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If you are looking to grow plants in your garden, Barbados cherry may be the perfect addition. They are not that big in size and can even be planted in pots.
The tree of this cherry is evergreen and looks attractive for a small garden as well.
In this article, I will guide you step-by-step on how to grow a Barbados cherry tree from seed easily.
So, let’s get started:
Table of Contents
About barbados cherry
Also known as acerola cherry, Barbados cherries are tropical fruits. They are shiny, bright red fruit which looks like miniature apples. They contain yellow-orange, soft, juicy pulp inside. This tropical cherry is native to West Indies.
Now, let’s learn how to grow a Barbados cherry tree from seed:
#1 Collecting the seeds
If you are growing barbados cherry from seeds, obviously the most important thing you would require is its seeds. Growing them from seeds is an inexpensive and fun method.
You can get the seeds easily from your local garden center or you can collect them from the fruit itself.
#2 Preparing the seeds
If you use seeds from the fruit which is just picked from the tree, you do not do any hard work for preparing the seed. But, there are a few things to do if you have taken the seeds of the fruit from the grocery.
You should know that the grocery stores the fruit by refrigerating them which obstructs the germinating process of the seed. So, to avoid that, you need to put the seeds in warm water for about 5 minutes. After soaking the seeds, dry them naturally for about 5 days in a paper towel.
Once the seeds are dried, keep them in an airtight container for about ten weeks at a cold temperature. You can do this same process to store the seeds if you have plucked the seeds before summer.
#3 Planting the seeds
Planting the seeds is quite easy if proper conditions for germination are met. After storing the seeds at a cold temperature, let them warm up to room temperature.
Now, you should be ready to sow the seeds in the soil. You can plant the seeds in both lands and in containers by digging a hole of about 2 inches. Place the seed and cover it with soil and water the soil thoroughly. Make sure that you leave enough space between the seeds of about 15 feet.
#4 Managing the grown seed
The method of growing Barbados cherries from seed takes a long time. Depending on the climate, temperature, and moisture, the seed would take a couple of weeks to several months for germinating.
When the seedlings become 2 inches or 5 cm tall, you need to make sure that they are kept thin, Remove the weakest grown plant leaving the sturdiest ones. They grow well in moisture at about 75-80 F of temperature.
If the seeds grow in the cold season, keep them indoors to save them against frost. Once the warm season comes, transplant them outside in your garden. During transplantation, make sure that you keep the plants 6m (20 feet) apart.
#5 Caring for the plant
There are several things to consider while the plant bears fruit. You need to take proper care of the plant which includes watering, fertilization, disease control, and others.
Here are some of the important cares that your plant requires:
Watering the plant with a suitable amount is important for any plant to grow healthy. For the Barbados plant, you need to water it daily making the soil moist. Also, do not waterlog the soil.
Fertilizing is a way of feeding the plant. This would help plant growth. You should apply citrus fertilizers once the plant starts growing.
Pruning helps for making the plant look attractive as these plants tend to grow bushy. Pruning also helps in removing the diseased part of the plant body.
Pest control helps to avoid the problems caused by pests like aphids, scales, borers, and whiteflies. They affect plant growth and production as well. So, pest control for the plant is necessary.
#6 Harvesting Barbados cherries
You can harvest the cherries after about 22-25 days from the end of flowering. The cherries gradually change color from green to yellow to red. Once, the cherries are red, you can harvest them.
During harvesting, be careful to pick the fruit gently as the plants are delicate to damage. The plant of this cherry flowers almost every year and bears fruit for about 15 years. So, enjoy harvesting Barbados cherries every year.
So, that’s all the steps you need to follow while growing a healthy Barbados cherry.
Many gardeners who are planning to grow this fruit in their garden have some common questions:
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few frequently asked questions about Barbados cherries:
How big do their plants get?
Barbados cherry is a small tree with an average height of 12 feet (3.6 m). They are evergreen plant that bears pink flowers throughout the summer and is about 2 cm (nearly 1 inch) in diameter.
What can you do with Barbados cherries?
Barbados cherries are considered a superfood because of the high amount of vitamin C they contain. They also contain other ingredients like potassium and fiber.
The high content of vitamin C and antioxidant helps for maintaining the immune system and protects the body against viruses, infections, bacteria, and other harmful things. They do great on building collagen, protecting mucus membranes, and preventing scurvy.
If you want to grow Barbados cherries economically, you can earn a huge profit as they are popular worldwide. They can be used for manufacturing jams, jellies, desserts, ice creams, sauces, and many more.
Can you eat Barbados cherry?
Barbados cherry is red in color so it is mostly used for making wine, creams, pies, and sauces. The cherries can be eaten raw but don’t expect them to be sweet because most of the cherries have a tart flavor. They contain the highest amount of vitamin C among all the fruits which is beneficial.
What is the taste of Barbados cherry?
Usually, Barbados cherries taste sweet like an apple but many of the cherries produce a tart flavor. The deep crimson-colored fruit can be eaten raw.
Is Barbados cherry good?
Barbados cherry contains nutrients like Vitamin C which is good for your health. In fact, they contain the highest amount of Vitamin C than any other fruits. So, if you are planning for delicious yet healthy food, then you can switch to Barbados cherries.
What are the benefits of Barbados cherries?
Barbados cherries are a good supplement for your body. Rich in Vitamin C, the fruit has tons of benefits for your health. It helps to boost your Immunity and improves metabolism. However, it also provides benefits to your digestion system. If you are suffering from Diabetes, cherries help to main the sugar level in your blood as well. What’s more? The fruit also has anti-aging properties which help slow down the aging effects on your skin and body.
How do you know when Barbados cherry is ripe?
To find out whether a barbados cherry is ripe or not, you have to observe the color of the fruit. When the barbados cherry starts turning to dark red or purple then the barbados cherry has been ripe and you can harvest the fruits easily as they tend to fall off the branches very easily.
Is Barbados cherry a true cherry?
Barbados cherries are one of the sweetest and most nutritious cherries. In fact, they are rich in ascorbic acid and Vitamin C. They have the same shape and size as a true cherry with scarlet skin and golden flesh.
Conclusion
You should manifest enough love and care to the plant for better production of Barbados cherries. Also, make sure to use high-quality seeds for growing the plant faster. If you have any queries on how to grow Barbados cherry from seed, please comment to me down below.
