How to Germinate American Black Cherry Tree Seeds

Outdoor Germination

• 1

  Prepare the garden bed, clearing it of any weeds or foreign materials and loosening the top 4 to 6 inches of soil. Create a furrow that is no more than twice as deep as the seed. Sow the seeds within that furrow, lightly covering the seeds with garden soil.

• 2

  Add 1 to 2 inches of sand on top of the soil to prevent the soil from crusting. Crusting slows or halts the germination process.

• 3

  Place a wire screen over the row of seeds, pushing the ends 2 to 3 inches into the ground. The screen prevents wildlife from disturbing the seeds.

• 4

  Begin watching the garden bed in April. After seedlings begin growing, remove the wire screen from the row. The screen may restrict plant growth, decreasing the odds of ultimate success. When seedlings reach heights of 6 to 8 inches, apply 2 tablespoons of urea along the planting. Apply the fertilizer only on one side of the young plants, 3 inches away from the stems. Water seedlings once every 10 to 12 days.

Refrigerator Germination

• 5

  Place seeds in a glass jar or another container with a lid or cover. Place the container in a cool location, storing the seeds until the middle of January. Seeds can be stored for up to one year in airtight containers that are placed in a cool environment.

• 6

  Remove the seeds from the jar in mid-January. Mix them with moist shredded paper towels, sand or peat moss. Place the mixture back into the original container and place into the refrigerator for 60 days or more. After the danger of frost has passed in the spring, prepare a garden bed by loosening the top 2 to 4 inches of soil. Create a furrow that is no deeper than twice the size of the seeds. Plant the seeds in the furrow, covering lightly with soil.

• 7

  Maintain soil moisture. Water every 10 to 14 days, keeping the soil moist but not wet. Within 30 days of germination, the seedlings grow to heights of 2 to 4 inches.