Congrats Andrew! How very exciting for you. I can't wait to see pics. ( :
Bo

cherimoya seeds are easy to germinate, not so easy to nurse into the sapling stage

mango kush, For those of us sprouting cherimoya seeds for the first time (or have difficulty germinating any kind seeds) this is very exciting! Your experience and expertise might put you in a different class but for us newbies, we're very proud of this milestone.
Bo

Mango kush,
Any advise for me now? They will need to go into small pots for now and I will have to do that tomorrow. I know right now, that I all ready have more than I need so hopefully somebody will want some of them. I really don't want to trash them but I wasn't sure how well they would germinate, especially being fresh seeds. Thanks for the help.
Bo,
You are too kind and I will definetly send you some cherimoya saplings or maybe the germinated seeds.
Anyone that would like some just let me know. I have plenty to share!
Andrew

i planted all the seeds from a cherimoya in a pot last year and they all sprouted, i wasnt able to get one to maturity though, they probably needed more shade and they werent too precious to me so they died.

Could it have been the heat? I have heard that they are more difficult to grow in Florida because of the heat. Is that true?
Andrew

Are you going to keep them in containers?

Do you keep these seedlings in pure shade for a while? At what month/size do you expose them to sun and how much sun?

When I planted cherimoya seeds last year about this time (maybe a month or two earlier) I tried the top of the refrigerator with 6 seeds in a 4-in pot, not knowing what to expect. I also just potted up a bunch in a 6-in pot and tossed them in my then cold frame which was anything but on most days.

Just about everything came up, and by the time each had a few leaves I dumped the lot out (gently) and teased them apart, putting individuals into deeper pots (got to watch that tap root!) until they were about half a foot tall (by that time, out of the cold frame and/or the house). I had them all in full sun (but I live at the coast).

Once they had reached a promising size I put them into 1 gal nursery containers and there they lived until I grafted them all last month. They seemed to do just fine, most reaching a height of 12-18 in, with a decent caliber of stock (lower on the trunk) for grafting.

All the grafts seem to have taken so they will be moving to larger quarters shortly to grow out for a year. Hopefully by then I will have a place ready to plant some of them

Hello TJ,
Yeah I would have to keep them in containers since winters in western NY are WAY TO COLD!! I have all ready got a few people wanting them, and anyone else who is interested can email me. I bought a grafted Fino so I would have a better chance of getting fruit faster. I only intend on keeping a few for myself.
Stu,
I will keep them indoors for a few more weeks and then gradually move them into full sun so I don't shock them and also so they don't end up with sun scorched leaves.
Steve,
Thanks for the info. My goal is to be able to graft them. I have been told that grafting is best done when the bud wood and the root stock are dormant? Is that when you did it?

I was told to graft when the seedlings dropped their leaves (semidormancy), generally in April sometime. But...by that time I was keeping my seedlings in a small greenhouse I had built the previous Fall and they didn't seem to want to shed their leaves. They just kept growing. Finally I noticed lower, dormant buds on the trunks starting to push new growth and decided that there was enough action to make a successful graft (being a total novice anyway). All I can say is that it worked for me.

How are the seedlings doing?

Andrew, I think you are supposed to graft them when the rootstock is growing and the budwood is dormant.