How to Grow Lemons or Tangerines

A lemon tree is easy to grow at home. You just need a small branch of an adult tree or to grow seedlings from regular lemon seeds. With a little bit of patience and just a few weeks, you’ll start to see thick green leaves. And even further down the line, given that the plant receives the right amount of attention and care, you will get bright lemons.

5-Minute Crafts is offering up 2 methods of growing a citrus tree at home. In addition to growing lemons and tangerines, you can also grow limes, oranges, and kumquats.

From a seed

• Get some seeds from a lemon or a tangerine. Remove the pulp and put the seeds in a container with a bit of water. Throw away the seeds that come up to the surface. Leave the container in a warm place for a few days. Change the water every day and wash the seeds, removing the dirt and the gel-like substance from them.
• As soon as you see roots, take a cup, put a layer of about 1cm to 2 cm of small rocks on the bottom, put some wet universal soil on top, and dig in the seeds with the pointed ends down. Put some sand on the top and make sure the cup is in a warm place.
• Once every 1 to 2 days, sprinkle the soil with water and make sure it’s wet. In 3-4 weeks, you will see some seedlings. When they become bigger and stronger, separate them and place them in different pots.

Important: citrus trees require a special kind of soil. It’s because the tree changes the pH-balance of the soil and drains it during its active growth period. This is why during the first several years, it’s better to change the soil in early spring and then once every 2-3 years. When repotting the tree, don’t remove the soil around the roots, just cut off the rotten and dry ones.

From a branch

Cut a 10-cm branch. Remove all the leaves except for the top ones.

Cut a piece of a sponge and make a slit in the middle. Put the lower part of the branch into the cut.

Put the sponge into a container with water so that the sponge goes in about halfway in the water. Leave it like this for 10-14 days until some strong roots grow.

After that, take the future tree out of the sponge and put it into a pot. Make sure that the tree gets enough water — the soil should not be dry.

It will take the tree several years to become stronger and bear fruit. Cut it in the spring to stimulate growth and blooming. Don’t worry if some of the leaves fall down in the autumn. If the air in your house is dry, keep the tree in the bathroom from time to time or even in the shower for several minutes.