How to Grow a Citrus Tree from Seed

You can grow a citrus tree from a seed anytime of the year, though summer is best.  Most fruit trees are best grown from grafted trees for quicker fruiting.

Lemons, grapefruit, lime, tangerine, orange etc. are easily grown with great results.

Sprout and grow a seed from a great-tasting specimen and there is a chance of, sweet, juicy fruit from your own tree in only three to six years.
For those of you who live in colder regions, keep your young plants inside near a window.

There are two stages of plant growth.

Supplies needed for Stage One

Myer lemon or a lemon type of your choice (or any citrus fruit seeds), piece of paper towel, cup of warm water, sandwich bag, a plastic container with a top that can seal and a knife.

Step one:

Cut the lemon in half. Pit the seeds and put them aside to wash.

Wash the seeds in a warm bowl of water to rid them of juice and fruit particles.  Seeds that sink to the bottom are good to plant.

Lightly dampen a piece of paper towel.  Not too wet as it can cause the seeds to rot.

Squeeze the paper towel and place the seeds in it.

Wrap the seeds up in the wet paper towel as shown.

Place seeds in a sandwich bag and close tightly to ensure there isn’t any trapped air inside the bag.  Label and date the sandwich bag the day you placed the seeds in the bag.

Place the sandwich bag with enclosed, wrapped seeds inside of the plastic container and close the lid tightly.  Label the plastic container the same way the sandwich bag was labeled.  This container becomes your miniature greenhouse.

Place the plastic container with its contents in a dark warm place.  A closed drawer (set aside for your seeds) is a perfect place.

Check your seeds daily to ensure they remain relatively damp.

Each seed is different but you should see signs of growth by week two.

By week two, unwrap the paper towel carefully so there is no breakage of the new roots.

This is the growth progress by week (6) and it is time to plant your small seedling in the soil.

Supplies needed for Stage Two:

A one gallon pot, self-fertilized potting soil, trowel and water.

Fill your one gallon pot 2/3 full with potting soil.

After lightly watering the soil, carefully place the small seedling in a shallow hole in the soil (about ¼” deep) which can be made with either your finger or a pencil.

Cover it with soil and gently press the seedling into the soil.

Water the seedling gently and place it under a tree where it would get about six hours of morning sunshine.  The seedling has to be acclimatized slowly to outside conditions.

Gently water your seedling early morning or evening for about two weeks (watering should be done away from the heat of the day).  Watering your plant at its tender stages will help to establish the young seedling. Keep the soil moist but do not over water (damp to the touch not wet).

After the plant is about two months old, fertilize your plants with the fertilizer of your choice or, in the younger stages of its growth, put a handful of potting soil.

When the roots begin to grow out of the pot from the bottom drainage holes, it is time to change to a larger sized pot.

Your plant is ready for full sunshine and most weather conditions by the time it is two months old.

Here is a picture gallery of the growth stages of a Myer lemon tree within approximately a year.  They are fast growers and look very pretty especially while fruiting.  All citrus and most other types of fruit trees (tropical as well including mango) can be successfully grown as previously instructed.

 – Aprox. six weeks old
) – Aprox. two months old
 – Aprox. three months old
 – Aprox. five months old
 – Aprox. six months old
 – Aprox. seven months old
 – Aprox. twelve months old