Plants From Pits

The book Plants from Pits: How to Grow a Garden From Kitchen Scraps by Holly Farrell

Chapter 1
How Plants Grow
What are pits? - seeds of plant/ fruit ovary of plant
whats inside a pit? a pit contains everything to enable the plant to sprout such as
Cotyledons - nutrients such as carb, fats/ oils
Monocotylendenous - grasses
dictotyledenous - most flower plants
Embryo - contains root (radicle) and shoot (plumule) connected to structure called hypocotyl.
Seed Coat- Skin of seed. It will determined characteristics to germination- hardness, chemical smoke -etc
Seeds with endosperm- an additional storage of energy

How do plants spread their Pits?
Dispersal Air, water, explosion and digestion
How pits grow? normal seed timelapse
Growing from pits? many tropical plants are unlikely to bear fruit in cold climates

Chapter 2
How to Grow Plants Successfully?
Gathering the pits? a grocery store, farmers market, etch
tips for choosing fruit/ vegetable
pick fresh and never frozen, dried, cooked or treated
buy organic
don't go seedless (all bananas)
choose variety
take time to ripen fruit
wash seeds

What plants need to grow well? - light, water, dirt, air mixture
Where to grow the pits?- indoors- windowsills - sun lovers south/west & non- sun lovers east/north-beware of a cold draft from windows ---outdoors --Fullsun 6-8hrs sun, partial sun 3-5 hrs, ground near house is in rainshadow and ground is dry
Basic equipment - pots/trays, saucers/trays, compost, a trowel, a sharp knife, a sieve, clear plastic covers, labels, pen, watering can, A spray and misting bottle, a dibbler, a pair of pruners, a spade, a rake, a trowel and hand fork
What to grow pits in indoors- Pots- be mindful of materials-- Trays, heated propagators, compost-seedling mix-- recycled containers - be careful of metal containers in the sun
What to grow pits in outdoors- you can be creative with containers, the ground -- preparing it -- dig/turn soil, remove weeds, remove large stones, spread compost, tread down soil & rake level-- soil types Sandy- mix lots of compost, Clay- horse manure or compost not fully rotten,
Sowing the pits - keep moist, packed and label --special treatment - a fake winter, testing seed viability, breaking shell, turning up heat
Watering - keep soil damp, don't let it dry out and don't flood
Feeding - compost, slow release or liquid, balanced nutrients - nitrogen, phosphate and potassium (K)...NPK

Chapter 3
The Pits - 
Avocado - Easiness Medium/ Patience Medium Method 1 soak for 48 hrs in tepid water - sides will be easy to pierce. Take pointy end upward. Use toothpick to pierce pit's side & roughly in the middle of pit. Another two pits around circum. Fill jar with water and half submerge pit in water. Balance toothpicks on jar. Keep in warm sunny spot, change water every few days. Germination will take a few weeks. Roots grow first. Once shoot has 4 leaves - transplant in compost. Temp = 68F, height 6 1/2 feet

Method 2
Plant pit in pre watered compost with pointed end upward. It is half submerged in compost. Put pit in whole plastic bag and fasten it at top. Keep pot somewhere warm-- on a heater if possible or heated propagator( without bag). Make sure compost stays moist. Germination will take a few weeks. Once shoot is visible, remove bag.

Care
keep sunny spot in warm room 68F. Needs big Pot. Support Stem. If you want bushy, once it has 10 leaves, cut top.

Melon and watermelon - Easy/ Short- melons & watermelons are ripe when they smell sweet & sound hollow. Keep fruit a day or two beyond this before scooping out. Wash pits in sieve - use a little dishwashing fluid. Sow individually in small pots or the cells in modular seed tray. The seedlings dislike thier roots being distrubed. Keep pots/ tray at 61F. Germination 1-2 weeks.

Care - sunny, warm spot. 2 gal pot repot. To fruit, they need to be at 77F, constant moisture and regular feeding. 3 pairs of leaves, take out tip and top pair to encourage side shoots. Take tips of side shoots as well, to form 8 stems. tie stems to supports if space is limited. Provide support for any growing fruit. pantyhose. 61 F  6 1/2 FT

Citrus - Easy/ medium - space seeds in tray- some seeds are polyembryonic - they will produce more than one shoot from single seed. Put pot in bag and seal the top or cover seed tray. Keep compost moist and pots at 61-70F Germination 2-8 weeks. Once shoots appear, remove cover and keep in warm place. 43F 3-6 1/2Ft 

very sunny, clean leaves, need to be protected from frost (fleece).  57 F to produce fruit. they like to have soil almost dry  between waterings. If it starts to fruit. Don't let it dry out. Remove side branches 2 years and use support.

Passion Fruit - Easy/ Medium -need to be allowed to ferment in fruit juices. Keep fruit until it has shriveled up to half its original size but still moist. -buy more than one fruit to test this--sqeeze pits onto paper towel, wash in seive and dry on plate. --or cut open, scoop and leave in covered bowl till drying out -it will ferment & smell. -- Cut off mold, wash in sieve and dry. Sow seeds once dry in prewatered compost. 68-77F anf germinate 2-4 weeks.

care
8-12 in transplant. give support stakes. Final pot, no smaller than 14 inch.  suitable for cuttings.
Lychee - East/ Short -- Lychee turns dark brown, score with knife top to bottom & peel shiny pit. Remove & Wash. Must be sown right away. Plant in pot of Prewatered compost. 70F. compost should not dry out. 2-3 weeks.
Care
repot - use ericaceous compost (acid loving plant) mixed with grit for drainage. room temp, sunny. Water with rain water, moe acidic. Takes 3 1/2 years to get 6 1/2 Ft.  59F 6 1/2 Ft.
Cape Gooseberrry- Easy/short- 2methods for extracting seed- put fruit in small bowl and smash with spoon. Add water and leave for an hour or two. Flesh foats, pits sinks. Pour water and flest, collect pits.

Or suash in seive and cheescloth--wash under running water. dry on plate. Prewatered compost. pour a little bit on tip- seedlings want a little light. Put plastic bag on top and keep soil moist. Pits will germinate in 2-3 weeks. 60-64F. Remove bag when shoots appear.

Care
5 leaves, repotted. Support stem. no risk of frost. sunny spot. Tips can be pinched to make bushy. 34F 4ft.

Papaya - Easy/ Short- Cut papaya open and scoop pits onto paper towel. Wash pits in seive. Can be kept in fridge for few days in moist paper towel or sown right away. Sow in prewatered compost. Put bag on top or heat. 70- 80F germinate.

2-4 weeks germinate. Remove bag when shoots appear. Grow quickly, want to be warm but not excessively, prone to fungal infections and is important not to get water on the leaves.

Care
Repot into final pot. sensitive - do not like to be disturbed. warm, bright sun, moist, loves food. 55F 11 1/2 ft.

 mango - Medium/ Long
Method 1
remove pit & wash. Husk will be hairy. Make nick in husk on flatter edge. leave in water at 70F for 2 weeks. Change water daily. Remove from jar & plants. Put bag over, if no shoot.

Method 2
Cleaned husk to dry overnight. Use strong pair of scissors, clip out triangle shape at flatter end. Pry sides apart & push pit into prewatered compost. Keep bagged at 70F.  2 months germination. and then transfer to bright spot. Seedlings need to be acclimatizing to drier air. remove for a few hours first.

Care
Like acidic conditions. High potassium feed in summer. Less watering in winter. bright, warm spot out of direct sunlight. prune tips to make bushy.

Kiwi - Easy/ Medium Scoope into seive and wash off flesh. Sow into pot of pre-watered compost & put in bag. Sunny windowsill and make sure soil does not dry. Germination takes 4 weeks. Remove bag. Mock winter for month if nothing. Repot 2 inch tall.

Care
Repot & give support. 
Pomegranate- Easy/ Short
leave in fruit after 2 weeks after eaten. outer skin hard and wrinkly. open fruit and scoop juice sacs containing pits. Sqeeze onto paper towel to get pits. Wash. Sow or Dry. Sow in prewatered compost and seal in plastic bag. 70F -ideally heated. 5-10days germination. Once pits sprout, keep at sunny window.

care
4 inch repot.  32F 6 1/2Ft

Dates - Easy/ Medium extract the pit from fuit by scoring from top to bottom, peel back flesh, and wash it well. Hard outer coating, soften it by soaking for 48hrs in a jelly jar or glass or water. --dry pits after washing and rub with Sand paper until rough. Put layer of compost in plastic food bag lay pits on top. Seal bag and put in warm dark place. Check the bag daily for signs of growth...keep moist but not soggy. Shoots appear 3-6 weeks.

Care
Once a plant has produced a shoot, put it in a pot--about 2/3 below the surface.
Keep plant on warm, sunny windowsill out of drafts and take care not to over water.

61F 5Ft

Dragon Fruit (pitaya) Medium/ Medium
Scoop out pits and press into sieve lined with cheesecloth. Wash. Take and dry onto a plate. Prepare pot with compost. Use cacti compost mix. seedling mix to perlite in 2/3 to 1/3 ratio. Fill pot, leaving 1/3 in lip and water.  Press pits on top of compost and seal in a bag/ or heat and keep at 64-70F. Mist surface with spray bottle. Keep in warm, sunny spot. \. Pits should germinate in 2-4 weeks.

Care
Keep in warm bright spot. Repot.

Grapes-  Medium/ Long
Wash in seive and soak for 24hours in glass of water. Sow in pre watered compost and seal in bag. Put in fridge for 6 weeks. The pits need to be kept at 34-37F all of the time. Check regularly that compost is moist and water is required.

Once mock winter is over. Move pot or tray into the warm. Room temp 64-68F. Such as a sunny windowsill. The pits should germinate in 2-3weeks.

Care'Pot each seedling into its own pot and keep in sunny place. They require a lot of water.
14F 5ft

Olives- Hard/ Long
Clean pits of any flesh, then soak in jam jar of water for 20 days. Discard any pits that float to the top. Change water every 3 days. This will soften the pit to allow water to come in. Drain. Once dry, carefully rub pits all over with sandpaper. Don't take off too much. Trying to take chemicals on top. Sow in pot of prewater compost. it now needs chilling for 2-3 months Fridge. Check to make sure compost is moist but not wet.

Move to a windowsill. Germination may take up to two months.
14F 5Ft.  

Fig -Hard/ Long - Separate figs from flesh by scooping the flesh into a bowl and adding water. Mash and squash flesh by hand and leave it for an hour or so. Flesh will float. Pits will sink. Scrape off surface with fork and discard, then carefully pour off water, leaving rest of fig pits in bowl. Add more water and leave overnight. In the morning rest of the flesh should have floated away. Discard any pits that have floated. Sow pits n pre watered compost, put whole plastic bag and tie on top. Put in warm place 64-68F. Check daily to ensure that compost remains moist. Germination should happen in tow months. When pits have shoots, remove bag.

  
Peanut -Easy/ short
Choose peanuts with shells still intact. Crack and remove shells. Soak peanuts in jam jar or glass of water for 12 hours, discard any that float. Sow in pot of prewatered compost -need lots of surface space to grow. Put in warm sunny place 70F and check daily. 2-3 weeks germination.

Care
select strongest seedling per pot. Short and sturdy. and putt out the outher. Compost always moist. 61F 1-2 Ft.

Tomato - Medium/ Short- Coating that inhibits germination has to be remove. Leave out, until it is about to go moldy. Scoop and wash in pieve to remove all traces of juice. Tip pits onto a dry plate. Alternatively ferment the coating away. Put juice and pits in small bowl and 50% water to volume of juice. Leave for 3 days, stirring twice daily. The mix will become covered in mold or start to bubble. Add same volume of water again and stir. Viable seeds will sink. Rest can be poured off the top. Rinse by adding more water and pouring twice before straining through a sieve and leaving to dry on plate. Sow pits in prewatered compost 68F ideal. Ensure compost stays moist. germ in 1-2 weeks.

Repot seedlings

Capsicum and Chile Pepper - Easy/short- cut open pepper and rub seeds off white pith onto plate. They can be sown right away. Sow pits in prewatered compost and seal in plastic bag. They will germinate at 64-70 F but benefit from base heat. Keep compost moist. They should germinate in 1-2 weeks, When shoots are aeen, remove bag. Keep in warm- well- lit place.

Only plant outdoors once night time temps are above 60F. Give them high K fertilizer.

Pumpkins and Squash - Easy/short - Scrape away and wash. Seedlings are slow growing. 50F 61/2 Ft.
Apples and Pears - easy/ long- sow clean pits into prewatered compost. put about 5 in a pot. Put in fridge for 2 months. If sown outside, put netting over pits. Sunny windowsill. Should germinate in 3-8 weeks. Keep compost moist. 

Plums and Apricots Peaches and nectarines - Easy/Long- clean pit and put in glass of water for 48 hours. Sow in prewatered compost and leave in the fridge for 2-3 months. Use netting for protection outside. Move pot to warm, sunny spot, where it should germinate within a few months. It could take as long as 18 months.

Keep re-potting as tree gets bigger.

Cherries-wash and sow. several pits in one pot. Fridge for 3 months and then move to sunny windowsill. Germination should take in a couple of months.

Peaches/ Nectarines -  Easy/ Long- Clean and leave to dry on windowsill for 3 days. One pit per pot sowing. Dislike root disturbances. Chill pots in fridge for 2-3 months. After mock winter, move pot to sunny windowsill, where temps are 59-68F. Put on heater. Pits should germinate in couple of months.
Gooseberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and white currants- Easy/ Medium- Sieve and wash. Dry on plate. Sow and cover with netting. Put in fridge for 2-3 months. Move to warm sunny spot. should germinate in few months.
Blueberries and cranberries - Easy/ Medium - Squash into sieve lined cheesecloth and wash pits. Sow. Fit netting on top. Store in fridge 32-41F for 2-3 months. Move pot to sunny window. Germination will happen 2 months. repot, using ericaceous compost -like acid. Add sulfur.
strawberries and raspberries and black berries -Easy/ Medium -strawberries pick off with point of a knife and wash in sieve with cheesecloth. Sow - the pits should germinate in 4 weeks. 

Raspberry and Black berry- Squash in sieve with cheesecloth and wash flesh to extract pits. The pits will need a period of 1 month cold. Put in fridge. ensuring compost remains moist. Once out, move to warm spot. they should germinate in a month.

Looking after Plants after they Grow-- these other things I'll get from around town. 
Repotting- water before moving it. 
Planting out - make sure to harden off your plant before moving it out. Prepare ground. 
Keeping plants to size - removing tip. 
Supporting tall plants and climbers -tying in 
Pests - prevention is best. Big, Aphids, Slugs, Caterpillars, Mealybug Mildew, Viruses
+iseases
Problems- under watering/ over watering. nutrient deficiency, leaf scorch, physical damage. 
Taking Cuttings - learn this elsewhere. 

Further resource
American Horticultural Society Website
Grow your own: For kids by Chris Collins 
Rodale's Vegetable Garden Problem Solver by Fern Marshall Bradley 
American Horticultural Society Propagation by ALan Toogood
American Horticultural SOciety Pruning and Training by Cristopher Brickell and David Joyce 
The AHS Pest and Diseases by pippa Greenwood and Andrew

Seeds: the ultimate Guide to growing successfully from seed by Jekka McVicar

Vegetable and Fruit Gardening by Michail Pollock 

Asian Vegetables by Sally Cunningham 
Son't Throw it! Grow It By Deborah Peterson and Millicient Selsam 

Local Gardening Group s