Hi folks :) My name is Abro I am an ornithologist Also.. Im the proud new parent of a mandarin seed ... so on the advice of my mom who has a huge sunflower farm I put it in to a glass container in between some moist paper towels and forgot about it.. Well today I looked in and there are roots coming out of the seed.. They are about 3/16 of an inch.. mostly white, some green and yellow at the tips.. there are two of them.. I looked thru the archive but couldn't find the answer .. Should I put it in soil now? leave it in the paper towel? When I get on a project I don't give up.. ive spent years taming Tits and cardinals and jays and so on.. but this seed is a first for me... :D its a new life.. Id like to see it grow in to something.. Any help would be appreciated .. And would be happy to give any bird advice in return.. :D CHEERS Abro
It can be planted in soil now. A porous medium is preferred. If there are two tap roots you have two plants and at least one will be genetically identical to the parent. Do you know what variety of mandarin it is?
no idea.. just a fruit I picked up in the garden center... but, very cool..:) it got stck in my tooth and the shell came off.. so I planted the brownish looking inner seed in wet paper towel.. just any type of soil will do? just the dirt from the back yard? my property is mostly sand soil... I sound like a noob but normally I plant black oil sunflower seeds and they will grow anywhere.. I figured id ask.. never sprouted an orange before.. Cheers Abro
I suppose any soil would do in a pinch but indoor soil is generally used because it's sterilized and suitable for most types of plants. A sandy mix is not the best for citrus.
there is no stem or leaves yet.. its just a seed with two little roots coming out of it.. about 1/4 of an inch long but the seed if still intact.. I just bought a bag of pro-mix seed starting mix its its peat moss bases.. the lady at the gardening place told me to get this one.. :/
That's fine then. Plant the seed with the roots down and it'll sort itself out. Add perlite to the mix if you have some to make it more porous.
cool thanks.. it says it has perilite in it.. Ive been keeping the seed germinating in a class container with a lid and sitting on a window sill over an electric baseboard at about 20C.. Once I put it in the little cartboard pot should I leave it on the heat? I know im so green these questions must look silly.. Thanks Abro
