How Do I....?!?!?

SO! I'm a HUGE garden nerd. I take all my questions to Gardenweb.com. It's an awesome community of other garden nerds, including plant ID from pictures and answering any questions you might have. But, here's what I know about trying to grow super market seeds.

1) The best way to make sure the seeds from your apple will germinate would be to buy locally grown apples from the farmer's market, it's a twofer, you know they'll grow in your area, because they're from a local grower and you'll probably have the highest germination rate because they're the freshest. (The store bought ones will probably still work though--I think I did that when I was younger) On the other hand, the store bought apples may do okay, as they would probably have spent a bit of time in a walk-in cooler, and sometimes a little bit of cold exposure (simulated change from winter to spring) can help the seeds to germinate--not sure on apples honestly...

2) The easiest way to see them germinate is by placing them in a tupperware on a damp paper towel in a warm place (they don't need sun until you have roots--but we're getting to that). Then a couple times a day you can take the lid of and take a look. If starts to get too dry, take a spray bottle and mist a couple pumps into the tupperware, to keep the towel *just* damp.

When they start to poke roots out, carefully take your soon to be plants off the towel and plant them in a good sterilized potting soil or soilless mix in a 2-4" pot, about an inch below the surface. (If the roots have grown through the towel, no worries, just carefully cut the part it's on and plant the whole small piece, seed, roots and tiny square of towel.

Move to a well lit window that will receive AT LEAST 6 hours of sun a day, or buy a small clamp grow lamp from your local garden center (keep it 3-5 inches above the tops of your plant leaves so as not to scorch the leaves). Give just enough water to keep it moist, but not wet or standing in water. Seedlings are highly prone to mold and something called "damp off" if they are too moist. People have had rather good luck preventing this watering their plants with a strong camomile tea--it inhibits the bacterias somehow. There has also been good luck arresting damp off by sprinkling powdered cinnamon on the soil! I know I actually have tried this one--side effect, it smells wonderful! Anyways, but try not to go to wet, as a good defense is simply sometimes a good offense.

3) So that's the highest chance of germination. You could probably also possibly get away with putting your seeds in individual pots, planted an inch deep, pointy side down (that's where the roots come out), in a good potting mix, not over watering and crossing your fingers. I've done that before too! Just not as successfully.

As a side note, I LOVE that you're growing something just to see if you can. Planting "why not" seeds is some of the more fun and enriching plant experiments you can do, and it teaches you how to do it right when you do go and buy seeds. Two more things though. First, who ever it was above it right. Most apples are not consistent in their seeds (same actually for peaches/nectarines), it's probably because large orchards mean that Oodles of cross-pollinating is going on or something (or a more scientific reason), but either way, large growing ops ALWAYS graft their stock.* Second, growing your apple in winter MAY weaken the plant. Most trees native to sub-tropical areas, expect some form of winter rest period. Your apple will be going a full year at "growing temperatures," I would recommend, if this is a long term experiment, putting your tree some place cool next winter, if you have a garage or unheated basement or cellar, that would be the way to go. Then, when it appears to be starting new growth again in the spring, bring it back up to the windows. (It may not come back, due to the weakened state caused by "off season" growing--this is a worst case, it may still come back).

(*Another fun experiment to try sometime--grafting is a method of cloning and existing tree through the process of taking a plant with a disease resistant sock and good root structure, cutting off the top of the young tree and literally cutting and strapping a variety you want tasty fruit from on top. There are many different methods of grafting, and some apple trees are sold that grow upwards of SIX different types on the same trunk! Anyhow, it can be kind of a fun franken-experiment.)

HAPPY GARDENING! And friend me if you'd like.