Ever thought about growing your own lychee tree from that little brown pit? It’s totally possible! Growing lychees from seed is a fun project, but if you want to see those seeds actually turn into fruit-bearing trees, there are a few tricks to getting it right. Even a tiny mistake can stall your progress, so let’s walk through how to do it successfully.
Picking the Right Fruit
If you want seeds that actually sprout, ripeness is everything. While lychee season usually runs from November to March, seeds from those winter batches can be a bit tricky to keep alive through the cold months here. If you can, try to grab fruit imported from places like Israel during the summer months—they tend to have a better success rate in our climate.
When you’re at the grocery store, look for the best of the bunch. You want fruit that is fully ripe, meaning a vibrant red skin with absolutely no green spots. Those are the ones hiding the healthiest, most viable seeds.
Prepping Your Seeds
Once you’ve got your perfect lychees, peel off that red skin and enjoy the fruit! Just be careful as you’re removing the pit—you don’t want to nick or scratch it.
After you’ve separated the seed, give it a quick rinse to get rid of any leftover fruit pulp. Here’s the golden rule: Don’t let the seed dry out. Once a lychee seed goes dry, its chances of germinating drop to almost zero. Drop it immediately into a bowl of lukewarm water. Let it soak until the outer brown shell just starts to crack open, which usually happens within about 24 hours.
Planting Your Seeds
If you’re serious about growing lychees from seed, a mini indoor greenhouse is your best friend. For soil, go with a low-nutrient seed-starting mix; this actually encourages the plant to grow stronger roots. I like to mix a little extra sand into standard potting soil for better drainage.
Here’s your step-by-step planting guide:
- Fill your indoor greenhouse or starter pots with soil.
- Gently press the soil down so it’s firm but not packed.
- Space your seeds out evenly.
- Cover them with about an inch (2 cm) of soil and pat it down lightly.
- Give them a good watering.
Lychees usually take about three to four weeks to sprout. During this time, you’ve got to keep the soil consistently moist. It’s also a good idea to lift the lid of your greenhouse for about ten minutes a day to let some fresh air in. Just make sure the room stays warm—lychees need a steady temperature of at least 77°F (25°C) to wake up and start growing!
