7 Fruits You Should Never Grow From Seed, According to Gardening Experts

Apples

Both experts we spoke to agree—you shouldn't try and grow an apple tree from seed. They're "notoriously difficult to grow" if you're trying to "produce a specific variety," says Maureen Goronson, founder of Goronson Farm.

"It's like playing genetic roulette," adds Ankit Singh, assistant professor at the University of Maine Extension. "You won't get the same fruit as the parent, and it can take 7 to 10 years to fruit."

In other words, it's both an incredibly lengthy process and an uncertain one, so it's not really worth it. Instead, Singh recommends purchasing a grafted apple tree from a nursery, which will be a clone of a desirable variety and will produce fruit sooner.

Blueberries

Blueberries are packed with nutrients and antioxidants, and can be a wonderful addition to your garden–but growing them from seed isn't the best idea.

"They have very specific soil needs and take years to mature from seed, plus germination can be slow and erratic," says Singh.

Instead, he recommends purchasing an established potted or bare-root plant, ideally between 2 and 3 years old. This will speed up the harvest.

Raspberries

Germinating raspberries can be a lengthy and complex process—one that many gardeners will find too overwhelming or time consuming.

"You have to separate seeds by crushing berries and rinsing them with water, or by using a fine mesh sieve," says Goronson. "Some recommend fermenting the seeds in water for a few days to break down the outer coating that inhibits germination."

After, raspberries require a period of cold stratification to break dormancy and encourage germination. Instead, Goronson recommends propagating via pruning and rooting canes.

Grapes

Having your own personal vineyard sounds dreamy—but not if you try and grow the grapes from seed. According to Singh, grapes grown from seed "often produce poor quality fruit and can be prone to fungal diseases without proper rootstock."

Instead, he recommends using cuttings—or buying certified, disease-free grapevines that have already adapted to your climate.

Peaches

Peach trees are rarely true to their parent type, so you're "growing an unknown, in the end," says Goronson. They also take a long time to grow from seed, adds Singh—about 3 to 8 years. In addition, they're vulnerable to peach leaf curl and borers.

Instead, experts recommend using grafted peach trees from nurseries, which will prove much more reliable and produce fruit faster.

Cherries

Cherry trees grown from seed are susceptible to brown rot, bacterial canker, and other diseases, says Singh. Plus, they often don't resemble their parent. Instead, he recommends choosing a disease-resistant, grafted cherry cultivar suited to your region—make sure you purchase it from a reliable supplier.

Pears

Pears are similar to apple trees in that they will take years—sometimes even a decade or more—to fruit if grown from seed. Also like apples, they will produce unpredictable offspring.

As is often the case, Singh recommends using a grafted variety on dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstock for more manageable growth.