I have two questions about germinating Poncirus trifoliata seeds. How long will the seeds remain viable when kept stored? And how long should it take them to germinate? I bought them last spring and did not use all of them. I was hoping to germinate some more this year but have had no luck. I soaked them in water for an hour, then placed them on a moist napkin in a plastic bag and put it on a heat mat. After 3 weeks nothing happened. Last year most of them germinated within 1 week using the same procedure. Any suggestions?

If your seeds are not in the fridge they last about 10 days, until they are dry.
In the fruit or in the fridge (or in the ground) they can last till the spring, let say 4-5 month.
As you said, to germinate it can take from one week to several months depending on the conditions.

Sylvain.

I bought some seeds from tradewinds fruit last june, i planted some then and last week , both germinated in about a week, they were very dry when i bought them, last june
I just soaked them overnight,cracked the shell off, then onto tissue in a plastic bag on the flor of the heated propagator , they germinated in a few days, no different this year to last year,
i also did some lemon, calamondin and kumquat seeds from fruit harvested in the winter, and just chucked in a plastic box, fruit and all, the fruit had dried out and was hard to cut, but the seeds still germinated,

I got about 90% germinating this year, less last year

the seeds and the fruit were in the growroom with the hydroponics and the growlights, so not exactly cool, stored out of direct light , probably about 10-20C at the edges of the room

Thanks! maybe I need to get more agressive in helping the seeds along. I know they are probably dried out now compared to when I first germinated a group of them.

If your Poncirus Trifoliate seed was kept at room temperature for a year, they will no longer be any good. If they were kept in the refrigerator than very few may still be viable. - Millet (1,323-)

I found about a 100 yard long hedge row of flying dragons. I stopped and picked a few. Does anyone have suggestions on how I should store the seeds to get them to sprout in the spring? Also, could I sprout some now and grow them inside during the winter?

Hi Bamaquat, what a find! Yes, you could start some now if you know how to overwinter them (I'm not an expert on that though). In fact, they would germinate better if you started them right away. Here's a really interesting tidbit from Dr. Manners: link

I have found that Poncirus fruit kept unopened outside will provide excellent protection for the seeds until spring - even during frosty periods. Keep them off any soil, and not anywhere that water collects. Protect from any animals that might fancy them. The fruits will start to rot and look awful, but the seeds inside are fine. I wouldn't do this if in your location you get long periods below around -10C 15F, or if temps go above about 15C 60F when germination could start.

citrange, could you put small quantities in the fridge (~40F) for the winter then? What about the freezer?

Not the freezer, but I would think the fridge would be fine if you put the whole fruits in a plastic bag to prevent them drying out. I've not tried this myself, so treat it as an experiment! The fruit is designed by nature to protect the seeds until spring warmth triggers germination.

Thanks, citrange. I have had the experience of trying to keep citrus in the fridge for long periods, and they get nasty after a while, just like you described for the outdoor ones. But I guess the seeds might still be viable.

I have some seeds about two months old that I forgot to plant..... will they still be any good? Should I soak them then plant? Do I score them first? Jeff

If they were kept in the refrigerator they could still be good, if they were at room temperature, they almost surely will be dead. - Millet (1,142-)

Dry the seeds overnight. Dust with any fungicide and they will store in the refrigerator in a zip lock bag until spring and virtually all will germinate. It's worked for 9 winters for me. I don't bother to peel the skin off. I save
thousands of seeds every year.