fruit trees from seed.

I was wondering what fruit trees I can grow from seed, that will produce fruit I will actually enjoy eating.  I am so tired of wasting money on fruit trees that die shortly after I plant them.  On the other hand I don't want to spend a lot of time and energy tending to a tree that won't produce, or the fruit doesn't taste good.  I don't expect miracles, I just want at least a 50% to 75% chance I will end up with something eatable my family and I can enjoy.  Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

If you are starting from seed, the sooner you start the better. My method is to just take a seed from something I've eaten and shove it in one of my indoor pots. I have a 5 year old lemon tree and 2 year old avocado tree from that method. Hoping my cherry trees sprout this summer.

Iknow this isn't what you asked but if you are interested in apple trees, the best bet may be to plant antonovka seeds.  They are very cheap.  I can send you some if you like.  Let them grow out for a bit and then graft the varieties you like onto them.  If the trees die when they are young, you aren't really out anything, and if they live long enough to graft, they are probably going to do well.

I have a lemon tree that is about four years old that is doing really well. That was just from an organic lemon i bought at the store.

I also do the antonovka apple seeds and apricot pits that I took from my father-in-law's tree. Have about eight of those growing.

I also bought some pawpaw seeds on etsy last fall. They took all winter but they started sprouting this last week.

I have ice cream bean, mango, and white sapote all growing from seed right now - only 8 months in, and i am babying them, but so far so good. even if they don't fruit for a long time, it's fun to help somthing live that one would have otherwise thrown away.

i'd combine what you like to eat and what you see growing around where you live. that way you know they have a chance. i've started letting the volunteers come up, and right now have a few papayas, two kinds of mulberries, an avocado, a bunch of mangoes, jackfruit,  some mystery citrus and a guava. Everything but the citrus, mulberries, and guava will get killed by the frost, probably. I know for sure that the one mulberry will fruit, but all the rest is a mystery. I hear you on the frustration-- I've bought a lot of trees in my day and it seems like I'm always trying to bring them back from the brink. Just today I had to give Fig #2 "the talk" -- you know that talk, "what i'm going to plant in your pot if you don't knock off this sick plant crap and start growing decently". (It worked on Fig #1, but only after I bought Fig #2 to threaten it. Fig #2 is going to be replaced with the guava if it doesn't get its act together.....)

I have eight accidental peach seedlings that sprouted this spring from when I worked up some peaches in 2018.  Whether or not they will be tasty is a chance I’m willing to take as in exchange for keeping them in a protected area until I’m ready to plant them, I essentially have eight free trees.  

Stone fruits are supposed to come true from seed.


I think any seed from a local, established tree that has been successful will be good. You can always bud graft it if you don't like the resulting fruit. I've been using Italian plum seedlings and they do well.