Grow Apple Trees from Seed: The Beginner’s Foolproof Method
Updated: 2 days ago
You can grow an apple tree (Malus domestica) from seed by collecting seeds from a ripe apple, cold stratifying them for 8 to 12 weeks at 1 to 5°C, then sowing them 1 cm deep in pots. Seedlings sprout within a few weeks of sowing, but a seed-grown apple tree usually takes 6 to 10 years to fruit, and its apples will be different from the parent.
Growing apples from seed is a fun, low-cost project, and every seedling is a genuinely new variety. This guide covers every step, plus how to get a tree that fruits sooner if that is what you are after.
Want apples sooner? A seed-grown tree can take up to a decade to crop. A grafted tree such as our 'Katy' apple on semi-dwarf rootstock usually starts fruiting within 2 to 3 years of planting, and you know exactly what apples you will get.
Apple from Seed: Quick Facts
Latin name: Malus domestica
Stratification: 8 to 12 weeks cold (1 to 5°C)
Sowing depth: 1 cm
Germination temperature: 15 to 22°C after stratification
Time to first fruit: 6 to 10 years from seed (2 to 3 years for a grafted tree)
True to type?: No, every seedling is a new variety
Position: Full sun, sheltered from strong wind
Soil: Moist, well-drained, fertile, pH 6 to 7
Hardiness: Fully hardy in Ireland and the UK
Do Apple Seeds Grow True to Type?
No. Apple seeds never grow true to their parent tree. Apples are heterozygous and cross-pollinated by insects, so each seed carries a new mix of genes from two parent trees. The tree you grow may produce apples that are sweeter, sourer, larger or smaller than the one you ate, and many seedlings produce small, sharp fruit best for cooking, cider or wildlife.
That is exactly why named varieties are grafted: a cutting (scion) of a known variety is joined onto a rootstock. You can do the same later with your own seedling, using it as a rootstock for a variety you love.
Step 1: Collect and Prepare the Seeds
Choose ripe apples: seeds from fully ripe apples germinate best. Local, garden or heritage apples add interesting genetics, but shop-bought apples work too.
Extract the seeds: cut the apple open and remove the dark brown seeds. Pale seeds are usually immature and rarely germinate.
Clean and dry: rinse off any fruit flesh, which can cause mould, and air dry for a day.
Step 2: Cold Stratify the Seeds
Apple seeds need a period of cold, like winter, before they will germinate. There are two ways to do it.
Fridge method
Wrap the seeds in a damp paper towel or mix them with a little damp sand.
Seal in a labelled bag or container and refrigerate at 1 to 5°C for 8 to 12 weeks.
Check every week that they are damp but not wet, and remove any mouldy seeds.
Sow as soon as you see small white roots appearing.
Outdoor method (ideal in Ireland and the UK)
In autumn, sow seeds 1 cm deep in pots of gritty compost or moist sand.
Leave the pots outside over winter in a sheltered, shaded spot.
Cover with fine mesh to keep mice away, as they love apple seeds.
Seedlings will appear naturally in spring.
Step 3: Sow the Seeds
Fill small pots with a free-draining mix of compost and grit or sand.
Sow stratified seeds 1 cm deep, one or two per pot.
Water gently and keep the compost damp but never soggy.
Keep in a bright spot at 15 to 22°C. Sprouted seeds usually emerge within 1 to 3 weeks.
Step 4: Care for Your Seedlings
Light: give plenty of light, such as a sunny windowsill, greenhouse or grow light.
Water: keep the compost slightly moist and never waterlogged.
Pot on: move seedlings into larger pots once they are about 15 cm tall.
Harden off: before planting outside, acclimatise seedlings over 7 to 10 days.
Step 5: Plant Out and Grow On
Grow seedlings on in pots for a year or two, then plant out between November and March while dormant. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot with well-drained soil, stake young trees, and mulch around the base to keep weeds down. For full planting instructions, see our guide to planting a fruit tree like a pro.
Common Problems and Solutions
Issue | Cause | Solution |
Seeds not sprouting | Insufficient stratification | Extend refrigeration time |
Mould in storage | Excess moisture | Use a drier paper towel and check weekly |
Weak seedlings | Lack of light | Move to a sunnier location or use grow lights |
Leggy growth | Overcrowding or low light | Thin out seedlings and increase light exposure |
FAQ: Growing Apple Trees from Seed
How long does it take an apple tree grown from seed to fruit?
An apple tree grown from seed usually takes 6 to 10 years to produce its first fruit. A grafted tree on a dwarfing or semi-dwarf rootstock often fruits within 2 to 3 years of planting.
Can you grow an apple tree from a shop-bought apple?
Yes. Seeds from shop-bought apples will germinate after cold stratification. The resulting tree won't be the same variety as the apple you bought, because apple seeds don't grow true to type.
Do apple seeds need to be stratified?
Yes. Apple seeds need 8 to 12 weeks of cold at 1 to 5°C to break dormancy. In Ireland and the UK you can sow them outdoors in autumn and let winter provide the cold, or stratify them in the fridge.
Will an apple tree grown from seed produce good apples?
Sometimes. Most seedling apples are smaller and sharper than named varieties and are best for cooking, juicing or cider, but occasionally a seedling produces excellent fruit. Many famous varieties began as chance seedlings.
Do I need two apple trees to get fruit?
Most apple trees need a pollination partner that flowers at the same time. If there are other apple or crab apple trees within a few hundred metres, pollination is usually fine; otherwise plant a second tree or a crab apple nearby.
Seed or Grafted Tree? Choosing the Right Start
Growing an apple from seed is a long-term adventure, and great for rootstocks, wildlife hedges and experimenting. If you want reliable, known apples within a few years, a grafted tree is the practical choice.
At Earthling Plants we grow 'Katy', a hardy dessert apple on semi-dwarf rootstock, and Pitcher's apple, a traditional Irish heritage variety from the west of Ireland. For pollination and wildlife, a native crab apple makes an excellent partner. All are sent bare-root from November to March, the ideal planting window.
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