How to germinate grape seeds

Grapes are one of the fruits that we like to consume the most. There are many types: sweeter, more acidic, large, small ... and in two colors, green or black. Seed or seedless. But, have you ever thought that a vine could grow out of those seeds and have your own grapes in the garden? Do you want to learn how to germinate grape seeds?

If we have caught your attention and you want to know if the process is fast, if it is successful and, above all, if you can carry it out, here we give you the keys to do it. You just have to arm yourself with a little patience to achieve the goal you want.

How to get grape seeds

The first thing to learn how to germinate grape seeds is, without a doubt, to have that material. That is, get the seeds that you will need to grow a plant from them.

These seeds are none other than the seeds of grapes. However, for some time now, supermarkets sell many grapes that are seedless, which will mean that you will not have the option of picking them.

A grape that has just been harvested, or that is from an orchard, would always be better than one from a supermarket. The reason is that the longer they remain on the vines, the more mature the fruit is, but also the seeds. And it is that the ones you buy in stores may have been taken while green, so that in the process until reaching the store, they will just mature. Also, there are many types of grapes to choose from.

Another aspect that you should keep in mind is that the new plants you get from a vine or vine are not going to be the same as the mother plant. That is, even if you take seeds from a vine that you know come out great, that does not mean that the new plant will come out the same, as it happens with others. Yes it will come out similar but there will be nuances that will differentiate it. And this is because all seeds have a unique characteristic, natural genetic variability, which serves to differentiate themselves from each other.

When to plant grape seeds

Now that you know where to get the grape seeds from, and the peculiarities that these have, the next thing to know is when you can plant them. Can you just get them? Do they have to be dried? Are they planted per year?

Actually there is no set date for planting grape seeds. This means that they can be planted at any time of the year. Now, it is true that, to have a greater probability, it would be more appropriate to do it in early spring, since the plant (or future plant) will be more active. Also this way you avoid frosts that can freeze the seed and that it does not come out.

The problem with this is that, if the grapes from which you want the seeds are the first (that is, October, November), there are many months that you have to wait, and sometimes the seeds end up drying out. But it is easy to solve: how about plants indoors? In this way, the temperature and the cold will not be a problem, being able to create a mini-greenhouse at home so that the plants begin to grow and then plant them in the ground or in a pot in early spring.

How to germinate grape seeds

You already know how to get grape seeds and when to plant them. But how to do it? We will give you the steps so that in the end you have a little plant that grows as strong as possible and that, with the passage of time, gives you some grapes.

Wash the seeds

Once you have the seeds you want, you will know that they are covered with the pulp of the grape. This must be removed because, if you leave it, the only thing it will do is rot the seed. So take time to wash each of the seeds with soap and water.

After doing so, you will notice that the seeds are no longer slippery. If you see that in the first wash they remain the same, it is convenient that you wash them again, perhaps with the help of a sponge or a used toothbrush, so as not to leave a trace of the pulp.

A trick that many experts do is that, once they wash them, they immerse them in a liquid composed of hydrogen peroxide and water (1 part of hydrogen peroxide and 9 parts of water). This serves to disinfect the seed 100% and also to germinate much earlier. In the same way, when they have already gone through this process, many what they do is remove a little of the skin of the seed in order to shorten the germination time.

Simulate winter

The seeds you get from grapes have a recorded germination process inside them. And it is that these plants know that can't germinate seeds right away, but a cold period has to pass to activate it.

And how do we make it happen? Well, it's easy: putting them in the refrigerator. But not as is.

You must place the seed between two damp napkins, and if possible cover the container with plastic wrap with holes so that it breathes. Now, put them in the fridge for at least a month.

The stage of germinating grape seeds

After that time, you must remove the seed since it is ready to germinate. Once you open the container, you may find seeds that have not germinated and others that have.

Those that have germinated you should place them in a pot with substrate. Those that don't, change the napkins, put them wet and put them in a place that is more than 20 degrees. This will make the seeds germinate in a few days (if they do not germinate in a week, they are useless).

You will only have to plant the seeds as they germinate.

How to plant grape seeds

The seeds are ready to be planted, and for this you will need small pots filled with a substrate rich in nutrients. You don't need to plant these seeds too deep. Making a small hole with your finger to put it in will be more than enough, letting the tip of the seed be very close to the outside to help it grow without having to make much effort.

Of course, it is important that you try maintain a temperature of at least 20 degrees And that you water it by spraying, since if you add water directly, the seed will not be strong enough to support it and it can come out of the ground.

It will take 2-8 weeks to grow. And when you have it about 8 centimeters high you can transplant it to a larger pot (but also indoors, only when it is 30 cm and 5 leaves can you consider putting it outside.

Do you dare to germinate grape seeds?