How to Get the Seed to Sprout for a Fruit Plant

Save pits from peaches, plums and cherries, as well as seeds from apples and pears. Spread fruit pits and seeds on a cookie sheet, and keep them in a cool, dry place such as a kitchen counter for several days. This allows the shells of the pits to dry and makes them easier to crack.

Crack fruit pits. Place the dried pit in a nutcracker, and apply gentle, steady force until the shell cracks, being careful not to crush the seeds inside. Remove the seeds from the pit. Seeds from fruits that do not have pits are ready for storage. Store the dried seeds in an airtight container, and keep them in the fridge until three to four months prior to the spring planting season.

Soak dry seeds overnight in a plastic container of cold water. Fill coffee cans or small plastic containers three-quarters full of sand, peat moss or an equal amount of each. Ensure the containers are ventilated by poking holes in lids. Place seeds in the mixture -- planting them 1/2 inch to 1 inch below the surface -- and then store in the fridge. This process is called stratification and mimics the moist, cold winter conditions of the natural growing season.

Monitor the seeds daily. Ensure the sand or peat moss mixture is moist, and the temperature of the refrigerator remains 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The germination period ranges from a few days to several months, depending on the fruit. White rootlets sprout from the soil when germination has occurred, and may then be planted in pots or milk cartons to continue growing indoors in preparation for the outdoor growing season.