Are my seeds done germinating?

cooledwhip · Sun Sep 18, 2016 9:56 pm

I'm very new to this hobby. I recently cut open some blood oranges and lemons (favorite citrus, especially the blood oranges) and I pealed back the wax coat thing so now I have the actual seed. I germinated them from a couple guides I saw online with a paper towel and a plastic bag. I believe I did this 9 days ago. Today I checked and some of them have a little root/chute coming out of them. I'm not sure which. I'll post a picture though. The longest was ab out half an inch on a couple of them. I planted the seeds that had longer ones with the long thing down, (I'm assuming it's a root) in some miracle gro natural organic soil. I just want to make sure I am doing this right so I don't just ruin all the seeds I just germinated. Anyone know what to do after they get to this step? I'll post a picture of where most of my seeds are at now. This is the farthest step I know how to get to. I can't actually get them to create a plant.

cass2828 · Mon Sep 19, 2016 3:57 am

yeah I think its done but the ones on the extreme top left and bottom right don't seem to be done... so .wait a day or two on those.. by the way this just an opinion by a newbie..

imafan26 · Mon Sep 19, 2016 5:15 am

The top and bottom ones look like they will break soon. You can carefully transplant the other seeds now.

While it can be fun to grow fruit trees from seed, be aware that fruit trees don't always breed true and even with the same variety there will be differences from tree to tree. Citrus trees from seed can take anywhere from 5 to 7 years to fruit.

cooledwhip · Mon Sep 19, 2016 7:41 am

Where do I plant the seeds and how? Just in dirt? With the stem thing facing out of the dirt or buried in it like a root? Thanks.

cass2828 · Mon Sep 19, 2016 8:21 am

plant them in small containers either the stem thing facing down or side mostly the thin showing out (radicle) is the root... and yeah plant them in soil...either potting soil or a 50-50 soil compost mix...

rainbowgardener · Mon Sep 19, 2016 12:49 pm

Agreed, plant them in small containers, root down, in POTTING MIX, which is not dirt. Dirt does not work in containers. Even a soil and compost mix is still, IMHO, too heavy/dense for use in containers. You want your tiny baby seedlings in a substrate that is very loose and fluffy.

cass2828 · Mon Sep 19, 2016 2:32 pm

thnx for the correction rainbowgardener and yes I agree with you that soil compost mix to heavy sorry....

cooledwhip · Mon Sep 19, 2016 9:08 pm

Thank you much. I will leave the ones I have in their container and start fresh when the others sprout. How long should I wait before planting them? I have some that have a small sprout but nothing too long.

Would I be able to plant them in peat moss? It's very fluffy.

Also I have a pepper plant that has produced two peppers. It has not grown at all since I bought it at the beginning of this summer. It's in about a 12 inch wide pot. The plant itself is like 8 inches in height.