We Are Growing Apple Trees From The Seed

For YEARS E Nut has been asking to plant the apple seeds from his apples. I have always told him how hard it was to grow an apple tree from a seed. I never tried it, but I was mostly worried that we would try it out, nothing would happen, he would be disappointed, and I would feel bad. I don’t have much luck growing trees from seeds. I have started dozens, if not more Oak trees from acorns and they usually do well for a few years and then I kill them.

Last week E Nut was eating an apple and his eyes just about popped out of his head and he started chirping in a fast, excited, high pitched voice about how the seeds in his apple were sprouting. Well there it is. It has already been decided for me that we will be growing, or at least trying to grow with every inch of my green(ish) thumb, an bunch of apple trees.

I tossed them in a little bowl, lined with paper towels. I soaked them and covered the bowl with plastic wrap and hoped for the best. We have been watching the seeds every day. They started out growing little roots, and then some the leaves popped out of the seed coat. This week has been so busy, and I have been freaking out hoping that I would be able to get the seeds into dirt before I killed them. Because this little project is just about the most exciting thing that E Nut has ever done. This is a lifelong dream for him. I am convinced that he has wanted to do this since he was in the belly, swimming around thinking about baseball, video games, and apple seeds.

We finally got the seedlings planted in dirt tonight. The biggest one’s root actually grew through the paper towels and I had to carefully tare the paper away. I am so nervous about these little seeds. I keep telling myself – I am not gonna kill these seeds, I am not gonna kill these seeds.

We will see.

Interesting though, I recently learned that just because a seed comes from Gala apple, doesn’t mean that it will grow Gala apple. It has something to do with grafting different trees together to produce better apples. I understand it better than I can explain it at close to midnight.

For now I will just show off photos of our little apple seeds!

This song has been a family favorite for years. We usually only sing the first verse, but I remember there being another. I think the kids will be excited to learn a new verse.

Oh The Lord is Good To Me (Johnny Appleseed)

Oh the Lord is good to me
And so I thank the Lord
For giving me the things I need
The sun and the rain and the appleseed
Oh the Lord is good to me

For every seed I sow
An apple tree will grow
And soon there’ll be apples there
For everyone in the world to share
The Lord is good to me
Johnny Appleseed
Amen