Sunday, August 8, 2010

To Seed or Not to Seed

Wow, the debate between whether you can or can not grow Citrus from seed is amazing. I often wonder if the whole debate is so the average person will not try growing their own tree from the grocery store fruit and will be dependent on "Big Citrus" to get their trees and fruit. This is probably a little cynical on my part, but this is what I do know.
The current Florida citrus industry developed from 16th-century Spanish introductions of sour orange, sweet orange, lemon, lime, and citron from either seeds or seedlings. Citrus was spread further by Indians and by pioneers who settled the rivers and lakes of north Florida and the eastern Florida seaboard. Does this mean that all those citrus trees produced bad fruit? I don't think so.
Granted, the amount of time that a citrus tree will produce fruit is much longer than if you grafted one. The average wait time can be anywhere from 2-3 years upwards to 12+ years. The seedling trees will also tend to be very thorny. The biggest debate is whether they will come true to type. In other words, if you plant a good tasting sweet orange will it be the same? According to Dr. Carl Campbell at the University of Florida Extension research center, almost any sweet orange will come true from seed, as well as key limes, grapefruit, tangerine and tangelo. Two varieties that will not come true from seed are the temple orange and pomelo (Grapefruit grandfather). Meyer lemon also falls under this category.
There are some advantages to growing your trees from seed. One obvious advantage is that it is much less labor intensive to simply sow citrus seeds and eliminate the grafting step. Another advantage is that the seedling will most likely be free from viruses that sometimes get into the budwood that is used for grafting large numbers of trees.  There has never been an instance where a citrus disease has been proven to have been introduced by seed. My favorite advantage is price! You can buy a great tasting piece of fruit for what, fifty cents to a dollar, depending on time of year? If you get three seeds in it, that equals sixteen to thirty three cents a tree. Now if you compare that to twenty five to forty five dollars per tree, what kind of savings are we talking? It's a no brainer. Of course, this brings us back to the time issue again. Key Limes are your earliest producer from seed, averaging 2-3 years. Your oranges, lemons, Persian limes, tangerines will be in the 5-7 year ballpark. The grapefruit and pomelo will be the longest, taking anywhere from 8-12 years. So patience is most definitely a virtue.
Okay, so you found a fantastic orange that you just have to have more of in the future. It has five seeds in it and you want to try growing it. After extracting seeds, rinse them thoroughly in water and plant them as soon as possible. Citrus seeds do not do well drying out like most seeds, they rapidly lose their viability. You will want to use a good potting mix, keep it damp, not wet. I tell people that you want the consistency of a damp sponge. When planting, place seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in the pot.  Be sure the seeds get enough sunlight, warm soil temperatures, and stay moist. Under ideal conditions, seeds will take about two weeks to germinate.
Like I mentioned, seedling trees will be thorny. If these pose a problem, clip them off with nail clippers. This will not cause any harm to the tree.  As the tree gets older, the thorns will stop being a problem. 
Now, to be completely truthful, there is always the possibility that the fruit you will get may or may not be the exact same as the fruit you ate. Bees travel great distances to collect pollen. Most citrus that you get in the store have come from very large groves of the same variety. If the fruit you happen to be eating came from the fringe of the grove and a very busy bee was coming from a different grove, there is a slight chance of cross pollination.  Even thought there is a book out there, circa 1971, that suggests that if you plant a lemon seed you might get a grapefruit, the chances that you get what you want is pretty good. Besides, there are only three possibilities of what the fruit will taste like.....not as good, as good as, or better than.....two out of three ain't bad!
Happy Growing!
Darren

130 comments:

  1. This is a great post!!! I have never gotten a clear answer on this....I planted a seed back in 1997 from a juicy orange. It sprouted and grew from Wisconsin in a pot....my parents brought it back to me when I moved to Arizona. I rented and planted the orange tree outside in a pot. It grew and grew.....I then moved and transplanted the orange tree onto our property. It has always flowered and recovered from frost or pest attacks but never produced any fruit. It is still doing well and growing slowly....I am hoping it will have oranges this next year....thanks for the information!

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    1. Many citrus require a cool season to produce the fruit. Your climate may be too warm to fruit.

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    2. which is why much citrus is grown in FL and CA?

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    3. How Was your orange tree Growing it's 2020 already i hope i Get a Reply soon..

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  2. Interesting... I purchased a Meyer's lemon from a guy selling on the side of a road. Perhaps a red flag should have entered my though process at that time! Anyhow' it has never flowered. It looks healthy, is in the ground now, has thorns and is probably 3 years old, pretty sure it is not grafted. Hmmmmmm, should I expect some flowering soon? I am looking for some scions to graft to it since it appears to be great fruit stock and I have not seen any flowering... But would like to believe your story and leave it alone!

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  3. I've recently started a couple of Kumquats from seeds, and I'm wondering what are the chances of me having a fruitful tree in a few years? Also are those the slowest growing citruses out there? I have some lemons and red grapefruits started from seeds, too, and they're developing much faster than Kumquats. Also the difference in leaves if noticable. Kumquats have somewhat oval, shiny, dark green leaves, while lemons and grapefruits have rather rounded and light green colored leaves.
    I guess you have some experiences with Nagami Kumquats. Thanks in advance!

    Igor

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    1. Krystal Raulerson.April 4, 2017 at 8:47 AM

      Did or are you going to graph your red grapefruit? I ate a red grapefruit and fell in deep love so I rinsed the seeds under water and planted all 8(thinking they wouldn't grow) now I have 8 grapefruit and I recently separated them into their own pots. I was told that they would never produce eatable fruit with out graphing...is that true?? What do I need to know about growing grapefruit. Sorry I'm clueless!

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    2. kumquats grow wild and huge around where i live so i shouldnt think to worry about it, just be nice to them and they will pay you back :)
      i made a post about why grafting is used at the bottom of this page that may be beneficial to you

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  4. Specijalac, if you send me your e-mail address, I can send you some pictures of the different trees.
    Cactusmusic@netzero.com

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  5. Done. Thanks for making the effort!

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  6. Splendid article Mr. Sheriff, enjoyed it very much. May I ask you, what are the effects, if any, of growing varieties of citrus among one another. Have a container with sections of tangelos, tangerines, pomelo, ugli, lemons, limes,...
    Do the plants have faster growth, maturity (flowering), ?

    Looking forward to your response, good-day.

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    1. Hello Amino,
      Thank You for the kind words.
      The only effects that growing different varieties among each other are:
      1) In a couple of varieties, cross pollination will produce a larger fruit set.
      2) If you plant the seeds, you may get some kind of hybrid.
      There is no faster growth, maturity or anything like that.
      If you need more information, please send me an e-mail at TheCitrusGuy@netzero.com
      Thanks for reading!

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    2. Can you grow Yuzu fruit successfully from seed? How long till fruiting?

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  7. Hi Darren,
    I planted seeds from my parents very large (over 12 foot), very mature Meyer lemon tree from California here in Brooklyn. They are now healthy plants (about 24!) that range from 2-10 inches tall. Do I need to graft them or have them grafted in order for them to produce fruit?
    Also, they seem to have a lot of 'suckers' shooting up (one is almost 2 feet tall) - these have double leaves. Does this sound normal on ungrafted plants? should I cut those suckers off?
    I'd like these to remain indoor plants and to bear fruit as soon as possible.
    Thanks!
    Meyer in Brooklyn

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    1. Yvete, Please send me an e-mail.
      My answer will probably be too long for this forum, plus there are other questions I need to ask you.
      TheCitrusGuy@netzero.com

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    2. I think I have the same question and will want the same answer since I may encounter a similar situation. I have some Meyer Lemon seedlings from lemons I picked from a mature tree. I want to know if they will bear fruit and how long will it take? What will happen if I root a cutting to make a new tree? Can that be done and will it mature faster, and fruit faster than a tree grown from seed? Is there a chance that this could not be an Improved Meyer lemon tree (seedlings)? I live in Los Angeles and the (about) 8 foot tall tree is in the yard of a very old building.

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    3. Hello Anonymous,
      Yes, you will get fruit from your Meyer Lemon seeds. What exactly you will get, unknown.
      It could be a Meyer, it may revert back to its Lemon or Orange parents, or you may get something else yet, depends on what pollinated it.
      I would expect fruit in 5-7 years depending on how well you take care of it, sun, water, fertilizer, etc.
      As for rooting a cutting. Yes, you will get fruit faster. The notion of a Meyer and an Improved Meyer is beyond me. I really can not nor do not know if there really is any difference.
      Hope this helps!
      Happy Growing!
      Darren

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  8. Hi there, great info, do my pomelo from seeds will not give fruit or will it after 12 years? I'm so sad lol

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  9. Hello Anonymous,
    Your Pomelo will give you fruit. You will probably have to wait the 10-12 years, depending on your horticultural practices. If there is good light, water and food, it might be on the lesser end of that time. Of course longer if not.
    Also keep in mind, Pomelo will not always come true to type....You might get something as good as the fruit it came from, better than the fruit it came from or maybe not quite as good.....two out of three ain't bad!
    Happy Growing!
    Darren

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  10. Great article, thank you!
    I am going to grow some lemon and oranges from seeds that I obtained off my grandads lemon and orange fruits from his trees.
    His tree branches over 40 years old and split into two branches, does that sound like it has been grafted many years ago?

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    1. Thank You Lisa!
      It will be very nice for you to have a tree and eventually fruit from your Grandads tree.
      As for the age and splitting and grafting, it could go either way.
      If you can send or post a picture of the trunk of the tree, say from the ground up to about 10 inches, I could give you a better answer.
      You can send it to TheCitrusGuy@netzero.com
      Happy Growing!
      Darren

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    2. I have tangerine trees in pots in Tennessee that my mom planted from seeds 2011 and it is now Aug 2016.The trees are about 6 to 8 ft and healthy. I just started putting citrus fertilizer on them. I keep them out until before it frosts.Do you think I will get fruit eventually.thanks

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    3. Hello Anonymous,
      Yes! The only drawback you might have is that you just started fertilizing them.
      That may set you back a year or two. It is 5 years now, I would not be surprised to start seeing flowers next year or the year after. The longer you can leave it outside, the better chance you have getting fruit sooner. I wrote an article you might be interested in. Copy and paste this link: http://thecitrusguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/growing-citrus-in-containers.html

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  11. Darren,

    This is the best/real answer to the question I have ever seen. I am a newbie to growing citrus here in Toronto. I wish I would of seen this post earlier. I totally agree with your theory on "big citrus" and think it happens more often than people would like to think. I do have a question if you wouldn't mind answering. I have sowed some different varieties from store bought citrus (blood orange, minneola) and others. They trees are all around the 9 inch mark now. So I understand they may or may not come true and time factors thanks to your post but if I clip say a minneola or blood orange cutting that I mentioned above and graft it onto some flying dragon, will I get minneola's and blood oranges? This is the only question I can't figure out haha. Thanks in advance!!! Great site!!

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    1. Hello Juventus,
      Thank You for the kind words, I really do apprciate it.
      If I am understanding your question correctly, you are wanting to take your seedlings and graft them?
      Unfortunately, this will not change what the seedling will be.
      If you take a scion from a tree, that will remain true, but the seedling will be what it will be.
      The chances are pretty good that you will get what you planted, like I mentioned in the article. You might end up with something even better too!
      Hope that helps!
      Let me know if I missed the mark.
      Thanks!
      Happy Growing!
      Darren

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  12. Hi Darren, I'm new to citrus growing. We just moved to Indio California. We have a pomelo tree in our yard thats about 5 feet tall. It was newly planted in September and it had about 10 pomelos already on it. I enjoyed eating all of them in Feb. In March the tree had lots of flowers. I've been fertilizing it with a citrus and avocado formula. It doesnt seem any fruit has set for next year. Is it too soon to start fruit? I've noticed grapefruit trees in the area already have fruit about the size of key limes. Do I need 2 trees? I'm hoping you can give me some advice. Thank you.
    Nancy

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    1. Hi Nancy,
      Welcome to the world of Citruholics!
      First off, no you don't need two. That was the easy part.
      If it had fruit on it already, it is not too young to fruit.
      There are a couple of things that could be going on as to why you don't have any fruit....or do you?
      Watch it very closely, there might still be fruit forming, you just don't see it yet.
      Another possibility is, the tree is still adjusting to its new surroundings and doesn't feel that it is able to carry the fruit yet. They are smarter than we are, they know what they can do.
      One last possibility is, you may not have had any bees around to pollinate the flowers.
      Is it still flowering?
      Hope that helps?
      If you have any other questions, drop me a line at: TheCitrusGuy@netzero.com

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  13. Hi Darren,
    I have a very good lemon tree. As I will be moving house in about 2 years' time, I would like to grow a tree from the seed of this tree. Can it be done and how long will it take? Also, I planted 2 pummelo seeds a few weeks ago. My seedlings seem to be healthy. Please tell me the best way to look after them and when will they fruit? Thank you.

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    1. NQ, You didn't mention what kind of Lemon it is. If it is just a normal Lemon, i.e. Lisbon, Eureka, Harvey, etc. Then, YES, you can grow a tree from seed. If it is a Meyer, you can grow it from seed, but it may not come true to type. From seed, it will be about 5 years (give or take) to produce fruit. Being that you KNOW you are moving, and you have two years lead time, you might want to consider doing an air layer of it. There are MANY wonderful tutorials, with video, on the web on how to air layer a plant. It is relatively easy and you will have an identical copy of your good Lemon. As for the pummelo seeds. You are looking at probably 8-10 year before you see fruit. Just make sure you keep it moist, full sun, and fed. Hope that helps?

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  14. I wanted to thank you for this information.
    I'm the kind of guy that has to always have a "project" going on...so , sometime last summer, I was at work and was seeing all the different fruits that the guys were eating. I got the crazy idea to collect all the seeds and see if I could get them to grow. We're talking apples, oranges, lemons, peaches, and apricots. I did a little research online and found a few different germination techniques, but ultimately just went with the easiest one for all of them. I folded them in a wet paper towel and put them in a plastic bag.
    I now have two apple tree seedlings, two peaches, two apricots, four lemons, and 6 oranges ( funny how the citrus ones seem to have done better here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania). They are all sitting in various window sills around our shop ranging in size from one inch to five inches. They seem to have stopped getting taller over these winter months.
    Yesterday and today, I decided to start doing some more research online to see what I should do with them next. After reading a lot of different things, it seemed to most popular one was that they aren't going to do anything unless I do grafting and cross pollination. Now, it's been a fun hobby so far, but I'm not about doing all that mess...I just wanted the satisfaction of growing some fruit trees from seeds. So , needless to say, I started feeling pretty discouraged because I've been taking care of these darn things for 3/4's of a year now and now I find out they're not going to ever do anything in regards to fruit. I made up my mind that when I go back to work Monday, I'm just going to throw them all in the dumpster...but then I decided to click on one more link...Yours! I feel better now after reading what you had to say, and I think I'm going to keep going with them (and maybe even try a couple other kinds of fruit).
    Thank you very much!!!

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  15. Hi Darren,

    I have recently germinated a lemon seed (what type of lemon, I do not know.) I just wanted to know if they will bear fruit in the future? Will all lemon seeds bear fruit?

    Is there a way to speed up the seedling's growth? I am also not sure if their growth is stunted. Currently the seedlings are about 12 days old and have grown 1 cm length of root.

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    1. Yes, it will bear fruit in the future, most likely about 5 years, depending on your horticultural practices.
      Yes, all lemon seeds will bear fruit.
      As for speeding up the growth, just make sure you give it lots of light, water, fertilizer and loving care, you could shorten it to 3.5-4 years, but don't hold your breath.
      If you can measure the growth and it is ONLY 12 days old, you are doing well.

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  16. Hi Darren,

    I would like to grow ugli fruit but they are impossible to find as trees. My goal is to find a dwarf version suitable for container growing, but if I have to, I'll start from seeds. My only question would be is it possible for it to come true from seed if planted? Where would you reccomend I look to buy it as a tree? I' m desperate as I can find every type of citrus tree out there but this one! Thanks btw and I love the information you got out here on this post!

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    1. Thank You for the kind words. I actually have never seen a tree available.
      I went and checked some of my sources and did not see anything.
      Your best bet will probably have to be seeds. As for coming true to type, being that it is a triple cross, maybe.
      Hopefully, someday Florida will be allowed to ship, but with the quarantines and diseases that they have, I am in no rush.
      Wish I had better news for you.
      Good Luck!

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  17. Really really encouraging post,.
    Im growing all sorts of citrus from seed,. the furthest along are a bunch of lemon seedlings that i germinated in a wet paper towel (for 2 weeks) and planted 3-4 weeks ago in compost,. except 1 there all now about 2 inches tall and looking really healthy,.
    Of the seedlings a couple are polyembryonic which ive read means they will 100% be true to the parent,. I was just wondering,. if a single seed produces multiple plants/shoots do you need to separate them or cut one back or can you just leave them to grow?

    I know this post is really old now so its cool if I dont get a response,.

    Cheers again,.

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    1. Hello JJ,
      Thanks for the kind words.
      I am glad to hear your seedlings are doing well.
      In my opinion, I would think it better to separate them. One will be true to the parent, the other will be a possible cross. Not absolute, but possible. It would also be interesting to see if they have varying growth rates, patterns from each other.

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    2. fantastic,. to your knowledge do you know if its usually the 1st or 2nd seedling to sprout that is guaranteed to grow true? all of my seedlings that have grown a second shoot only did so about 2-3 weeks after the 1st one had developed,. im reading a lot of contradictory stuff online,. a lot of people are saying that its the 1st seedling to grow as its more aggressive and some people are saying that its the second,.
      thanks for the response,. this stuff is really interesting,.

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    3. That is actually an interesting question, I don't know for sure which one it is. Might be a good chance for you to do an experiment. Label them as 1 and 2. Then see which one comes true. This will more than likely take years to find out, but I would be curious of the results myself.

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    4. Ah right,.ok,. I'll do that then,. and keep you updated on the progress :D

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  18. Excellent information. I have 2 Meyers lemon trees and I feel blessed. The lemons are delicious. I have so many lemons that my neighbors come by regularly to check on them. I have so many lemons to use , so I juice them up and put them in an ice tray in the freezer. Anytime I need fresh lemon juice to make a salad dressing or use for a drink, I let a cube or 2 melt at room temperature and enjoy the goodness of meyer's lemons.

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  19. Darren; Thank you so much for your love of citrus . I am the anonymous guy who wrote the previous post. My name is Abe and I live in Ormond Beach, Fl. I would love to share the absolute best salad dressing EVER ! I got the recipe from a Berber woman in the Berber mountains of Algeria last year.

    Half a cup of extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed.
    Half a Meyer lemon ( if a big lemon is used, or a full lemon if small) juiced up.
    2 teaspoons of the best mustard money can buy......all natural Dijon mustard available at any major grocery store.
    a little salt to taste and a little black pepper
    A dash of Louisiana or any hot sauce you enjoy
    a few leaves of fresh thyme
    2 or 3 leaves of fresh mint
    1 leaf of basil, green or purple
    crush the herbs well..use a cutting board with the back of a spoon to get the oil.
    Mix everything in a small bowl with a fork...make sure it foams before you stop.
    Serve generously on a salad for 2 or 3 people.
    Enjoy Heaven on earth. Bon Appetite.
    Abe

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  20. Hello Darren,

    I have a question regarding my tangerines and mandarins. I have seeds from my Kishu, tango, page and golden nugget trees. Will these be true from seed?

    Thanks in advance,

    Matt Kent from CA

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    1. Hello Matthew,
      I am assuming the Kishu was not suppose to be the seedless kind? LOL
      As for the rest of them, they should.
      There is always a slight chance of some variability, but you should be fine with them.

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    2. Thanks for the fast response. And yes the Kishu was "seedless"!

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    3. REALLY!!
      I have eaten dozens of those things, have never even found an aborted seed.
      I would be VERY interested in how that one comes out once it fruits.
      How many seeds did you find?
      What was the closest other Citrus tree to it?

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    4. Hi Darren,
      So I know that Tangerine seeds grow true to type 98% of the time. I have a tree that has tons of great tasting fruit this year-it came from a cutting from the mother tree(over 20 years old) at a local Austin nursery. The mother tree came from a seed someone threw in the ground, so I decided that I would plant seeds from my fruit and see what happens. Is it possible that the fruit sweetness can be better from the seedlings or will it be the same as my tree? I tried fruit from the mother tree and compared it to my tree and my fruit tasted sweeter. I know my tree came from a cutting from the mother tree, not from a seed.

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    5. Hello Alexandra, Absolutely it could be sweeter! Like I say, when it comes to growing Citrus from seed, you might get something as good as, better than, or not quite as good. There is also something to be said about growing conditions, i.e. Soil pH, water quality, fertilizers used, etc. That is the one cool thing about gardening, there are SO MANY variables, you never are completely sure what will happen. Let me know how the seedlings come out.

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    6. thanks Darren!
      I am trying to find those sweet lemons, or the new zealand lemonade tree-John Pazerella has them on his website-ever heard of them

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  21. It's the first seed I have ever seen in three years! I was excited. Ok great I will keep you posted and hope it grows. It is next to a page, a golden nugget a tango, pixie, An Owari satsuma, key lime, and two eurekas and a Meyer lemon .

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    Replies
    1. That will definitely be an interesting fruit.
      Please let me know how it comes out.
      Should be 3-5 years, depending on your hort practices.
      If you plant Meyer Lemon seeds, they will not be true to type.

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  22. i planted a seed from a store bought lemon its now a year old , its about 18inch tall very busy with big leafs smells just like a lemon has no thorns , I'm growing it indoors with my chilli plants under a hps light , i can't wait till it's mature

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  23. Hey, name is Kashif Johnson. I was just wondering, is there anyway to thicken the trunk of a young seedling? I have two lemon seeds hopefully ready to germinate, but I have seen older trees with very thin trunks. I want to avoid that look and have a tree that can support itself and its fruit. I plan on growing them in containers. Any ideas?

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    Replies
    1. Hello Kashif,
      Just make sure you give it plenty of light, warmth, water and fertilizer and the tree should take care of itself.

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  24. Hi I have grown satsuma seeds One has grown four shoots from one pip and one has grown 2shoots. Im I'm in the UK and have them in side

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    1. do you have a owari satsuma tree? i want to buy some seeds?

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    2. No, I have recently sold all of my trees due to an upcoming move.

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  25. Sorry my question is is that normal?

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    1. Hello Cathy, Yes that can be normal. Citrus seeds are polyembriotic, which means that can have multiple embryos. Think of it as twins or quadruplets. At least one will be identical to the mother, while at least one will be a combination of parents (considering it was pollinated by another type of citrus). Which is which is hard to tell. You can carefully divide them and grow them all and see what you get.

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    2. that's what I did with my Miho and Owari seeds-multiple shoots came up from one seed, so I carefully separated them and potted them individually and then labeled them as either Miho or Owari. Some people say I am wasting my time, when I could just go buy a Miho or an Owari, grafted, so I am wanting to ask your opinion: Texas A&M website says the field trials on grafted Miho and Owari were: grafted trees produced way more fruit, and trees on the own roots produced a lot less fruit, plus more thorns. What is your opinion Darren? is it a waste of time to grow from seed, other than the fun of it-if you start from seed are you just going to get a thorny, low yielding tree? Even if you say yes, I still love the thrill of planting the seed and watching it come up....

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    3. There is some truth to it being less prolific, however, are you planning on trying to put Florida out of business? LOL
      Many of my trees are from seed and there are times that there is more fruit than the wife and I can eat. So, unless you are trying to feed the entire 2nd Marine Division, enjoy growing them from seed!

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  26. Thanks I will. Appreciate the help.

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  27. Hi Darren, I have several types of citrus growing. Several grafted trees seem to have reverted to their grapefruity or seedy lemon rootstocks. I get plenty of fruit but, the fruits are inedible. I would like to hard prune them and then graft branches from my younger trees. I have Tango, Baerrs, Meyer, Owari, key limes. Can I take trimmings from these trees and graft them to the older rootstocks?

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    1. YES! Absolutely! You have a great situation there. You can even play around a little and graft multiple fruit to one rootstock. I know a guy in California that has something like 30 different fruit on one tree.
      Good Luck!

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  28. I can't get any viable citrus seeds. Supermarkets have all gone seedless. Those I ordered from Amazon are all desicated hence not viable.

    Where can I get viable orange seeds?

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    Replies
    1. First off, what kind of fruit are you trying from the grocery store?
      Second, where are you located?
      You can try farmer's markets, Asian and other ethnic grocery stores are good places.
      Citrus.forumup is another place, remember most citrus fruit is only ripe in October-January or so here in the states.

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  29. Thanks Daren!
    Can you advise me how hard to prune? The trees all have multiple hardwood branches and now they have lots of new growth. Do I need to cut it back to just one hardwood branch? Or can I use several branches and graft onto 2-3+ of them?
    I can send you a picture of the hard pruned trees, if it would help.
    I would definitely like a few "fruit cocktail" trees!

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  30. Prune back to how many grafts you want to make. If you want to make 5, cut back to that many.
    As for how hard, depends on high a graft you want and are comfortable working one.
    I would say maybe knee to waist high would be good.
    Would love to see the finished project.

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  31. I've never grafted, except avocados.
    What type of graft do you recommend?
    I also am growing some spiny lemon bush, which is used here as dwarf rootstock, so I can do single trees.
    Now I have to find someone in S Florida with a honeybell tree and get cuttings!

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  32. What kind of grafting do you do for Avocados?
    Whatever it is, should work for Citrus.

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  33. Darren,
    Great information!!!
    I have purchased an Ugli fruit and planted the seeds. Today I have shoots. One website states, the tree will have to be grafted. What rootstock should be used if this is the case?

    Thanks,

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    1. Drrandolph, You didn't mention where you are. If you are in a citrus producing area, there is no need to graft. Even if not, you can grow them in a container, again, no need to graft.
      If you are insistent on grafting them, I would use Poncirus trifoliata 'Flying Dragon' That will give it cold hardiness and dwarf the plant, but not the fruit.

      Delete
  34. Hi Darren, Thank you for this great information! Question, how do I find out what kind of rootstock the citrus seed came from? I did read previously to look for flying dragon before I found your information but still don't know how to find fruits in a store from it. Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. Hello, J.
      I am not completely sure I understand your question.
      Are you asking, if you buy some fruit in the store, the seeds inside it, you want to know what rootstock they came from?
      The rootstock will have absolutely no impact on the seeds, unless it is growing on its own roots.
      Let me give you an example:
      If you have an Owari Satsuma, grafted onto Flying Dragon Rootstock, the seeds will be that of the Owari.
      In another two to three months, I will have some Flying Dragon Fruit ripe, and will have plenty of seeds. If you drop me a line, sometime in October and remind me, I will gladly send you some. I will also have a BUMPER crop of Swingle Citrumelo seeds, but that is another story.
      My e-mail is TheCitrusGuy@netzero.com

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    2. What are the advantages of the Flying Dragon rootstock?
      What climates do they like?

      Delete
  35. HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA THINGS ARE KINDA BLEAK AT PRESENT... ALL MY CITRUS IS DEAD FROM CITRUS GREENING,LOTS OF THE TREES I WATCH REGULARLY AROUND TOWN ARE IN DECLINE,,,HOWEVER,I HAVE THREE KEY LIMES THAT I GREW FROM SEED,ONE IS NOW ABOUT 7 FT HIGH AND HAS A LOT OF FRUIT ON IT THIS YEAR,FOR THE FIRST TIME,PROBABLY 5 YEARS OLD,,, THE OTHER TWO ARE CONSIDERABLY SMALLER AND SHRUBBY,TWO CALAMONDINS I HAVE ARE SMALL BUT BEARING,, IM GOING TO START A BUNCH OF SEEDLINGS THIS FALL FROM MANDARINS AND PRODUCE BOUGHT FRUIT,JUST TO HAVE THE SMALL TREES IN POTS, I MISS THE CITRUS AROUND HERE,FINALLY GOT USED TO EATING MANDARINS[CLEMENTINES,CUTIES ]FROM THE STORE,WHICH I USED TO JUST RIDICULE!!! PEACE,MARTIN

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  36. Hi
    I was thinking about growing yuzu from seed. I was going to buy the seeds from a seed bank. After reading some responses it looks like I would be better off getting some fruit and planting those seeds any thoughts on store bought seeds. Also I live in nj zone 7 so I figured yuzu has a chance here any thoughts on zone 7 for yuzu

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  37. If I get seeds from a dwarf blood orange. Will the plants be dwarfs or will they be large? Thanks.

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    Replies
    1. They will be large/normal sized. The dwarfing comes from the rootstock that the fruit is grafted onto.

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  38. Hi. I am just starting an indoor vermiponics project to grow some of my own regularly eaten foods - lettuce/greens, avocado, tomato, pepper and would like to do a meyer lemon or two in "hydroponics" as well. If I start with a seedling - would this be possible - or at least worth an experiment? I probably cannot start with a potted grafted "true" tree .... unless I wash the soil off and put it into a soiless "hydroponics" medium of coco coir/peat and vermiculite...... Any thoughts? Frances.

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    Replies
    1. Hello, Frances.
      Yes, it is possible, or at least worth the experiment.
      Just remember, the Meyer does not always come true from seed.
      Will it produce an edible fruit? Yes
      Will it be really good? Maybe
      I would LOVE to see how it goes if you do attempt it.
      Please keep me posted as much as you can, pics, etc.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  39. Hi Darren, I've collected different seeds from a variety of local north Florida citrus trees and tried to grow them by removing the outer shell and germinating them in a paper towel inside a ziplock. Getting them to sprout has been easy and I've got about 35 mini plants. They range in height from two inches with about six months of growth to a foot tall at about two years old. So far I haven't gotten one flower. The leaves are like a double leaf and the thorns are massive. Should I ever expect to see flowers? Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. You will see flowers.
      Time my friend, time.
      It will take some odd years, unless you are growing all Key Limes, it can take 5-12 years before you start to see flowers and fruit.
      Patience, my friend, patience. It will happen

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    2. Thank you for the encouragement Darren. I'm growing meyers lemons, naval oranges and clementines.
      I did have a follow up question if you wouldn't mind indulging me; what type of soil combination is best for my baby container citrus trees? Periodically throughout the year I get little lime yellow spots. Those particular leaves typically 'heal' themselves after a few months and don't normally fall off. Could it be there is some imbalance in the soil or sun exposure? Thanks again!

      Delete
    3. The spots are probably some kind of bug damage, though it is interesting that they heal themselves.
      The soil combination is basically as follows:
      Good Drainage
      Retains some moisture
      Sturdy enough to support the plant
      Won't completely decay in one season

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  40. Hi Darren, I have many varieties of citrus that I have collected since 2005. Living in Zone 6 I overwinter all of them in my basement. One of the problems that I have every year is that they began blooming late winter and many of them miss insect pollination. This year I had an ant problem which turned out to be good for the citrus. I have a bumper crop of fruit this year. Is there anyway to stall the blooming period? LOL. My other issue is that the very first citrus I purchased was in 2005 at Sea World in Orlando (the vendor was Reed Brothers). This ungrafted cutting has never bloomed and I am at the point of giving up... At 15 feet it has become nearly impossible to manage and in the Fall of 2016 I cut it down to 12 feet. I am at the 12 year point and when I purchased the seedling it was about 9 inches long. Is it possible that it will never bloom? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

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    Replies
    1. Hey John,
      I am sure there is a way to stall the blooming period, I just am not sure what it is.
      However, being that you are getting blooms, that is a good thing. Yes, the ants helped this time, but next time if you take a small paintbrush and dab from one flower to the other, you will act like a bee. Don't forget to buzz like one, so the plant doesn't get upset. (joking)
      Wow, you got that first citrus tree just under the gun. 2005 was the year that Citrus Greening reared it's ugly head in Florida and shut down exports to other states.
      You did not mention what kind of citrus tree it was?
      I have a suspicion that it might be a grapefruit. Was it a true seedling, as in grown from a seed or was it a rooted cutting?
      If it was a true seedling, you are just inn the ballpark of it starting to produce. I understand the need to cut it back, but that may have actually set it back a little.
      You are in Zone 6, where abouts?
      When do you bring your trees inside for the winter? What is your drop dead temperature that you use to do that?
      You might be able to leave them out a little longer and/or bring them out a little sooner, which might just help this big guy along.

      Delete
    2. ide give your 12 yr citrus another 2 but do something different with it. if you know what type it is do the research and find out the optimal conditions. if you dont know the species, do the research and find out. also nitrogen is key for fruiting plants. ants are great pollinators but after they pollinated one of my trees this year, they then stole all the baby fruit :o

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  41. Hi Darren, I wanted to try to plant Italian variety of lemon (Sfusato Amalfitano femminello type)from seeds (unfortunately the cuttings or plants it's not possible to ship from Italy to US). Originally I wanted to buy a cuttings from Italy of Sfusato Amalfitano and Lunario lemon varieties, but now one is offering the shipping to US :(( Any chances to get something identical to the mother variety? How many seeds should I keep? Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. Good Morning, Sunflower.
      My apologies, I never was notified that you commented.
      I am not sure how much you can trust it, but on e-bay there is somebody in Italy selling the seeds.
      Check out: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lemon-Tree-Seeds-AMALFI-COAST-Sfusato-Amalfitano-ITALIAN-ORIGIN-10-Seeds-/311684413827
      Let me know how it goes.

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    2. Will these grow true to seed or are they a roll of the dice? (I have those exact seeds and am having a tiny bit of early success)

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    3. IF, they are what they say they are, you should be fine.
      Sadly, and I am NOT saying this is the case here, there are people out there that will claim a seed is a certain cultivar, rare, unusual, etc. Only to find out 5-10 years later they were just something from a store bought Key Lime or Grapefruit.

      Delete
  42. Hello
    I've been eating clementins for a few years now and never had 1 with seeds last winter I had one clementine that had 1 seed in it. At the time I thought it was strange and I should plant it because surely it would grow to some strange citrus. Well it did sprout and is doing good slow growing tho it has many small leaves but is only about 6 inches tall. I'm in zone 7 so growing season is almost over. Going to bring it in mid October. Was just wondering if the 1 foot per year is the normal or is the 6 to 8 inches normal

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    Replies
    1. Good Morning, Anonymous.
      First off, congrats on the new baby Clementine!
      It won't grow into anything really strange, more than likely it will be a tangerine of some sort.
      The truthful answer to your question is "it depends".
      If your horticultural practices are top notch, watering, sunlight, soil, etc. Then you should see a foot or so a year.
      You said the seed was found last winter, but you didn't mention how long it took to germinate.
      So, just doing some quick figuring, if you found it in December, it didn't germinate until February, your seedling is really only 6-7 months old. If it is 6-8 inches tall, it is doing great!
      Don't necessarily use the month to decide when to bring it in, especially this young.
      Wait until the night temperatures will be below 35 degrees, then bring it in. If possible, bring it back outside when it warms back up, even if only a couple of days. The more it is outside, the happier it will be.
      Keep me posted as to how it is doing!
      Happy Growing!

      Delete
    2. Thanks for the info I will keep you posted. Lost a couple of leaves in a rain storm but still looking healthy

      Delete
    3. its genetics and environment:
      20 children in a classroom, all are different heights except 2 children that are reasonably tall and 2 children that are reasonably short. 1 child from each of these pairs was raised in similar environments.
      which child is normal or not? which child is healthy or not, based on this information?
      The average of plant growth is generally taken from the average of the best it can be.
      my youngest citrus seedlings germinated in 3 weeks with me doing nothing.

      Delete
  43. grafting has multiple benefits for the plant;
    there are many different varieties of different fruits, ex;
    there are hundreds of different types of avocado and citrus trees. Some grow slower than people would like
    and/or are very hardy against differing weather conditions
    or nutritionally low soils and/or disease,
    some have bad tasting tough flesh, some are delicate, slow or small, some are delicious.
    Grafting is generally combining 2 plants of the same genus but of different species.
    'a hardy, fast growing, disease resistant fruit with inedible hard flesh is used as the root stock(base of the graft).
    a delicate delicious(unthorny) fruit of the same genus but different species(attributed to its differences)is used as the fruiting top for the other half of the graft.
    The fruiting top now has access to all of the functionalities of its stronger half.
    grafting does not affect pollination or fruit taste, it just makes the tree stronger and fruit faster.
    I have multiple grafted and ungrafted trees. They dont need it unless you are impatient for fruit or worried about a particularly delicate species.
    if you dont know what your doing i wouldn't risk killing my fruit tree by trying to do something thats not necessary. also if its a young tree the fruits wont taste as good as when its already fruited a couple times.

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  44. Hi Darren,
    I have several grafted citrus trees. I would like more and I'm hoping I can use air layering, since one is a seedless mandarin.
    Will I get the good grafted tree? Or will it be the rootstock that roots?
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As long as it is above the graft line, it will be the good Mandarin.
      Is it a Seedless Kishu by chance?
      If so, that IS a good one.
      Air layer in Feb or March and you should be good to go!

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    2. I have Owari Satsuma and Tango.
      Both delicious!
      Is there a minimum diameter of the branch?
      I have several about 3/8" but still green - but stiff.
      Can these be used?
      The trees are between 4-6 years old, but on dwarf or semi dwarf rootstock, so not big.
      The Tango has grown tall and needs pruning, so I'm hoping to air layer instead of throwing the prunings in the compost.

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    3. Usually pencil thick is minimum.
      I have seen it done on 1" plus, so you should be fine.
      Where do you live?
      The green branch will more than likely be good by the time February or March roles around.

      Delete
    4. I live in Panama. I'm at almost 6,000' elevation, so it's quite a bit cooler at night (66-ish) and only about 76 daytime.

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    5. If that is your temperatures now, absolutely a great time to be air layering.

      Delete
  45. Dear Darren,
    I live on a generally hot and desertlike Caribbean island (Curacao) which is mainly known for its sour oranges. Up until about 20 years ago we used to have some indigenous very nice and juicy limes, until some virus killed the bushes off around the island. Since then I have not actually come across any lime bushes, although I currently do have some mandarin-like limes (or very sour mandarins?) growing in the yard, which have a very thin skin and are super juicy. In the past I have bought sweet oranges with the fruit on the tree, (imported from Venezuela) but unfortunately when the new oranges came out (once they were planted in my garden) they were pretty sour. I have two questions: is the sweetness of the fruit related to the warmth of the weather (we rarely dip below 82 degrees Fahrenheit and are lately more often at around 90 degrees in the daytime) and 2. Do you know of any variety of limes which would fare well in this weather?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is a very interesting set of questions.
      I did a little research and now I need to ask you a couple of questions.
      The virus that killed the limes, do you know what it was?
      Has anything climatically changed? Amount of rain, new insects, etc?
      How did they die, rapidly, over time, turn brown and wither, etc?
      Do you know what the soil pH is by chance?
      Have you tried growing oranges, or any other type of citrus in containers?
      Are you sure the oranges were ripe?

      Usually, what high temperatures do to citrus is, especially oranges, will not allow them to turn orange. They will stay green unless you get some cooler/cold temperatures.
      Let me know the answers to the above, I am eager to figure this one out.

      Delete
  46. Hi Darren, thanks for your answer. Unfortunately I do not know what virus hit the limes, I guess I was too young at the time to really know but this is what I heard from my parents and grandparents. It is true that the oranges won't turn orange but stay green, however, these little mandarin limes do turn bright orange but won't sweeten. Climatically, I think we are getting less rain than before. I have horrible green thumbs, the citrus that I have tried growing in containers all were either getting white blithe-like spots or drying out due to the heat, so I decided to plant them straight in a compost rich area with a lot of light but not in the full sun. They are looking well, but as I have only had them for 2 years now I don't know if they will start flowering. I did plant them next to those other mandarin-limes which are bountiful in their yield.

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  47. Hi Darren.
    I’ve got a lemon tree grown from seed that is now going into it’s 14th spring. It got off to a very slow start, growing exclusively indoors on a window sill to reach only about a foot in height with no branching in the first 3 - 4 years and then, when we moved into a place with a skylight, it shot up to about 5 feet and began to branch out at the top in the next 18 months producing numerous branches with some very impressive thorns.
    In the years since, it has spent the warm season here in Hamilton, Ontario out of doors in full sun from mid-May until first frost and spent winters in a south facing sun porch which is cooler than the rest of the house. It has a growth spurt every March/April and then grows vigorously right up until September, generally requiring two trimmings a year to keep it small enough to fit back indoors in October. For the last 3 years I have been fertilizing 3 - 4 times a year spaced out between March and September with fresh vermiculture compost and potash which my local garden centre recommended.
    I’ve got a beautiful thorny green lemon tree. The leaves smell amazing and no law suits have resulted (yet) from the thorns but it has yet to produce a single blossom. Any advice on what I can do to encourage it?
    I’ve also started another 14 lemon trees late last summer, 7 from cuttings off the original and 7 from the seeds of a store bought lemon (also same as the original). All are thriving, quickly outgrowing their containers and will soon join the original tree in the move outside for spring so any advice will certainly be put to good use.

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    Replies
    1. Hey Rob,
      This looks like an interesting one.
      Being that you are so far north, when you say full sun how many hours would you say?
      I have a couple of theories that might be in play here.
      When you prune it twice a year, how much are you cutting off, and when are you doing it?
      It sounds like it is a very healthy tree.
      I am really interested in what the cuttings you rooted from last year do. They may actually bloom before the mother plant does. It will depend heavily on what your answers are to the above questions.

      Delete
  48. That was quick!
    The tree probably gets as much as 12 hours direct sunlight from the middle of May gradually decreasing in late summer and early autumn to about 8 hours by October. I don’t bring it indoors until the first frost which is usually around the middle to the end of October where we are located.
    The first pruning happens around mid to end of July. It could be earlier but I give it lots of opportunity for a spring or summer bloom before I stop waiting and get it back under control. The second pruning happens in late September when I cut back only what is necessary to get it in the house.
    I should mention that I usually cut back on watering over winter and let the soil dry out a fair bit. I keep and eye on the condition of the leaves to judge when to water it thoroughly. This winter, oddly enough, there was almost no leaf drop. In former years, it would loose about 1/3 of its foliage every winter.
    The cuttings and the seedlings will go outside this spring at the same time as the tree. Most already need re-potting as well.
    I’d like to forward a photo to two so you can see what my tree looks like so i’ll try sending to your email if that’s OK.
    Thanks very much for your speedy reply.

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  49. has anyone had any luck with growing Indio Mandarinquat from seed?

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    Replies
    1. Actually, I have not had the chance. Do you by chance have any seeds?

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  50. Hi Darren,
    I am going to try both air layering and grafting to multiply my seedless mandarins.
    For grafting, I have several very healthy rootstock trees. Grapefruit variety with inedible fruit, about 6-8 years old. I first pruned them to a central trunk, about 3-4” diameter, and pruned all the thick side branches. Now I have plenty of new, green growth for grafting.
    I plan to try bud grafting, veneer, wedge, etc.
    I’m a beginner, I have plenty of scion and 5 mature rootstocks to practice on.
    My question is, how much of the rootstock new growth do I need to cut off, so the grafts will take?
    Can I try all these techniques on the same trees?
    Or should I do one type of graft on one tree?
    Is there a way to send you photos?

    Thanks!

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  51. I do not see a problem with trying the different grafts on the same tree.
    As for how much to cut off, it probably depends on how high you want the graft to be, and which one you are doing.
    You can send pictures to TheCitrusGuy@netzero.com

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  52. My first peep has grown a lot of citrus from seed, and has killed as many as she has started. THIS TIME 'ROUND, she's gonna be better at keepin' the spider mites at bay. But what brilliant news 'bout bein' able to cut those thorns off! She never knew that and those thorns sure can be prickly. I'm gonna donate my claw clippers to her. Maybe then she'll be less likely to clip my claws. MOUSES!

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  53. Hi Darren,
    I grew a meyer lemon from seed about 3-4 years ago, and I’m getting flowers. Yea!
    However, the leaves are unlike any of my other meyer trees.
    And some branches are different than others.
    Can I send you some photos and tell me what you think might be going on?
    Thanks!

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  54. Hello! Are there any to indicate that a seed-grown tangerine has matured enough to fruit (other than flowers of course)? I have a potted tangerine I started from seed in 2010. I had a greenhouse malfunction in 2014, exposing the tree to single digit temperatures. The tree died back to about 6 inches above the soil. My tree rebounded quickly and is now about 6 feet tall. The tree used to grow thorns above 1.25 inches long. Last year, the new growth had visibly smaller thorns. This year’s spring flush was practically thornless. I’m hoping for flowers soon. BTW, I fertilize at least twice yearly and grow the tree outdoors in full sun from April to October.

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  55. Hi Darren , Hope you are well. I am an avid gardener here in South Africa. I reside in Johannesburg and its classed as an inland part of the country.
    I have planted 9 citrus trees which have been grafted and they are doing well. I have been found some seeds in a Clementine that supposed to be seedless and am currently germinating it in cotton wool.

    Once they are ready i plan to plant them in those black nursery bags and keep them growing. My question is will these trees bear any fruit......as that is the main intention. Keeping a barren tree isnt the best :) Can you advise.

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  56. I like kumquats and have saved a few seeds from fruit I bought at the store. If I grow the seeds will I get fruit from the trees in a few years?

    I also like even more a fruit sold as "Mandarinquat" which is a hybrid cross of a "mandarin and a kumquat".
    I saved a few seeds and got them to root. Will these trees produce fruit? If so will they be the same as I had to start with?
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes on all accounts.
      You will get fruit from them.
      The Mandarinquat will produce fruit and should be the same.
      Hopefully it was not cross pollinated with something else. As long as it was pollinated with Mandarinquat you will be fine.
      Sadly, there is no way to tell.

      Delete
  57. HI,

    I have a tree started from a calamondin seed about 6 years ago. It's in a 25gal container and about 6ft tall right now. Very branchy and full. No blooms yet. If I were to take a cutting and root it might I get blooms and fruit on the rooted cutting sooner than the original tree or is the same 'timer' on both (ie how long to bloom/fruit)

    Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. No, the timer would still be the same. I would be willing to bet that you will see fruit within the next year or so, it is right about that age!

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    2. Thanks, will keep hoping for good things!

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  58. Hi Darren. Great blog here with a ton of great information! I have a lemon tree which is about 3/4 years old which I believe was grafted. Last year/over the winter, it fruited 2 beautiful, nice sized lemons. I used the skins to make limoncello and then cut the fruit up to freeze it. Over the past few months, my tree had produced 3 new lemons which were growing very nicely until they were accidentally knocked off! A terrible feeling for me but I decided to take the seeds from those lemons that fell off to plant them. I got a bunch of good seeds which I planted almost 3 weeks ago. They still have not sprouted yet. I have been keeping the soil moist and in sunlight. When rain is foretasted, I take the pots inside to avoid being over watered. Should I be concerned about the seeds not sprouting yet?
    -Also, from the lemons I have frozen, will those seeds be good to plant? Cant hurt to try right?
    -I have read/seen multiple posts/videos about planting seeds from planting them straight into potting soil and also soaking the seeds in a wet paper towel for 2 weeks, then planting. What is the best practice in your opinion for planting seeds?
    -I also experimented with grapefruit in which I took a few seeds from the fruit I had eaten a few months ago. Planted the seeds and covered the pot with thin plastic. Once they sprouted, I took the plastic off and watered when needed. I now have 2 grapefruit seedlings/babies that are about 4-5 inches tall. I just replanted them into their own pots. My question here is, should I set them free to nature/elements? Or should I continue to water/keep soil moist as needed until they mature more, while also taking them out of direct rain to avoid over watering.

    Thank you again for all the useful information and am looking forward to your response.

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    Replies
    1. Hey, Mike.
      Thank You for the kind words!

      I am not sure that the seeds from the knocked off fruit will sprout. They may not have been mature enough, yet.

      You are right, it can't hurt to try planting the seeds from the frozen lemons. Keep me posted on that, it could be interesting.

      When it comes to planting seeds what works for me, might not work for you, which in turn may not work for your neighbor. It sounds like you have it down pretty good. I prefer straight into the soil, but that is just me.

      As for the grapefruit seedlings. You did not mention where you live, so, I will assume a non-citrus producing state. Keep them in pots for as long as you can handle them. Make sure they get plenty of sunlight. As for overwatering. If there is drainage in the pot, the soil is not 100% peat moss, and you only water it to keep the soil the consistency of a wrung-out dish sponge, you will be fine.

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  59. Hi Darren.
    I'm from Tanzania (East Africa). June 2018 i started my citruses from seed from a store bought tangerine and lemon. I managed to put them on ground and up to now they've grown up in height like hell (approx 11fts each), i only have two concerns which i need help;
    1. Why are both of them leggy (approx 1inch stem diameter on @)?.
    2. Tangerine has no branches (only main stem/trunk) and lemon has two branches. Do i have to top them off for better and strong stems?.

    Thanks.

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    Replies
    1. Hello, Chiza.
      How much sun/light are they getting?
      They need a minimum of 7 hours. That could be one of the problems.
      If they are that tall, and no branching, it will not hurt them to prune them down to say 7 feet (or less) to get them to branch. It will also help to keep them shorter for future fruit picking.
      I hope that helps?!

      Delete
  60. My daughter found a seed in a “cutie” orange from the store and planted it. It has sprouted and she’s so excited. Someone recently told me though that since those orange trees are a hybrid their offspring (my daughter’s seedling) won’t produce fruit. Do you know if that is true?

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    Replies
    1. That is absolutely NOT true!
      Your daughter will see fruit.
      Depending on horticultural practices, water, light, fertilizer, and your ability to protect it over the winter (depending on your location) she WILL start to see fruit in 5-7 years.
      How old is your daughter?
      Send me an e-mail to TheCitrusGuy@netzero.net

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