Log in

View Full Version : Anyone also growing Lemon or Orange trees?


leasmom
02-03-2010, 09:22 PM
I almost bought some orange seeds but then remembered I could get it from my fruit, so I have some lemon seeds. But unfortunately I bought seedless oranges so will have to buy a different orange. But has anyone successfully grown these plants? And have you grown them from seeds you saved?

jeffreyp
02-03-2010, 09:25 PM
yes I have and it's alot of fun growing citrus from seed but keep in mind it can take anywhere from 7-12 years from seed to fruit ):



Jeff

Bananaman88
02-03-2010, 09:28 PM
You can grow citrus from seed but they do not always come true to type. Most commercially available citrus are cuttings grafted onto a hardy and dwarf root stock (usually Poncirus 'Flying Dragon'). Also, be aware that citrus grown from seed can take 5 or more years to set fruit. I grew a 'Ponderosa' lemon from seed that will be 7 years old this summer and it hasn't fruited yet; though it did bloom profusely last year.

jeffreyp
02-03-2010, 09:30 PM
mandarins or tangarines do come true to type...you can also try key limes as they also come true to type.


Jeff

Abnshrek
02-03-2010, 09:56 PM
I have a grapefruit I grew from seed and its 2 and took a beating from our cold even though its semi-protected. Taking forever.. Glad I bought grapefruit, oranges , a tangerine, and a lemon tree. Someday the grapefruit will be big enough to fruit and until then I'll be eating homegrown :^)

leasmom
02-03-2010, 10:14 PM
Yeah I have a grapefruit too I wanted to use. I hate grapefruit but my daughter loves it. Wow, thats a long time to wait to get fruit but I'm not going anywhere I don't think...I'd like to try the Key limes too, good ideal.

sbl
02-03-2010, 10:53 PM
I have lots of varieties on the 7 citrus trees I have--my big lemon tree took a beating in the cold spell, but the rest did pretty well. I do have a few I grew from seed still in pots--the key limes should bloom this yr.

Like Jeff said it can take up to 7 to 12 yrs--maybe even longer than 12 yrs for grapefruit. But--there is a way around that--grafting. If you use mature wood for the grafting--you can actually get fruit the same yr--though it would be recommended to wait at least a yr before letting it set fruit. BTW, mature wood is wood from a tree that is already fruiting. I have one citrus tree with a dozen varieties and several with at least 3.

Richard
02-03-2010, 11:53 PM
It is more cost effective to grow citrus from reliable plant stock than from seed.

palmtree
02-04-2010, 12:35 AM
I have a washington navel orange (grafted) and an orange from seed from the grocery store fruit. I germinated the seeds 3 or 4 years ago and just stuck them in a pot. I was surprised when I saw the new shoots coming up and did absolutely nothing special. I repotted it and it grew straight up for 2 years until I pruned it back last summer and then it started branching out.

I also germinated a lemon from a grocery store fruit, that was 2 years ago. It grows about as fast as the orange does. Im pretty sure lemons from seed do actually make good fruit, but Im not sure about oranges. I also have an improved meyer lemon tree which dropped a lot of leaves indoors very suddenly, but in the past 6 months I got about 20 lemons from it (its 2 1/2 feet tall and about that wide).

Citrus are probably one of the easiest seeds I germinated, papayas are easy too.

Good luck!

Patty in Wisc
02-04-2010, 12:40 AM
Key limes come true to seed & will fruit in 3 years, so buy some & plant the seeds. I have (grafted) ponderosa lemon, honey murcot tangerine, baers lime (same as persian in stores) & 2 meyer lemons that are loaded w/ blossoms & baby fruits. One meyer is about ready to be picked. I also have a ponderosa (oh yum) that I started from seed 3 1/2 years ago & doing well. I also have Budha Hand citron, Meiwa kumquat, yuzu (from seed) & many flying dragon from seed about 4 yrs old. Of course, mine are all in pots in my sunroom kept at 50's F & go outside in summer.
I tried & failed at bud grafting but since I did well on my 7 in 1 apple tree & a loquat, I'd like to graft citrus again. I'll never match Joe Reals 50 in 1 citrus tree LOL, but I have a 2 1/2 ft F.D. with a lot of branches to graft on!
Go for it...growing citrus is fun - esp when you get fruit - like bananas.:)

Bananaman88
02-04-2010, 07:25 AM
I have lots of varieties on the 7 citrus trees I have--my big lemon tree took a beating in the cold spell, but the rest did pretty well. I do have a few I grew from seed still in pots--the key limes should bloom this yr.

Like Jeff said it can take up to 7 to 12 yrs--maybe even longer than 12 yrs for grapefruit. But--there is a way around that--grafting. If you use mature wood for the grafting--you can actually get fruit the same yr--though it would be recommended to wait at least a yr before letting it set fruit. BTW, mature wood is wood from a tree that is already fruiting. I have one citrus tree with a dozen varieties and several with at least 3.

I agree-buying a grafted tree or doing your own is the way to go.

sbl
02-04-2010, 08:40 AM
It is more cost effective to grow citrus from reliable plant stock than from seed.

That is true, but sometimes the rootsystem of a named variety is not that suitable for the soil-- (this would apply to seeds of that same variety). So, they still need to be grafted onto a suitable rootstock. Rootstock propagation can be done by rooting, but many rootstock fruits have tons of seeds and that is often the way they are propagated.

leasmom
02-04-2010, 11:50 AM
So it would be wiser to just buy the seeds?

Abnshrek
02-04-2010, 05:12 PM
So it would be wiser to just buy the seeds?

Not wiser just more life enriching, cause you grew it. For short-term satisfaction buy one :^)

Patty in Wisc
02-04-2010, 05:51 PM
I've seen ad up top for a 2-3 yr old citrus for $49.95 - & now add shipping! I'm sure it was grafted.

sbl
02-04-2010, 08:45 PM
So it would be wiser to just buy the seeds?
Citrus seeds have a very short life unless they are kept moist and cool. They are not like normal plant seeds, they are actually live embryos--often several inside a single seed--peel a seed and look.

So collecting seeds directly from fruit and planting them is the best way to get viable seeds.