How to Grow a Tangerine Tree from Tangerine Seeds.
Tangerine trees grow easily from seed, but a tree grown from seed can take several years to be large and mature enough to produce fruit, so you must be patient! Although not all types of tangerine trees are made from seed (i.e. have fruit identical to the parent), some varieties reproduce relatively quickly. Most citrus trees, including tangerine trees, are grafted onto two-year-old disease-resistant rootstocks. Grafted plants should bear fruit within two years of purchase.
If you are passionate and have the time to grow a tangerine tree from tangerine seeds, here are the steps to help you achieve your successful dreams.
1) Save the Seed
Keep a few seeds from a large juicy, preferably organic tangerine. Gently wash the seed, let it dry on a paper towel, then plant the seed or save it. Fresh seeds are more viable (i.e. more likely to grow) than older seeds. Seeds will grow best in spring or early summer. If seeds must be stored, store them in a labelled envelope in an airtight container.
2) Sow the seed
Sow the seed in a container filled with potting soil (available in bags at garden centres). Seeds can be sown in a small pot (10cm) with one seed per pot. Moisten the mix before sowing the seed, then gently push the seed about 5mm deep into the mix and cover. After sowing, water the pots.
3) Keep the pot warm
Keep the pots warm in a greenhouse or place them in a foam box covered with a sheet of glass or plastic to form a mini greenhouse. Keep the box in a warm, well-lit place, but not in direct sunlight.
4) Keep the environment moist
Mist the mix to encourage seed growth and to keep it from drying out (the soil should be moist but not soggy). Water gently with a sprayer-type attachment once the sprout appears. Germination normally takes about seven to ten days.
5) Let it grow
When the plant is about 5cm tall, water with a diluted liquid organic fertilizer. Repeat the fertilizer application every 14 days during the warmer months of the year (follow the directions on the container). At this point, if the weather is warm, the pot can be moved to a sheltered but sunny spot. Outside, it will need extra water because it will dry out faster than in a protected greenhouse.
6) Protect your plant from predators
Snails and beetles can attack seedlings. Protect small plants and check the leaves for other pests, including aphids and caterpillars. Remove anything that is there.
7) Repotting the plant
When the seedling is about 10-15 cm tall with a well-developed root system, it is ready to be placed in a larger container (15 cm in diameter) with cool potting soil. Continue repotting into larger containers as the plant grows and its roots begin to fill each new pot.
😎 Plant in the garden
After about two years of growth, the seedling should be a sufficiently robust bush, which can survive in the garden. If in doubt, continue growing it in a container until it reaches about 30 cm tall or more.
9) Waiting for fruit production
Mandarin trees grown from seed can take four to seven years to flower and bear fruit. Young trees with weak branches should be discouraged from fruiting by removing flowers and berries. Flowering occurs in spring, fruits form in summer and ripen in early autumn.
It’s up to you!
😊 only polite members will say thanks 😊 The rest in the first comment