Just thought I’d post some photos and information about growing citrus trees. I love growing them! I’ll sprout them from seed, grow them up for several years and feast on the fruits. Clone them, and everything! Force bloom them several times a year. I’m from Canada, but I have a grapefruit tree about a quarter century old. Post your own citrus trees! I love 'em!
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I plant those suckers in regular potting mix. Should be almost ph neutral, but slightly acidic at ph 6.5 ish. 6.8, whatever. Citrus trees can withstand major drying out events! It will take 7 years for the grape fruit to reach maturity and bloom, and about 5 years for the mandarins. Sprouted the seeds in a paper towel, but not that ancient grapefruit. It was given to me by my gran’ who had told me it was a watermelon. It was just a sprout, but 2 years later someone saw it and said “hey, nice grapefruit tree” hah hah and I said “oh that’s what it is!”
You can force bloom the tree by drying it out and then watering and fertilizing it after. Just don’t dry it out enough to kill it, which is difficult to do.
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That’s what I really want to grow, is lemons! Sadly, I had sprouted a seed, but it was a non viable mutant that never really grew leaves. If you are cloning citrus, I found the second year growths clone best, not the fresh green cuts. hah hah coulda been a coincidence though.
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I got those last year at Home Depot, I figured why not let me give it a shot…my pink lemon tree hasn’t produced any fruit yet…I will be repotting them this Spring.
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Can’t show pics right now. But I have two Citrus trees that are about 5 years old each. Both from seed. One my wife planted and it came up. I have been growing it ever since.That one is a lemon tree.
The other was a “Cutie” Supposed to be seedless. I found a seed and just put it immediately into a pot of soil that happened to be sitting there. by the spring time, it had sprouted. The Cutie has bloomed once. My wife thinks the birds got the small baby fruits. I tend to think they just dropped off. Smell was incredibly sweet…
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lol! Yah they probably dropped off. I’ve had a fruit three months old drop off! Ahh the pain! Gotta baby those babies after the fruit forms. If you let it dry out, boom they’re toast.
I forgot to mention that cloning the citrus is like cloning any other tree: you need to maintain 75-90% humidity or else the cutting dries up and dies. I used rooting hormone on my cuttings, something I never do with cannabis. Lemon trees clone the easiest, I’ve seen them start growing in 2 weeks. It took me… I think 5 months to produce a growing grapefruit tree. Yikes!
I’ll tell you a secret… the blossoms are my essential aroma therapy as I drift off to sleep. 
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here’s the fertilizer I use on the tree. I give it some of that every couple of weeks once the fruits form.
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I haven’t had any luck sprouting fruit seeds I’ve bought as of yet, I bought some small trees from tractor supply for outside last year and had ok luck with them… I was too busy/lazy to transplant fast enough and paid for it.
…Do you happen to have seeds for trade? I love growing all kinds of stuff and this is right up my alley. Old lady wants me to start green beans in the grow room too
Your trees look amazing btw
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Thanks! Tell you the truth they are just seeds I scavenged from a fruit I bought at the store. I take it and put it in a paper towel until it rots or sprouts. I sprouted them all heh heh. Took 4-5 weeks for the mandarin.
There’s the straggler, I just planted it! Looks healthy and so on. Time will tell, if it’s viable!
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It’s Citrus time here in Chiriqui, all around the barrio is the smell of citrus as most all neighbors have orange , lemon, lime trees etc in ther gardens or small holdings.
I inherited my trees when I bought the casa, I’m informed there over 30 years old…
Always producing, and fresh juice is a amazing thing to have at your fingertips…one orange tree and two lemon I have and really goes well with the local white seco rum…
Regards
P J
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How many months do they take to ripen? Still like a year?
I’ve always wanted to grow grapefruit (I eat one EVERY SINGLE DAY) and lemons. And seeing you do so being in Canada as well gives me hope! Thanks for the inspiration, I’m going to grab some beans or perhaps small trees if possible. Awesome
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The cloned trees from the store or a clone from a friend is the quickest way to produce fruits. You can force bloom that thing in 30 days! Seeds take a few years depending on the variety you plant. There are many urban legends about growing grapefruits, but they are just classic citrus fruits and can be grown like any other.
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This is the perfect time to get things going as spring is right around the corner (maybe, I hope? Who knows anymore seasons are becoming less and less SEASONAL) lol I can get them going then get them out on the patio as my new place has an abundance of full sun, outdoor space.
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Wasn’t thinking about clones but YES! I’m on the hunt. Thanks again, @JoeCrowe this truly has inspired me.
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