Did you know that germinating lemon seeds will enable you to obtain a pretty house plant? We show you how to do this very simple experiment.
Contents
Select the lemon seeds
Once your lemon has been used for its juice, for example, choose several well-swollen seeds that you can germinate. Avoid flat seeds that will not germinate. It is preferable to select 4 or 5 to maximize your chances of success.
Pour lukewarm water into a glass and soak the seeds in it. Place them preferably near a heat source. The ideal is to leave the seeds immersed like this for 12 hours.
You can do the same with any kind of citrus seeds: orange, grapefruit, tangerine.
Sow the lemon seeds
To sow your lemon seeds after the 12 hours of soaking, you will need a small bucket or a small pot with a drainage hole. It must have a diameter that will allow it to be covered by a cut plastic bottle.
Start by covering the bottom of the pot with clay or gravel balls to form a drainage layer.
Then pour in seed soil up to 1 inch from the edge of the bucket. Pack the soil lightly.
Now take the lemon seeds out of the water and place them on the potting soil.
Add a thin layer of potting soil to cover the seeds and then gently pack again.
Finally, moisten the potting soil by spraying it with water. This technique ensures that the seeds remain firmly in place.
Finally, heat the pot. Cut out the bottom of a plastic bottle and place it, with the cap closed, on the jar like a bell. Germination will then be facilitated thanks to the heat and humidity thus preserved.
Monitor the germination of lemon seeds
This important step deserves great attention. It is indeed on it that the growth of the future plant depends. Certain simple gestures will enable you to ensure a good germination.
Thus, think of removing each day the bottle the time to wipe the condensation which will form inside.
If the soil is dry, spray it lightly with water. It should always be moist but not wet.
Continue in the same way until the germination of the seeds, which is characterized by the appearance of seedlings.
There is no set time for germination. This one will indeed depend in particular on the ambient conditions. It requires however on average between 2 and 4 weeks.
Growing seedlings
The appearance of seedlings means successful germination. It is therefore now important to ensure them a good growth.
To do this, place the pot in a very bright place, but away from direct sunlight. At first, keep the plastic bottle, taking care to remove the cap. You will be able to remove the bottle as soon as the seedling has two leaves.
Afterwards, make sure that the potting soil always remains slightly moist, by moistening it about twice a week.
Repot the lemon trees
You can repot your seedlings in individual pots when they have 3 or 4 leaves and measure about 2 inches.
Then choose pots with a diameter of about 6 inches.
Cover the bottom with gravel or clay balls to ensure good drainage. Then fill the pot with seed potting soil and dig a hole in it.
Use a fork to gently uproot the seedlings. Then plant them in their new pot.
Now you just need to gently pack the soil down and moisten it.
Caring for your lemon trees
Once the lemon trees have been repotted, you will need to give them some care that will allow them to grow while remaining healthy.
To do this, install them in a bright place without direct sunlight, at the risk of yellowing the leaves.
Move them away from various heat sources to keep the soil slightly moist.
Remember to water your lemon trees as soon as the soil is dry.
If you have an outdoor space, don’t hesitate to let them breathe when the weather is nice.
Finally, make sure to repot your lemon trees about every 2 years to ensure a good growth.
Summary
It is very easy to germinate lemon, orange and grapefruit seeds, but also more original citrus fruits such as yuzu, combava, bergamot, poncirus…
It is not the fastest method of multiplication to obtain fruit, since on average, it takes about seven to eight years to obtain fruit on a citrus fruit from seedlings (although it can happen that fruiting takes place more quickly, depending on the variety, the climate or a happy coincidence), while three years is enough for a grafted subject.
