Hello folks,

I ordered a few packets from Trade Winds Fruit web site. My mail arrived one month later but I hold it off for a few weeks until. Next month I soaked seed-starting soil completely then I sow seeds into tray. I put it on heat mat with plastic cover (mini-greenhouse effect) and set 75-80 degrees heating.... I keep soil moist (water once week).

Two weeks later, a few seeds finally germinated. Most seeds did not. I had dug into it and examined a few seeds. I found out that some seeds looks like rotten to me. It was soft and easily broken to reveal white thing inside.

Any solution/experience about that problems before I will try them again for second time? I am new to this forum and am learning how to grow citrus from seeds, etc. Its instruction on packets are not enough for growing them properly.

Thanks!
Tim

yeah, citrus seeds dont live long. They should be planted before they ever dry out. Im glad you got some to germinate!

someone from GardenWeb sent me some Flying Dragon seeds that were really fresh and had been kept in a refrigerator. Ive bought others and had so-so germination.

One thing ive noticed is sometimes I keep them too wet and that makes them rot. but if theyre too dry, they die. I have tried them in 2 different setups at a time, some in a baggie in a warm place, some under lights on a heat mat, and I threw some old seeds into potting soil on top of another plant. The ones I just threw in to another pot were just about as sucessful!

Bottom line: citrus seeds take some skill and buying from the internet might not get you the freshest seeds.
good luck!

Hell folks,

Other many seeds finally germinated several days later. Their germination rate was around 75%. Two of four variities successfully germinated - blood orange and ugli fruits. Other kassifer lime and citron etrog seeds did not germinate yet. I ordered them from Tropical Wind Fruits.

About kassifer lime, should first true leaves be doubly leaves? right? I am figuring how to post my pictures because I took pictures of them by using macro lens (microscope-like lens).

Thanks for your replies...

Tim

I just bought some from tradewinds, theyre cheap enough, but ...

Ive gotten fresh seed that are a touch moldy, but these from Tradewinds were super old. like completely dry. Ill be happy to get ANY germination. Ive got them in a baggie hoping that will help. The Kaffir lime seeds were not plump so im not sure if theyre viable Should wait for our fellow citrusaholics to have spare seeds, methinks.

I agree: they can be too wet and they'll rot, or too dry and they'll die/not germinate. I think the growing medium is real important. I use a mixture of potting soil and sand, which I think works well. Pure potting soil dries out too quickly. It's good for actual plants, which have root systems. I feel that the sand fills in the gaps in the potting soil and helps the seeds push through.

My two cents.
John S
Portland, OR