Lime/Lemon Seeds

[Craigw02]

Hi Guys,

I have recently, well about 1 week ago planted both Lime and Lemon seeds and was wondering if anyone knew how long these take to germinate? I heard it was up to 6 weeks, and also should the soil be kept moist, or dry with the occassional watering??

Thanks

Craig

[Jeanied]

Hi Craig, welcome to the vine!
You do like a challenge, don't you! I found this on a quick google search on germinating citrus.

Can take a couple of weeks up to 3-6 months to sprout. Make sure the soil is warm (75-85F), make sure soil is sterile. ..

So you will need to keep it moist and warm.

[Craigw02]

Hi jeanied,

Thanks for the welcome. Yeah I do like a challenge, only my second year gardening lol.

Wow I didn't think it would take that amount of time right enough, the soil is always kept moist and at a similar temp, so hopefully they will start giving me some great fruit in the months ahead!!

Thanks

Craig

[jojo2910]

My OH has been growing some lemon seeds. He says they have grown 6 inches in about 6 weeks. He says to pot them in a mix of 50/50 perlite to compost as they need loads of drainage. Plus he adds when the seeds have dried out, leave them for a week before watering again.

[VirginVegGrower]

They are a swine to do and mine died after six months of nurturing. Went out and bought two trees instead - cold stratification then planting in citrus compost after wet germination is usually the way.
Good luck!

[Craigw02]

Thanks for the comments jojo I will keep that in mind. I am letting the soil go a little dry before watering again as I may have been a little generous! Still nothing in 3 weeks so far but I will stay positive....

[starloc]

The easy way to germinate citrus seeds, soak them overnight, then put them inside a wet paper towel inside a plastic bag, put them at 27 to 30C in a propergator and it will be a few days, put them on a tv set or water heater and they germinate quickly as well as long as they dont get too hot, they grow faster again if you notch the shell to let water inside quicker

When they have started to grow, put them in a 3 inch pot in equal parts of perlite, erricacious compost and horticultural grit and always let it dry out a bit down in the pot between watering, you need the grit and perlite to let air in the pot to stop the plant getting root rot

a 3 inch pot will do till there about 1 foot tall, then go to a 4 inch pot till there about 2 foot tall

If they havent germinated yet put the pot on the top of something warm like the tv as they need warm compost to germinate and compost is always colder than room temperature by at least 5 degrees due to the water evaporation cooling it.