Author Topic: How to germinate Minneola tangelo seeds?  (Read 982 times)

Perplexed

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 209
    • 7b/8a GA
    • View Profile
How to germinate Minneola tangelo seeds?
« on: October 14, 2018, 05:12:54 PM »
Recently went  to my local farmers market and got one of them for 69 cents. Cut one open and got 1 seed from it.

SoCal2warm

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1554
    • zone 10 and zone 8a
    • View Profile
Re: How to germinate Minneola tangelo seeds?
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2018, 01:21:56 AM »
Carefully peel off the outer coat of the seed
Wrap in damp paper towel
place into sealed sandwich bag
Place somewhere warm that will not get too cold
In about 1 to 2 weeks, sprouts should come out.
Carefully move sprouts into the largest sized plastic cups you can find, with loose soil.
You may wish to cover the top of the cup with plastic wrap to help hold in the humidity.
Keep the soil moist. This may involve sprinkling with water every 2 to 4 days. Make sure cup gets plenty of light.
An enclosure with artificial lighting works best, for example an 8-watt LED bulb about 12 inches above the seedling.
The enclosure helps hold in the humidity so things don't dry out (which they are prone to do in indoor spaces in Winter with the heat on).
I would not recommend a heating pad directly under the seedling unless the cup is covered in plastic wrap, because the warmth will cause faster evaporation and it will dry out.
When the seedling gets 3 inches high, it should be moved to a larger container, because a cup is not going to provide enough room for the root system, and it will be impractical to keep watering it to keep the moisture level just right (too much water will cause root rot, but if the plant absorbs all the water out of the soil and the soil becomes dry, the plant will also not do well).

Minneola tangelos are cold hardier than orange, but are still not going to be able to survive outside during Winter where you live.
« Last Edit: October 15, 2018, 01:31:03 AM by SoCal2warm »