How Do Nectarines Get Started?

Ripe Nectarines

• After nectarines have ripened and fallen naturally from the tree during the cool winter months, the outside skin and meat decay, leaving a core pit exposed to the soil and atmosphere. The pit undergoes a short drying process that lasts for two to three days. Domesticated nectarines are harvested at the time of ripening or slightly after a full ripe condition. The outer meat is removed and the pit is physically cracked open to reveal the almond-like seeds.

Seed Implantation

• Wild nectarine pits crack by pressure and open up during a natural temperature cycle, dispersing seeds into the soil. One or more seeds take root in the soil, while the remainder usually perish. The seeds are then placed inside a moist, soil-laden jar and stored in a refrigerator to simulate a two to three month incubation process. The jar must be monitored during physical harvesting and moisture added as necessary.

Seed Sprouting

• In the wild, the nectarine seeds will begin to sprout in early spring, or at the early onset of summer. The tiny buds, having taken root, will break the soil's surface and grow as a result of the photosynthesis process. During the physical harvesting process, when the seeds have sprouted, they must be transferred to a favorable outside location, or a very large soil-filled pot. Domesticated nectarine seedlings will bud a little faster than the wild variety, but they must be watered and sheltered through the delicate, early growing process.

Growth To Maturity

• Nectarine trees grow heartily in the wild without any assistance. Run-off water transports and supplies the necessary nutrients to the root systems, and direct sunlight promotes strong vertical growth. Domestic nectarine trees have a growth rate somewhat faster than the wild types, since a person can monitor and assist their development. Domesticated nectarine trees require a neutral Ph level, a small water containment earth ring and a layer of mulch at least 2 inches thick over their base. Wild or domestic nectarine trees require little trimming, except to remove dead or diseased leaves.

Fruit-bearing Stage

• Nectarine trees reach the fruit-bearing stage in five to six years or more, depending upon the weather and precipitation conditions. They can grow as high as 20 feet and produce fruit every spring, if they survive insect and rodent infestations.