I read in Millet's link that even higher temperatures are suggested with a cooling off temperature at night, but I just increased mine to 86F a couple of days after planting them. I was afraid of over-watering them but the soil was drying out so I put inverted cups over the tops of the square pots (leaving some room for ventilation).

My potting mix includes a little bit of slow release fertilizer but I may add a little bit of water soluble fertilizer in a couple of weeks.

I slipped a gallon zip lock bag over my pot to give it a little bit of a greenhouse affect, but still left it open at the bottom so it is getting ventilation. The soil is staying moist - haven't had to water mine. That was one of the reasons I checked the little seed - to make sure it hadn't gotten moldy. Which it hasn't, thank goodness.

Harvey, looking at the photo of your Dekopon seedling, I don't see it producing any green chlorophyll. Hopefully, it is just the picture. If indeed the seedling is pure white in color, then it is an albino seedling with no life giving chlorophyll, and therefore unfortunately it will die. Hopefully, the white coloration that I see is just coming from the picture. Further, if it is indeed an albino, and I think it is, lets hope it is just a one time phenomenon, and not a trait of the Dekopon. - Millet (659-)

Millet, I wondered about that. I just looked at the second seedling which is now more fully emerged and it's similar. They are under a fluorescent grow light and I wondered if they just needed more time or more light. Our weather has cleared and we'll have warmer temperatures tomorrow and I was thinking of moving them to my greenhouse for at least the daytime. I've used this same mix for hundreds of other plants and don't think it's the source of the problem. Could it just be the age of the seedling? I'm open to suggestions!

Wow, that's very interesting. When I carefully removed the soil from on top of my seed, I saw a green sprout. So, hopefully, mine will be green. I don't have it under grow lights, but in a sunny window. Not sure if that makes any difference at all. Will report how my sprout comes up when it breaks through the soil.

Harvey albinisms could be a trait of the Dekopon. Or perhaps the grower/seller have treated the fruit in some way to cause the seed to be worthless (but I doubt it). I don't think more light or your greenhouse will have any helpful effect. - Millet (659-)

Millet, are any of the citrus in Depokan's breeding prone to albinism that you'r aware of? I know it is supposed to be a cross between a Ponkan and a Kiyomi tangor, which is itself a cross between a Trovita orange and a Satsuma mandarin.

Harvey,
In many cases albino seedlings are results of fungal infection inside seeds.
I have a positive experience by treating such seedlings with fungicide captan, but read that many other fungicide are also helpful
http://books.google.com/books?hl=fr&lr=&id=soRlAAAAIAAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR4&dq=citrus+albino+seedling++fungal+infection+&ots=9Npt3OilOH&sig=GhGkMSSlvT00G9Yg2516LtydvcA#v=onepage&q&f=false*

Thanks, Ilya, I'll try some Physan on one of them today since I've got it on hand and will then try on the other if I don't see any harm from the first attempt.

No dekopan at Central Market yesterday. Come to think of it, dekopan is a little too late for the Houston, TX area.

Yea! I have a tiny little green sprout peeking up today! I planted my wee fat little Depokan seed on St. Patrick's Day, it it sprouted today. So, that was 15 days:



Now, just to nurture this little guy until I can get it to a larger container. I wonder if I'm going to get more than one sprout. It was a very fat seed, so hoping I get a couple of clones. When should I separate the seedlings if I do get more than one? Harvey, how are your little seedlings doing?

Congrats, Patty!

I burnt my first seedling pretty badly with the Physan 20 so I think it's a goner and the second one is still looking like an Albino. My third seed hasn't sprouted yet.

Well, the fun part is over, I guess, but no biggie. I'll keep my fingers crossed for budwood.

Well, here's to hoping the 3rd seedling sprouts and is green I still have a long way to go. I think I'm going to lift off the little greenhouse I have going with the zip lock bag. I don't want the little seedling to get a fungus or moldy. I think the hot sun these last 2 days helped the seed to finally sprout up above the soil line. We're cooling off, so we'll see if I can keep it alive!

Update on my little Depokan seedling: I now have 3 seedlings popping up! I had a hunch this would happen, since the seed was so fat. So, how and when do I separate these 3 little seedlings? And, please explain to me again, with these polyembryonic seeds, the chances of one of these seedlings being a Depokan (i.e., clones verus hybrids). Kind of excited about this, I hope I can get all three to continue growing. Kind of cool!! I will be putting up my greenhouse, soon, and they will be going down there to continue growing. Then eventually in pots and outside.

Any updates ?