to grow and I'm
not sure of the best way to go about it.  It would seem that the seeds
would need some weathering to get them started, but I was wondering if
anyone has any suggestions of the best way to go about it.  Should I try
to get them in the ground or a pot now or wait till spring?  Is there
anything special I should look out for?  The ground is not really frozen
yet so I could plant them if that's best.

Thanks,
Scott Williamson
Central Indiana, Zone 5b
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