I know there is much written here and available on planting from seeds, but I have not found anything on how to start to grow from seed. I have tried acorns, apple, grapefruit, orange, peach and pears seeds. With no luck. I keep trying but it does not work. I have had success with maple trees, and have got about 6 growing in pots and ground. It would be nice if I could find out how to increase my odds on successfully growing an oak tree or a nice citrus tree, like grapefruit, my favorite! I am very interested to find this out. Ken in Hamilton.
Acorns are easy, provided you keep them moist - a dry acorn is a dead acorn. Plant immediately on harvesting; some oaks (e.g. White Oak) will put out a root straight away and then a shoot in the spring, while others (e.g. Red Oak) wait until spring before producing either.
Thank you. I can never walk by a acorn I see on the gound, mostly when I am golfing. My friends laugh! I am serious, we do not have enought trees to clean our air and cool our houses. Ken in Hamilton
Ken, American Mountain Ash (sorbus Americana) can be grown easily from the fruit. It also needs to be planted right when it falls to the ground. You should still have fruit on the trees in your area because mine hasn't all fallen yet. Too bad you're not in my neighbourhood because I have to weed out saplings every spring.
Re: Growing from seeds( Seed Growing Guidelines) Seed Germination Guidelines http://www.angelgroveseeds.com/seed.htm
Fresh seeds are usually the best for potential germination . Many quercus seeds in SW Ontario have a tendency to be insect infected so beware . I cold stratify the majority of seeds in a moist medium @ 40F for best germination results :http://tomclothier.hort.net/ Here is also a very reliable FRESH seed resource site for Canadians : http://www.plantexplorers.com/twiningvine/index.php I have been growing woodies from seed for 20 years so if you have any questions please feel free to PM me . Propagation is CONSERVATION so GOOD LUCK !!
For citrus seed to germinate the seed must be planted before the seed becomes dry. Citrus seeds act the same as acorns, a dry citrus seed is a dead seed. Plant the seed in a small pot 1/2 inch deep using a 50/50 mix of peat moss and perlite, or most any good potting soil can also be used Place the container on a mat of bottom heat, or keep the container warm. When planted and kept warm (90F) the seed will germinate in approximately 18-21 days. NOTE: If you ever wish to obtain fruit the best citrus seed to plant is a Key Lime. Key Limes will mature and fruit in 2-3 years, Mandarins mature and fruit in 5 years, Oranges in 8-10 years, and for your grapefruit favorite you will have a long wait - 12-15 years. - Millet
My feeling is that none of the orange seeds my wife has ever put in a potted soil inside the house ever failed to germinate. Whenever she likes an orange, she puts a couple of fresh seeds in the soil and forgets about it. She likes the surprise when she sees it germinated. After a while she looses interest in the plant. And the cycle restarts a few months later. I have repoted two of her seedlings and these are a foot high now.
If the seed was actually an orange seed, it will take between 8-12 years before the tree becomes mature and begins to bloom and fruit. However, if it was actually a Mandarin seed than it will mature much earlier, and will start to flower and produce fruit in approximately 5 years. Tell your wife to plant a Key Lime seed. Key limes have the shortest maturation time of only 2/3 years from seed to fruit. If you are interested in what your tree will require in order to stay alive and grow, you can learn a lot on the citrus forum here on the UBC Forums. Good Luck. - Millet
sometimes seeds need to have a cold cycle. My friend put a bunch of apple seeds in the fridge for a while before planting them and then they sprouted. the ones that didn't have a 'fake' winter didn't grow. That's not much detail I know, but just the small amount I know.
i just started growing myself. I planted some cucumber seeds and a bunch of yellow grape tomato seeds. a couple of beens, not sure which, and some peas. I used different kinds of soils to see what would happen. I used the soil from the pre grown tomato plants i got for my garden in the backyard. I basically used the pot/trays that the tomatos came in. The cucumbers i used the starting soil from the pre grown plants. For the tomatos i used 3 different kinds. One tray i put all potting top soil that my dad got for the lawn. very thick and very moist. Then the other tray i made a mix of top soil and cactus soil i have for my succulents. And the 3rd i used just Cactus soil. i wrapped all the trays in clear plastic bags, tied them up real nice and put them on my sunniest window sills and left them. Took a week. The seed starting soil the nursery used to grow their tomato plants they sell, sprouted all the cucumber seeds i planted. This was my first time growing from seed and cucumbers being my first attemp. I put way too many seeds. I didn't think it would work, but it did, and i have A Lot of little cute cucc sproutings. Now onto the tomatos. All sprouted. This is no surprise, but the top soil only look the best and healthiest. The mix is not bad actually, and the only Cactus soil, they sprouted to my surprise, but they look extremely weak and small and sickly.. I knew all this and my predictions came true. But i was actually expecting the cactus soil only tray to not produce anything. It did. The beans i germinated in a wet paper towel. In 3 days they started sprouting and i burried them in some top soil. They have little growing too. This has been very fun and i cant wait to transfer them to the backyard.
Will the bearing fruits will taste good as the original mother fruit? And the size of the fruits? Recently I went to a tree seller, and some of the lemons on their trees were larger than oranges.