I saved a fresh seed from an ambarella fruit, wrapped it in a piece of wet cloth for a couple of days because I was unable to plant it immediately. It took about 3 weeks for the seed to germinate and sprout a 2-inch seedling. I planted the seed very shallow, that is you could see the spikes protruding the surface of the soil. Climate condtions: tropical, humid, sunny, and a lot of rainfall. I hope this helps. Goodluck.