Growing Apple Trees From Seeds Indoors

Last Updated on April 11, 2022 by Marco C.

Apple trees are usually something you’d see in a garden, but some gardeners ask about growing apple trees from seeds indoors and that’s not without reason. It’s true that nowadays, thanks to the many new varieties of fruits, we can grow dwarf apple trees indoors.

In today’s article, we’ll be taking a look at how you can grow your own apple tree indoors!

Apple Tree Varieties

The actual number of apple varieties is unknown to us since it’s one of the most common fruits on Earth and there are people developing new varieties around the world every day.

For you, however, one thing is more important than everything else – dwarf varieties. It’s impossible for you to grow a regular apple tree indoors as they require not only massive open spaces above the ground, but also need a lot of soil to grow their roots.

Dwarf apple trees, however, can grow in pots. There are even dwarf apple varieties that were designed to grow indoors, as opposed to growing in pots outdoors. It’s also important to keep in mind that apples generally aren’t grown from seeds.

Dwarf apple trees, however, can grow in pots

Even though growing an apple from seed is possible, this practice is rarely seen nowadays and we instead grow them from other apple trees. That’s why it’s better to choose dwarfing rootstock with plants that have controlled height and size.

Learn more about: How to Shape a Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree?

Planting

The next step, after choosing the variety you’ll plant, is the planting itself. If you choose the right variety, your apple tree won’t grow past six feet in height and it won’t take up too much space in your home. However, it’d still be best to get a pot that’s as big as possible.

This way, the roots will definitely have enough space to spread out. Fill that pot will fertile soil that’s well-drained – using a potting mixture right out of the gardening store is usually the best way to go about this.

You should plant your dwarf apple tree near a window that gets a lot of suns. All fruit plants need the sun and your dwarf apple needs at least 6 hours of sunlight every day. Make sure that they get the sunlight in the morning, but don’t force it on them in the afternoon if you live in a particularly hot area.

Even though apples are great at dealing with cold temperatures, they’re not that good at dealing with hot temperatures for a longer period of time.

Care

Watering is crucial for apples – make sure that you water your apple tree at least once a week, but once the plant is established and flowers have started to grow, you can cut that down to twice a month.

Make sure to water the soil instead of watering over the plant, through the leaves in order to avoid parasites and mildew.

There are also many plants that can do just fine without fertilization – apples aren’t one of them. It’s important to fertilize twice a month throughout the year, except for winter when the plant goes dormant.

We also have to mention pruning – this is going to be a learning opportunity if you’re new to gardening, as apples need constant pruning throughout the season. This is the safest way to keep your plant healthy – remove branches that are dead, and you’ll also need to remove flowers when the tree blooms because you want the plant to focus on growing apples, not flowers.

Harvesting and Storing

You’ll know that your apple tree is ready to be harvested when the apples change their color into whatever color they’re supposed to be (you’ll know that from the sort – some apples are green, others are red or yellow).

An apple that’s ready to be harvested will usually just fall into your hand once you pull on it. If an apple needs to be ripped from the branches, then it’s not ready to be harvested.

Apples are generally sturdy fruits, although this generally depends from variety to variety, and you can keep them all crated in a dark, cool basement with low humidity without risking them going bad. In this case, it’d be best to pack every single apple in a single sheet of newspaper just as a precaution and as a basic way of protecting the fruit.

You can also store them in the fridge for a week, but they can also be frozen and kept indefinitely in the freezer.

After storing them, you can use them for pretty much anything – eating them whole, using them for pies, juices, etc.


Read more about: The Secret To Growing A Lemon Tree From Seed Indoors

FAQ

Can you grow an apple tree indoors?

Not a fully-sized apple tree, but you can grow a dwarf apple tree indoors that's going to produce fruit just like the fully-sized apple tree. These varieties are much smaller than large apple trees.

How do you grow an apple from a seed?

You don't - it's complex, exhausting and, quite frankly, a boring process. It's best to grow them from rootstock, usually from other apple trees.

How long does it take to grow apples indoors?

This differs from variety to variety, but it usually takes between two to three years for your dwarf apple tree to start producing apples. It's rare for an apple tree to need more than three years.

How long does an apple tree take to produce apples?

Essentially the entire season. Your apple tree will go dormant during the winter and it will start growing as soon as spring comes around - apples are just the peak of their growing season.

To End

Apples are arguably the most popular fruits on the planet, and you can definitely grow your own, even if you live in an apartment. Dwarf apple trees can grow in closed spaces and they’re not that difficult to care for.

Make sure to pick a good variety of dwarf apple trees and plant it in a large enough pot that you’ll remember to fertilize and water on time. It will take at least two years to see the fruits of your labor.

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