Planted a couple peach pits (grow, grass, Fruit Trees, Rose Bushes)

[bayou91]

I washed them, let them dry out, and then planted each in its own separate container (I used those cardboard milk jugs and poked drainage holes in the bottom) and watered them.

I'm mostly just doing this for fun to see what happens, I know most peaches aren't true-to-seed.

Anyway, is there anything else I should be doing through the winter to promote their germination/growth? I live in a zone 6 area. It would be great to have at least one peach tree!

[kinkytoes]

I did some reasearch myself a while ago. I really prefer to have own-root plants. I hate that it is so difficult to find these from fruit tree growers. They're even grafting pawpaws and native persimmon, now. Grrr.

My problem with grafted trees is that over time the top can die, and you'll end up with some tree that you don't even want. Just like grafted rose bushes, which is why nowadays so many people prefer own-root roses. But I am a voice in the wilderness. ;D

One thing I know is that peaches are one of the plants you can actually grow from seed and get a peach tree with delicious peaches on.

...the almondlike seeds in pits from peaches, nectarines and apricots do a good job of carrying on the desirable traits of their parents. You can simply sprout and grow a seed from a great-tasting specimen, and you have a good chance of sinking your teeth into sweet, juicy fruit from your own tree in only three to five years.

Grow Free Fruit Trees

[bayou91]

Yeah, I didn't want to buy peach trees from a grower right now either for that same reason. I'd hate to spend $ on a peach tree just to have it die or have some other problem with it. At least if these pits don't work out they were free so I wouldn't have wasted any money.

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by bayou91

I washed them, let them dry out, and then planted each in its own separate container (I used those cardboard milk jugs and poked drainage holes in the bottom) and watered them.

I'm mostly just doing this for fun to see what happens, I know most peaches aren't true-to-seed.

Anyway, is there anything else I should be doing through the winter to promote their germination/growth? I live in a zone 6 area. It would be great to have at least one peach tree!

Stick with it!
True story here, and while scientific theories, and the so-called experts, probably will predict this could never happen.....it really did. So much for the Know-It-Alls, who really don't.

Where our house stands, was once a peach orchard, as our town had one of the largest peach industries on the east coast exporting peaches by the train that runs through out town, to destinations all over the country. Now, my house is not a young house. It was built in approximately 1880, so the peach orchards were here prior to that.

Now the story - In the summer of 2012, I found a peach tree sprouting, or at least I thought it was a peach tree. We have always kept our back yard mowed, but quit mowing it as much in 2011 because the grass got too much shade, stunting growth of the lawn. But the peach tree liked it just fine back there, and the determined little peach tree made it to 6 inches tall that year, and this year is almost 10 inches tall. It's definitely a peach tree.

Call it a miracle, search the volumes of horticultural writings, and/or say it ain't so. It's a happening!

Each year, our town throws a huge party to celebrate the peach. The guest of honor next year will be the little peach tree, which is now fenced to protect it from rabbits, squirrels, and the like. Zone 7 here.