Grapefruit pips

Discussion in 'Citrus' started by Selwyn, Feb 15, 2009.

  1. Selwyn

    Selwyn Member

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    Hi, to all of you!

    I am a rank amateur of the first water being totally lacking in the ability to make anything grow successfully, besides being a first-time newcomer to your website.......

    I took two grapefruit pips this morning and buried them about 2-3 cm deep in a commercially marketed plant medium in a pot about 20 cm deep and a circ. of about 10-12 cm.

    I have tried this before with apple pips, various small citrus types and date stones - all with no results.

    Am I fighting a losing battle, failing to say the magic words, or what?
    Is there any hope for me?
     
  2. KrisDen

    KrisDen Member

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    I am also an amateur, but I have tried this once. Only it was with pear seeds. I think you have to let seeds go through a chill period. I placed my seeds in moist paper towel then into a plastic bag. I then put them into the refrigerator until roots started to sprout. Then I put them into soil. I hope this helps and maybe you can research different chill periods for different seeds.
     
  3. Selwyn

    Selwyn Member

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    Dear KrisDen - many thanks for your prompt reply; I didn't think of "chill-periods" at all! I'll give it a try. BTW - have you any idea how long grapefruit seeds take to germinate and if now is an appropriate time of the year to be trying this?
    Yours,
    Selwyn.
     
  4. KrisDen

    KrisDen Member

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    Hi, I have done a little research in some of my books (should have done that first) and for citrus seeds, it sounds like you may not need a chill period. I know for apple, pears and peaches you do. The following is a copy of the text from my book. It might be more helpful.

    The pips of citrus fruits germinate quiet readily - choose Lemon, Orange or Grapefruit. Soak the pips overnight and then press each one down to a depth of ½ in. (1¼ cm) into compost in a 3½ in. (9 cm) pot. Keep in a warm dark place until the shoots appear, then move to a sunny spot. Your plants will need to spend the summer months outdoors and the winter in a fairly cool room 50˚ - 60˚F (10˚ - 15˚).

    I hope this is a little more helpful and I wish you the best luck with your grapefruits.
     
  5. Selwyn

    Selwyn Member

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    Hi, KrisDen - Yes, I thought about the chill period being a bit persona non grata for a semi-tropical fruit (i.e citrus); the others you mentioned are all temperate northern latitudes. The only thing I didn't do was soak them overnight but they were fresh-moist when I placed them and I gave them a really good drink to be getting on with so that may suffice. I'll let you know if/when they show themselves above ground.............

    Many thanks,
    Selwyn.
     
  6. Selwyn

    Selwyn Member

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    Hi, KrisDen - thought you might like to be kept up-to-date: I'm afraid that so far there seems to be no sign of germination with the grapefruit pips - as detailed earlier, they were just pushed a centimetre or two below the surface of a good potting medium and kept well watered - nothing happening so far (about 2 - 2-1/2weeks after insertion. If there's any change I'll let you know.

    All the best,
    Selwyn.
     
  7. KrisDen

    KrisDen Member

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    Hi Selwyn, Thanks for keeping me informed. I am sorry to hear they haven't germinated yet. Maybe they just need some more time. And if not, you know what they say, "If at first you don't succeed, try try again." I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
     
  8. Vera eastern wa

    Vera eastern wa Active Member

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    I sowed some mandarin seed but nothing came up. The seed were soaking in water before I sowed them. The pot was inserted into a ziplock but accidentally got tipped over a few times and I would stand it back up right but I think the seed got buried too deep (I never dug around to see where the seed were after tipping). After no germination happening for another 2 weeks I decided to start over with a grapefruit seed. The grapefruit seed had been soaking in water for about 1.5 weeks. Within about 3 weeks the seed germinated and then within one week following the seed leaves the first set of true-leaves just barely started appearing. It was only in a 4" pot and I decided it needed to be potted up into a 5" standard round pot. I did this 2 days ago, but while doing so I discovered one of the mandarin seeds that had got buried too deeply was sprouting after all!! This sprout was poly embryonic (had 2 sprouts/2 sets of cotyledons), but I accidentally broke one of those off while potting. I potted it just so it was under the surface this time. Happy to report it is now doing well and has broke the surface as of yesterday.
    Here is a picture of the Grapefruit taken on March 5th
     

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  9. Selwyn

    Selwyn Member

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    Thanks for the info Vera - maybe I should really have soaked them thoroughly and extensively before potting them, rather than rely on just keeping them well-watered in the pot. I'll leave them for a while but try with some others to run parallel....................will keep you all informed via this thread.

    Thanks again,
    Selwyn.
     
  10. Nath

    Nath Active Member

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    Ordinarily any fresh citrus pips will sprout within 6 weeks. I sowed a mixture of mandarin, Grapefruit, orange, lime and lemon over a year to 18 months ago and I now have a variety of around 30 trees all getting on for a foot tall, and thats in the temperatures of Nottingham UK. They are all flourishing and have new growth on them. Citrus pips genarally are very easy to grow if you put them into compost fresh of the fruit, just wash away any flesh and water well in the beginning. They grow very quickly and the roots can soon fill the pot.

    Citrus deosnt mind the cold so much as it deosnt like damp conditions once the trees are growing. If you go to Barcelona in December January when the temperature gets down to -2 or so tyou will see all of the Orange trees full of fruit and the cold gives the fruit a sharper tangy taste. They don't mind the cold Spanish weather on the Med but they arent happy if it rains continually.

    If your pips don't make it this time try again and keep the soil moist until they sprout.

    Nath
     
  11. Selwyn

    Selwyn Member

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    Hi, Nath - Nice to know you!! Been through Nottingham a few times and visited once: I had a friend in Nottingham - lived in County Road, I think it was. he moved to Spain quite some time ago on his retirement; he used to be the European secretary of the world-wide Al Jolson Fan Club. I'm an ex-Londoner myself...............was evacuated to Buxton during the war with my grandfather and grandmother - have wonderful memories and am still in contact with the two "little girls" that used to be my friends nearly 70 years ago; my first school days were spent there!!

    Thanks for the tips!

    I sowed my grapefruit seeds about 10 days ago after soaking them well for a similar period; The first batch that I hadn't soaked didn't show at all. I'll let you know how they get on together with the others who were kind enough to respond.
    Yrs.
    Selwyn
    http://www.holylandtours.netfirms.com/index.htm
     
  12. Nath

    Nath Active Member

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    I guess if one has to live in the UK then Nottm surrounded by Power Stations is as good a place as any to live with its micro climate, it certainly deosnt get the harsh weather other parts of the country get and its good for growing here. I would rather be at home in Mexico City though where the weather suits my clothes and you only have to protect against frost a few days in January, theres no wind to contend with so you don't have to give plants so much protection as here. Still I am making my garden as tropical as i can with all sorts of things I pick up on my travels. Maybe one day Mexico will be a safer place to live and we can go back permanently before the British weather ruins our health.

    Selwyn, good luck with your seeds, I don't think you will have too many problems getting them to grow. Keep the compost moist to begin with you can even cover them up in a clear polythene bag, sit the pots on a warm sunny window sill and wait. They should show signs of sprouting within 2 to 3 weeks.

    Please let me know how you get on. By the way I work not too far from County Road if its the one in West Bridgeford? Small world isnt it?

    Nath
     
  13. Selwyn

    Selwyn Member

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    Dear Nath - Thanks! Will keep you updated -
    Hasta la Vista!
    Selwyn.
     
  14. Selwyn

    Selwyn Member

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    To all of you guys who offered help and advice with grapefruit seeds, here is an update which isn't really as delayed as you may think - if not forgotten entirely!
    I had planted a total of about seven or eight well-soaked pips, in two groups nearly one week apart and waited anxiously for over three weeks for some sign of germination. When I had all but given up hope (again), one of the SECOND group broke surface and I thought that would be the beginning of the steady appearance of the others - or most of them.......in fact I had to wait another two weeks (a few days ago) to see any further action and that was only after very delicately scraping away some of the top-soil to see if anything was on the way.
    Indeed there was and there are now two shoots coming out of the ground. I shall wait patiently to see if, and how many of the remainder, show themselves in the coming days / weeks and probably append a photo as well.
    In the meantime, again thanks!
    selwyn.
     
  15. Nath

    Nath Active Member

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    Thats good news, they will make an appearance when they are good and ready. I you think they are slow to show, you should try waiting for Poinciana's to sprout, they make you wait forever and shoot up when you least expect. I have sown a few more seeds myself in this last week or two and planted some of the larger trees out into the garden as an experiment. They seem to be growing well and we have had some nice warm weather of late.

    Good look with yours.

    Nath
     
  16. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Now comes the real waiting time. A seed started grapefruit tree, when grown outside in subtropical locations like Florida or Southern California takes 12 to 15 years to finally mature and begin bearing fruit. The chance of a container grown grapefruit seedling (grown from seed) ever reaching the required node count number, and thus start to bloom and fruit, unfortunately is as close to zero as it gets. - Millet (1,355-)
     
  17. aesir22

    aesir22 Active Member

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    Hi Nath, hope the poinciana's are going well! Mine are still plodding along and getting bigger lol. Just moved, and worried about their size lol.

    As for planting citrus pips...They don't need a huge amount of care. I have tried lemons, oranges, limes and grapefruit. All I did was soak them for an hour (soaking too long may rot the embryo inside as it needs oxygen) cut the tiny tip bit off the end, and popped them into seedling potting mix with some perlite in it. Then I left them alone, keeping them warm.

    The key limes I planted were growing in a couple of days, because I had them in a heated propagator. The others, which were not heated at the bottom, took up to 7 weeks to germinate, but some only took a week or two. Keep them warm, and not too wet, and they'll be happy. Warmth is the key to speedy germination I think.
     
  18. Nath

    Nath Active Member

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    Hi Aesir,

    I know what you mean, I didnt even soak mine and they just came up in a matter of days. I think the Mandarins took longest to sprout. I put a few grapefruit pips in the other day and one is shooting up already. As to my Poinciana, as I thought 3 out of the 5 were good, I have repotted the 3 good ones as they got too big to all be together in one pot and thats in less than 3 weeks. It does get very hot in the conservatory though. I noticed sunday a 4th has sprouted in another pot and seems to be doing very well. I'll try and get around to taking some photos and post them.

    Nath
     
  19. Selwyn

    Selwyn Member

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    Hi - to all you lovely people that have been helping me with my grapefruit seed trials! Thanks a million and here are the (up to the present) results (I may send another view from another angle later today when the sun moves round and illuminates the whole pot). I think ALL the pips that I potted on about three diferent occasions are now up -2 or 3 of them not over-successfully.

    I now need to know the best (safest) time to transplant them into the ground; I am concerned about their "physical" safety and well-being - handling and so forth).

    In the meantime, I hope all of you get to see this post.................

    Yours,
    Selwyn
     

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  20. Nath

    Nath Active Member

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    Selwyn,

    i waited a year before planting my Citrus out, I left them in pots for the roots to have a chance to spread and fill the pot a bit first. There's no harm in repotting into a larger pot as they readily keep on growing and the roots are very durable. I have put 3 of my trees into the ground but encased in concrete to prevent damp attacking them in winter as they will tolerate sub zero temperatures but not damp at the same time.

    In your climate you won't have those problems and they should do very well. i would leave them in the pots for a while then plant out. Remember they may not flower for 5 years and may not fruit for 10 so don't expect miracles all at once. They do like a feed from time to time and you can give them some epsom salts to keep them healthy. They can be susceptible to mites and spider mite so keep an eye on them if you see any fine cobweb developing you may need to spray them with something.

    Good luck with them, i had another 10 shoot up this week, all pink grapefruit that I planted 3 or 4 weeks ago. it deos get vey hot in my conservatory though. I'll post some photos when i get a chance of whats come up in just a year.

    keep in touch and let us know how you get on.

    Nath
     
  21. Vera eastern wa

    Vera eastern wa Active Member

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    Just an update on my Grapefruit now at a little past 2 mos. old....previous pic in this thread was taken and posted on March 7th. It's loving all this good sunshine and heat :)
     

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  22. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Nath wrote: ......" Remember they may not flower for 5 years and may not fruit for 10 so don't expect miracles all at once.".......

    Unfortunately, a grapefruit grown from seed will never begin to flower in 5 years, even in a warm subtropical climate like Florida. The VERY EARLIEST that one could expect blooms in a subtropical Florida location would be 8 years, normally 12 to 15 years. In a cold country like England, where the tree will only be growing 5-6 months a year, it could easily be 20 years before fruiting. Grapefruit trees, completely stop all growth at 55F (13C), and grow VERY VERY SLOWLY at temperatures below 68F (20C). Therefore, a grapefruit planted outside in England will not produce any growth for a large part of each year. Because, a citrus tree does not become mature, and thus begin to flower/fruit, until the tree has grown the required number of nodes, the slower it grows, the longer it takes for the required node count to be reached. In Israel, a much warmer country than England, especially along the coast, the time frame for a citrus tree to begin fruiting will be much sooner that in England. The best climate for the cultivation of grapefruit is an area with high humidity, and night temperatures, that are close to day time temperature. - Millet (1,332-) http://citrus.forumup.org/
     
  23. Selwyn

    Selwyn Member

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    Hi, all you lovely people that helped specifically or otherwise interested yourselves in my early attempts with grapefruit pips!
    Here is the latest picture taken almost exactly to the day one year after first putting about 8 or 10 of them in a pot (see earlier photos).
    Quite a few of them came up but although some of them were in fair shape, partly for lack of space, I discarded all but the two best ones and transplanted them in the ground.

    The better of the two is photographed here. For reference my cell phone is 13 cm in length (about 5 in).
    They have been outside in the ground for about 6 months and seem to be doing well although rate of growth (as I was warned), is a bit slow.

    That's all for now - and thanks one and all for being with me on this......

    Selwyn

     

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  24. Nath

    Nath Active Member

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    Heh Selwyn , Long time no speak how are you doing my friend

    Looks like your Toronjas are doing fine. Nice picture. I was very happy to get back from Mexico and find that my Citrus had survived the -8's and 9's they had while we were away out in the garden, even the Mandarin a miracle.

    So this will be their 3rd year so fingers crossed they will reach 2 feet tall this year and keep on reaching for the sky.

    How is the weather in Eretz Ysreal right now? A lot warmer than here I would imagine, I went on a tour of all the flora and fauna in the Mexican jungle of Yucatan right near the Ecuator line and it was 40 degrees plus. You should have seen the Oranges, Toronjas(Grapefruit),limes, Papaya growing on the trees in the middle of the Jungle where the people had their Palapas or huts, the Maya still live in places the same way they did 800 years ago it was fantastic apart from the crocodiles who got a little bit too curious about us. Back here in the freezing cold of Nottingham and I'm wondering why we came back. Still I planted a few new grapefruit seeds today to replace one I lost in the greenhouse to the wire worms.

    Good luck with your Toronjas!

    Nath
     
  25. Hosta la Vista

    Hosta la Vista Member

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    My grapefruit seedling, which is now just under 3 inches, has grown a flower bud. I don't think there is necessarily a rule for what size they are when they can start to flower.
     

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