Growing Sapota Plant from chiku seeds

Sapota Plant care is not difficult but does require vigilance. The sapota vines need to be trained early when they are young. You may use sapota plant ties or just weave them through trellis sections. Fertilize the Chikoo plant in spring just before new growth appears. Pinch off the tips of the vines in the second year to promote branching which will fill the trellis with bushy growth of plant.

Sapota fruit can be grown in a variety of soils but sandy loam, deep alluvium, and well-drained medium black soils with pH 6.0-8.0 are ideal for sapota farming. However, shallow clay soils underlaid with hardpan or high calcium contents does not support Chikoo tree planting.

• Seed propagation of Sapota fruit is common however, Sapota trees grown from seed can take up to 7 years to produce fruit.
• Choose a ripe Sapota fruit and cut it open with a sharp knife. Extract the Sapota seeds and rinse them of all pulp of Sapota.
• Crack the coat of each chiku seed before planting to increase the chances of the germination process. Then place a chiku seed between two wooden boards and apply light pressure to the top board. A hairline crack in the chiku seed is ideal.
• Plant Chiku seeds in the soil-free potting medium, no more than 14 days after harvesting, because Sapota seeds do poorly in storage. Be sure that the pointed side of each seed faces up about 1/2-inch from the surface of the soil. Water the plant each seed deeply.
• Continue watering deeply throughout germination, which occurs in 2 to 4 weeks, and through sapota seedling growth. Once seedlings outgrow their pots, transfer them to larger containers.
• Choose an outdoor Landscape space once trees grow between 2 and 4 feet tall. Select an area with well-drained soil that receives full sunlight, and with no nearby structures.
• Water each sapota tree thoroughly before planting. Dig holes 30 feet apart that are 3 to 4 times wider than the root ball and 3 times as deep as the tree's container. Tamp down soil once sapota trees are planted.
• Mulch newly planted Sapota trees with about 2 to 6 inches of wood chip mulch, staying 8 to 12 inches away from the trunk of each sapota tree. Water each sapota tree about 1 to 2 inches of water.