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Citrus trees

danielwarnedanielwarne Posts: 3
in Fruit & veg

Hi all, not sure if this is the right thread to post on about this but I'm new to the forum!

im 21 years old and been gardening pretty much my whole life, 

ive always had a big fascination with citrus trees and ive  just got myself a place where I can get a green house and start growing!

my question is, once I have a few successful trees is it possible to grow more from the seeds I get, is there anything I have to do to get the seeds fertile?

all help would be great  thanks!

Dan

Posts

  • Doogie72Doogie72 Posts: 62

    HI there.  When I was a child I grew an orange tree from a pip out of an orange I'd eaten.  From memory I think I literally stuck it in come compost in a yogurt pot and it germinated.  I was about 7 at the time.  (late 1970's) The tree grew - and I occasionally re-potted it - eventually it got so big it had to stay outside all the time.  I've no idea how but it survived a few cold winters.  (although I live in the south west so relatively mild)  Sadly the tree suffered damage when we had an extension built in 2005 and died.  It never flowered or fruited and I was told this was because I grew the tree from a seed.

    I've tried many many times over the years to get another pip to germinate but with no success.

  • danielwarnedanielwarne Posts: 3

    Thanks guys!!!

    really great help, I cant be happy unless I have a project so I'll play about with them and see what I can do! 

    Mill keep you all posted on any seedlings that appear!

    thanks so much for all your help!

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618

    There is a way of propagating an identical plant from the seed. Some citrus exhibit polyembryony. There is a weak vegetative embryo in the seed as well as a cross pollinated one, but the cross pollinated one usually develops in preference. The vegetative embryo can be dissected out, and will give a plant identical to the parent, in much  the same way as the cutting.

    Maybe this will help.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC157756/pdf/1100599.pdf

    http://irrec.ifas.ufl.edu/flcitrus/pdfs/short_course_and_workshop/citrus_flowering_97/Jackson-Seed_Development.pd

    personally I think that is interesting but a lot of faff. I would just buy named varieties if you want fruit.

    Last edited: 10 February 2017 22:10:24

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