Custard apple is a popular fruit, widely used to make ice cream, sweets, and sauces. Did you know that in just 10 simple steps, you can successfully grow this fruit at home?

Bhopal-based gardener Shirish Sharma shares a comprehensive guide on planting custard apples using seeds obtained from the market.

1. Choose good quality custard apple seeds for planting. Soak the seeds in water for three to four days, changing the water daily.

2. Place the soaked seeds in tissue paper and keep them in an airtight container. After 10 to 12 days, the seeds will start sprouting.

3. Use a mix of 50 percent vermicompost and 50 percent cocopeat in a small pot. Plant the germinated seeds and water them lightly.

4. Transfer the plants to larger pots after around 10 days. Opt for a 12 to 18-inch pot with a good drainage system for the mature custard apple plant.

5. For the potting mix, use 20 percent sand/cocopeat, 30 percent vermicompost, and garden soil. Add neem cake on top of the mixture.

6. Initially, place the plant in a semi-shaded area for a few days and gradually shift it to a sunny location. Ensure the custard apple tree receives six to eight hours of sunlight daily.

7. Water the plant regularly and maintain proper care throughout its growth stages.

8. Expect the custard apple tree to bear fruits within two to three years, with optimal fruiting after three to four years.

9. Maintain a nutrient-rich soil mix and supplement the plant with cow dung manure, neem cake powder, and banana peel powder mixture regularly. Use biozyme granules for added nutrition.

10. Occasionally weed the soil to keep it aerated. Prune the plant after two years to control its growth.