How to Plant a Grape Seed

Growing grapes from a grape seed will not give you vineyard quality fruit. It will, however, be an interesting gardening project and provide you with a striking garden ornamental that will eventually bear fruit. Grape seeds are a challenge to germinate and must be stratified first, according to Cornell University's Grape Breeding Program. Stratification is a process wherein the gardener mimics the conditions that nature provides the seed so that it ends dormancy. Begin stratifying your grape seed in late December or early January

Cut the grape in half lengthwise and pick out the seed with a knife or other pointed object.

Rinse off any grape pulp that is clinging to the seed.

Place the seed in a shallow bowl and cover it with distilled water. Allow it to soak for 24 hours.

Drain the water and place the seed in a handful of moist sand. Place the sand into a plastic bag, seal the bag and refrigerate it for three months.

Mix equal parts of sand, peat moss and perlite and pour the mixture into a peat pot. Place the pot in a shallow tray and pour enough water into the tray to reach 1/2 of the way up the side of the pot. Remove the pot from the tray when the top of the soil is moist.

Remove the bag from the refrigerator and the seed from the sand.

Combine five parts of water to one part of household bleach and pour it into a small bowl. Drop the grape seed into the solution and allow it to soak for 15 minutes. Stir the seed twice during this time.

Pour the contents of the bowl over a strainer to drain.

Push the seed 1 inch into the soil in the peat pot and cover it with soil. Do not pack the soil down over the seed.

Place the peat pot in an area where the temperature remains between 80 and 85 degrees F. A greenhouse is ideal. The grape seed does not require light to germinate. Keep the soil in the peat pot moist at all times.

Move the peat pot into an area with bright light, but not direct sunlight, when the grape seed has germinated. This should occur within two weeks of planting.

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Plant the entire peat pot into the grape vine's permanent location in June. Keep the soil moist while the grape becomes established.