How to Grow

From seed

While any viable citrus seeds you sow can become beautiful, productive plants, hybrid plants—if they produce fruit—the fruit will not be the same in taste or appearance as the one it came from.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just different.

Satsuma tangerines are one of the few citrus plants that bears fruit similar to the parent when grown from seed.

Taking cuttings from parent trees is another great way to speed up this process and ensure you will enjoy the fruit.

In a pot

When planting in a pot, choose a dwarf lime variety (i.e 'Dwarf Tahitian Lime'.) Choose a pot at least 50cm wide and deep.

Position pot in full sun, and fill with quality potting mix.

Consider placing the pot on wheels if you live in a cold area, so it can be moved to a protected spot during winter.

Dig a hole in the pot twice the size of the root ball.

Remove the shrub from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.

Position in the hole in the pot and gently backfill, firming down.

Water in well.

Water deeply 2-3 times a week, depending on the weather conditions.

When the tree starts producing (usually it's 3rd year) feed weekly with Citrus Plant Food.

From Plant

Choose a sunny spot.

Enrich the soil with fertilizer/compost.

Dig the planting hole twice as wide and same depth as root ball.

Gently tease roots and position in hole.

Backfill.

Form a raised ring of soil around base of tree an water in well.

Mulch around base but away from the trunk.

Water in deeply.

When the tree starts producing (usually it's 3rd year) feed weekly with Citrus Plant Food.

Ready to harvest

Limes are best harvested when they are lighter green, smooth and slightly soft when gently squeezed.

Collect seed

Begin by obtaining a couple of the fruits you wish to propagate.

This is to increase the chance of getting seedlings.

Carefully remove the seeds from the citrus fruit, taking care not to damage the seeds and squeezing them out gently.

Rinse the seeds in water to separate them from the pulp and remove the sugar that clings to them; sugar encourages fungal growth and will jeopardize potential seedlings.

Place them on a paper towel.

Sort out the largest seeds; those which are more white than tan with a shriveled outer skin are the most viable.

You may now plant the seeds or prepare them for citrus seed storage.

To store the citrus seeds, place them on a moist paper towel.

Keep about three times the amount of seeds that you want to plant in case some of them are not viable.

Wrap the seeds in the damp towel and place them inside a plastic ziploc type bag.

Place the bag in the refrigerator.

Citrus seed storage in the fridge will last for several days to several months.

Unlike other seeds, citrus seeds need to stay moist.

If they dry out, it is very likely they will not germinate