Why would anyone want to grow a mirabelle plum tree from a seed? Possibly to test your own patience. But the wait could be in vain. Because a Mirabelle seed is not so easy to coax into a tree by the ignorant. We'll tell you how to have the best chances.
How to grow a mirabelle plum tree from a core?
To grow a mirabelle plum tree from a core, you should collect ripe fruits, remove and clean the cores, soak them in water for a few days, then plant them 1-2 cm deep in permeable soil and wait until seedlings in spring appear.
Reach for ripe fruit
Ripe fruits contain a fully ripe core. This is important if you want to propagate a mirabelle plum tree from it. You will be on the safe side if you pick up freshly fallen fruit from the ground. Because unless a violent storm takes them from the tree, they only detach themselves from the branch “ready to reproduce”.
Tip
Mirabelle trees produce plenty, so you won't be short of suitable fruit. Use as many of them for your own cultivation to increase the chances of successful germination.
De-seeding and cleaning mirabelle plums
You have to get rid of the pulp and only work with the inner core, which is surrounded by a hard shell. How you separate the pulp from the core is up to you, as long as you don't destroy the core.
- Nibble on the pulp
- use a stoner
- remove with knife
Tip
If there are still a lot of pulp residues stuck to the core, it can become moldy due to the moisture. Place the kernels in a towel and rub vigorously until all residue is removed.
Soaking mirabelle seeds
Don't crack the hard shell! In due course the plant will free itself from it. Fill a bucket with water and place the seeds in it for several days. Place the bucket outside in a shady place.
Find a suitable place
In the meantime, you can look for a suitable spot in the garden. The soil should be permeable so that the kernels do not become wet later and start to rot. Alternatively, you can fill pots with normal garden soil to which you add a little sand for better permeability. The pot must also have drainage holes.
Planting seeds
Place the seeds about 1-2 cm deep into the soil depending on their size and forget about them for a while. Nature will do the rest of the work. Check back next time in the spring. If you had a lucky hand, you can admire the first seedlings. As soon as the young trees have reached a size, select the strongest specimen and plant it in its final location.
Don't miss the harvest ?
Regardless of what type of mirabelle plum it is and how good the care is, you have to wait about 6 years for a mirabelle tree grown from the core before it gives you the first fruits. Whether they will taste the same as those of the mother plant depends on which gene combination the kernel carried.
