Growing sugar apple from seed

[gnappi]

I've tried to grow sugar apples from seed without success. Do the seeds need to be scarified before they will sprout?

[SeaWalnut]

They need to be fresh and soaked in water 24 hours first.
If you get them from Ebay ,you will mostly get old seeds.
From 5 orders from ebay ,from different sellers,i managed to get a single seedling.
It worths trying because they fruit fast,in a year and a half ,from seed,in ideal conditions.

[achetadomestica]

I got 10 big red seeds and was told to put them between damp papertowels
in a baggie.
Within 10 days all 10 germinated and within 2 weeks all 10 sprouted.
I then tried to do Thai Lessard seeds and it took a month to get 10
seeds to germinate and sprout.
I thought this is easy but then I started having mixed results on others?
I have never figured out why. I got some Vietnamese Na Dai that sprouted
6 months later after Winter but I only had 3 out of 20 seeds germinate and sprout.
I have a different Na Dai seed that is from last year and they are still
viable and germinating easy now.  I had 4 Pouteria hypoglauca seeds for around
10 months in damp vermiculite that would not germinate and I scarified them
and so far 2 have germinated. That seeds coat was thick I would be inclined to
try scarifying any annona seeds that don't germinate in the future. If you use
papertowels change them often to avoid mold. I recently got some cherimoya
seeds and I put them in damp vermiculite and 3 have germinated so far.

[nana7b]

My results have been mixed as well.

I have noticed that they seem to germinate better outside in the shade.

Also, a lot of rain seems to help.

I recently threw a bunch of 2 yr old big red seeds and only one sprouted after 2 months or so.

[Kevin Jones]

Get your seeds from a trustworthy seller like achetadomestica... use the damp paper towel technique:
Seeds wrapped in a  damp paper towel... placed into a ziplock bag.... left in a shady warm area.
You should soon have EZ Sugar Apple sprouts!
My Na Dai seeds from achetadomestica sprouted easily in a little over a week.

Kevin Jones

[Ant21]

I bought 30 red sugar apple seeds from ebay and 25 of them has sprouted so far. They did take a long time to germinate about 4-6 weeks and I see another 3 barely coming out of the soil. Once germinated they do grow fast..

[Kevin Jones]

I have to admit when they are inexpensive enough... I will take a chance on (Mystery) Sugar Apple seed on ebay.
Low cost and low risk I guess!

Kevin Jones

[RodneyS]

Soak seeds until they sink, then plant

[Francis_Eric]

Step #1 for 10 to 50 seeds
 Take a zip lock bag gallon size or Bigger.
(soaking optional preferable for a night or two t in Warm water)

#2 using only a handful of soil so the bag is a quarter full fill
Close with air inside so Humidity can build up inside (or just tie a grocery bag with a knot "PUFFED UP WITH AIR INSIDE)

If you have Knats They will eat the seeds Their Larva (rot maggots )
You can take that Grocery bag, and place it inside a (WHITE ) Large Garbage bag
(cool Climate weather permiting Black to build up heat (do not bake seeds)

Very Important do not use wet SOIL dilute with dry soil
 should be like oreo cookie crumbs (for pie) slightly misted with water or a couple table spoons h2o

use peat moss ( optional or a soil mix --->(sterile) <--(IN your controlled environment Organisms can breed)

 just nothing un broken down like homemade compost at this stage with living mulch or green mulch
(  vermiculite "composted pine bark", or a soil mix should be fine
be aware sand (in Florida ) could contain traces of salt wash)



they are recalcitrant seeds are kept wet while stored to sprout
 not Orthodox seeds which are dried like Pumpkin seeds   tomato, or ,grape, apple, rose, tamarind mango etc.
, but do not agree with all the literature online As personal experience
As a matter of fact just today I went out side in a dry part of the yard ,
and a pawpaw (annonaceae)   was growing through  thick clay, and it has been a drought.
I've seen Cherimoya seeds dry a bit
but do not keep enough track to know how long they have been
 with multiple seeds just mostly for fun.

[WilliamTheYoungGrower]

I got 10 big red seeds and was told to put them between damp papertowels
in a baggie.
Within 10 days all 10 germinated and within 2 weeks all 10 sprouted.
I then tried to do Thai Lessard seeds and it took a month to get 10
seeds to germinate and sprout.
I thought this is easy but then I started having mixed results on others?
I have never figured out why. I got some Vietnamese Na Dai that sprouted
6 months later after Winter but I only had 3 out of 20 seeds germinate and sprout.
I have a different Na Dai seed that is from last year and they are still
viable and germinating easy now.  I had 4 Pouteria hypoglauca seeds for around

10 months in damp vermiculite that would not germinate and I scarified them
and so far 2 have germinated. That seeds coat was thick I would be inclined to
try scarifying any annona seeds that don't germinate in the future. If you use
papertowels change them often to avoid mold. I recently got some cherimoya
seeds and I put them in damp vermiculite and 3 have germinated so far.

Hey achetadomestica,

Do you sell your seeds? Im interested in some of those varieties.
 
,William

[Francis_Eric]

I MAde mistake I meant Pelite (not vermiculite , but can be used just air flow is good.)

Note you can use good smelling out door soil (which I'm not against)
just make sure there are no green sticks

This can cause Rotten egg smell (hydrogen Sulfite )
When a problem happens  in vinting  wine (making)  copper is used for it.

What a pain , and a lot or time, and money wasted for nothing if this happens on a large scale

Just be warned , but OUT DOOR SOIL can be very good with the )good) microorganism
In a closed high humidity greenhouse like condition
you can screen this (green Mulch/sticks) out from screen mesh from the hardware store.

Also Do be aware of store bought  Sterile Peat moss in a bag out side (by you)
 where it can ferment in the bag, and cause rotten egg smell.

[Tommyng]

I just throw them in my garden beds and they sprout. Gary, if you need some sugar apple seedlings come on up.

[Francis_Eric]

I made it sound harder than it is
just a couple inches of soil (peat moss) in a gallon bag blow up with air inside seal.
you should see condensation water droplets on the side of the bag in a day or so.
(but so not over water seeds will rot)(

Tommyng That can always work in rich soil good offer of  you.
 I've been having problems with squirrels eating my persimmon seeds , and others (maybe coat cayenne pepper next time)
like Osage Orange for Che rootstock (I want to try grafting onto like others che's  are good tasting)

Glad you actualy posted this stayed awake , and went through seeds I have
Looks Like I got Cornelian Cherry (A dog wood species that mice didn't get into in a broken storage container)
I hope they grow
 (also checked my Gingko biloba sprouts wish I gathered more seed sprouts (ratio) looks Okay though.

If you think About it in the woods (edit) leaves fall break down,
and seeds stay under them building up humidity like a blanket.
Or just look at a compost bin it's warmer then the other soil.

since I do not have room inside for a big tree  For fun I've grown a Mango in a thick dog food bag opened
It grew thick , and fast.

the older ones in full sun with weeks head start barely grew even in time months they didn't out compete the one in humidity.
(edit )Keeping seeds sprouting IN a sealed Bag after leaves form for a while can cause mold this is for getting the roots to form.
(For Pawpaw (a Annonaceae likes acidic soil I like pine bark compost  found in stores.)