How To Grow A Lemon Tree From A Seed In 8 Simple Steps
Growing a lemon tree from just a seed is a rewarding journey. It's not just about the fruit you’ll eventually harvest, but the patience and care you invest along the way. While nursery trees give you a good head start, there’s a unique pride in nurturing life from the very beginning. Thankfully, it's also a lot easier than you might think, so here are the 8 steps you'll need to take if you want to try it yourself.
Choosing the Right Lemon
You shouldn't just grab the first lemon you see at the grocery store for this. Many commercial lemons are hybrids or sterile, meaning their seeds won't sprout or produce fruit true to the parent. It's best to find an organic lemon or one from a friend’s established tree. Organic lemons are more likely to have viable seeds that haven't been treated with chemicals which inhibit sprouting. A Meyer lemon is often a fantastic choice for indoor growing.
Harvesting and Cleaning the Seeds
Slice your chosen lemon carefully to avoid damaging the seeds inside. Once you've extracted them, you’ll notice they're covered in a slippery, sugary coating. It’s important to wash this off completely because the sugar can encourage fungal growth that will rot the seed before it has a chance to grow. Rinse them under cool water and dry them gently with a paper towel. You’ll want to use the plump, full seeds and discard any shriveled ones.
Removing the Outer Shell
Here is a trick that many gardeners miss, the seeds have a hard outer shell that can make it difficult for the sprout to break through. You can carefully peel this white, hard layer off with your fingernails or a small knife. You'll then see the smaller brown seed inside. It’s delicate work, so take your time. Though this step isn't strictly necessary, but it definitely speeds up the germination process and increases your chances of success, so it's worth doing.
Pre-Sprouting
Instead of putting the seed directly into the dirt, we'll sprout it first. Dampen a paper towel so it’s wet but not dripping. Place your peeled seeds on the towel and fold it over to cover them. Slide this into a plastic zip-top bag and seal it up. Keep the bag in a warm, dark place like a kitchen cupboard. Check it every few days to ensure the towel stays moist and to look for growth.
Preparing the Nursery Pot
Once you see a small white tail emerging from the seed, it's time to plant. You don't need a massive pot right away though, a small container with good drainage holes should be perfect. Fill it with a high-quality potting mix that drains well. Citrus trees hate having "wet feet," so heavy garden soil won't work here. You can mix in a little perlite or sand to improve the drainage if your soil still feels too dense.
Planting the Sprouted Seed
Make a small hole in the center of the soil about half an inch deep. Place your sprouted seed inside with the little root tail pointing downward. Cover it with soil, but don't pack it down too hard. The new shoot needs to be able to push up through the dirt without too much resistance. Water the soil lightly so it's moist, not wet. Enough so the soil settles but not enough that your sprout drowns
Creating a Humid Environment
Lemon trees love humidity, especially when they're young. You can mimic a greenhouse environment by covering the pot with a piece of plastic wrap or placing a clear plastic bottle with the bottom cut off over the seedling. This traps both moisture and warmth, which helps the young plant thrive. Just make sure to poke a few small holes in the plastic to allow for airflow so mold doesn't develop.
Light and Patience
Move your pot to a warm, sunny location. A south-facing window is ideal because citrus trees crave lots of light. You'll need to keep the soil consistently damp but not soggy. Within a few weeks, you should see a green shoot emerge from the soil. Remove the plastic cover once the plant reaches it. It’s a slow process, so don't get discouraged if growth seems slow at first. Just keep it warm and watered.
There you have it! You've successfully started a lemon tree from scratch. It’ll be a few years before you see any flowers or fruit, but the beautiful green foliage makes for a lovely addition to your home in the meantime. Gardening teaches us that good things really do take time. Enjoy the process of watching your new tree grow and knowing that you made it happen with your own hands.