How to Plant a Plum Seed

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: April 22, 2020 References Approved

A plum is a type of stone fruit that carries its seed inside a pit in the core of the fruit. Seeds can be harvested from most market varieties, and then undergo a process called “stratification.” Once germinated the seed can be planted outdoors or in a container.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:
Harvesting the Seed

1
Purchase ripe plums from a market stall. Buy plums that were grown locally or in a similar climate, so that you ensure it will grow in your hardiness zone. It is best not to use early-maturing varieties, because the seeds are less likely to develop in these types.^{[1]
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2
Eat the flesh off the plum. Choose the tastiest one to try to plant, since plum seeds often carry on the traits of a parent plant very well.
3
Continue to remove all the flesh so that the pit looks bare.
4
Set the pit out on a windowsill for a few days to dry. The seed inside the pit will dry and shrink away, and you will be able to save it more easily. The shell will also crack more easily when dried.^{[2]
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5
Take a small nutcracker. Place the pit horizontally between the two ends. Crack it gently.^{[3]
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- Take care not to crack too hard. A smashed seed can’t be planted.
6
Set the almond-like seed off to the side. This is what you need to sprout and plant.
7
Fill a glass of water. Drop your seed into it. If it sinks, you can germinate it, and if it floats, you should continue cracking pits until you get a viable seed.^{[4]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:
Sprouting the Seed

1
Soak the seeds overnight in the glass of water that you just filled.^{[5]
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2
Fill a plastic bag or a canning jar two-thirds full of rich compost. Wet the soil so that it is moist, but not overly wet.
3
Place the seed or seeds inside the compost and seal the plastic bag or jar. Shake the container so that the seed moves deeper into the loose soil.
4
Turn your refrigerator to about 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 Celsius). Place the jar or bag in the refrigerator to start the stratification process. This cool, sprouting process germinates the seeds so that they can be planted and grown into a tree.^{[6]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:
Planting the Seed

1
Choose a permanent place in your yard to plant your plum trees. It is recommended that you plant at least two trees so that cross-pollinating varieties will come to fruit.^{[7]
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2
Pick a place that can be frost protected. Choose a slightly sheltered place that you can mulch and cover to avoid frost—a killer of young plum trees. It will need to be in full sun.
3
Bring in plenty of well-drained soil and compost before you plant. Adding soil will also help it drain better.
4
Opt to plant in a large pot and transplant later of if you are unsure where to plant the tree. It should be a deep pot with drainage holes.
5
Remove the seed from the jar or bag once healthy, white roots form. Take care not to break these roots when transplanting.
6
Dig a small hole that is a few inches deeper than the roots. Create a small mound of soil in the center. Place the seed atop it and spread the roots around the mound.
7
Cover the planted seed with soil. Space your trees about 20 to 25 feet (6 to 7.6m) apart.^{[8]
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8
Water the space and protect it well. Water deeply before the ground dries out. Your plum tree should start bearing fruit in three to five years.

Community Q&A

Question

Can these be planted straight out of the pits?

Community Answer

Not nearly as successfully. Leave it half-covered in water until roots have emerged, then proceed to plant it, leaving it close to the surface.
Question

My plum tree is in a pot and 1 foot high. Should I now plant it in the garden?.

Community Answer

Yes, it will need to go there soon anyway. As long as it is big enough to survive the winter, you'll be fine.
Question

Can plum seeds be planted in tropical countries where there isn't really a winter?

Community Answer

You can plant them and they might grow, but plums and other stone fruits require the cold to activate the enzymes needed for the seed to sprout. The trees also require a period of cold dormancy in order to set fruit. The tree might survive for a year, maybe two, then die.
Question

Can I plant plum seeds in hot areas of southern Africa?

Community Answer

Most stone fruits are very tolerant of hot and dry conditions, the determining factor will be the amount of cold the tree needs in winter to put the tree in and out of dormancy for normal flowering. The cold unit requirement varies between the cultivars but generally, plums don't have too high a cold requirement.
Question

Will plum trees outgrow their pots?

Community Answer

Yes.
Question

How can I tell if something is a plum tree?

Community Answer

Look at the leaves and compare them with images of plum tree leaves on the internet. Do a Google image search and you should find plenty of results.
Question

What kind of soil does a plum tree need?

Community Answer

Rich and fertile soil that is well-drained would work best to grow the plum tree.
Question

I didn't freeze the stone. I now have a long vine that has little yellow flowers and leaves like a mini cucumber. Any idea what it will turn out to be?

Community Answer

Plums don't make vines -- they are trees. Their flowers are usually white. You must have confused the plum with something else.
Question

How long do I leave the jar with pits and soil in the refrigerator for?

Community Answer

Remove the seed from the jar or bag once healthy, white roots form. Take care not to break these roots when transplanting to soil.
Question

Are light colored pums better than their darker cousins?

Community Answer

Plums come in a variety of flavors. Each has different characteristics, such as storage life, bug resistance, when they ripen, size, meatiness, etc . Google the different varieties and you can see. No variety is "better" than any other, it just depends on what you're looking for.