How Do You Start Grapefruit Seeds?

Question:

Do you start grapefruit seeds in water or in soil?

SJ

Answer:

SJ,

Here is one way to do it:

Wrap seeds in a small amount of moist peat moss or a damp paper towel and tuck them into a sandwich bag. Place the bag in the refrigerator for about 3-4 weeks. Then plant the seeds in a small pot. Otherwise, just bypass the fridge idea, plant them directly in the pot, and see what happens. Either way, you are bound to get something to sprout eventually.

Once the seed germinates and the seedling starts to grow, wait until it develops it first true set of leaves (usually the second set of leaves that appear) before transplanting it to a bigger pot. The pot does not need to be too big to start with, just make sure the soil mixture you use provides plenty of drainage.

If you plant a seed from a grapefruit you buy at the supermarket, chances are the seed is from fruit that was produced by hybrid plants. On the one hand, this means that your tree could turn out to be sterile and never produce a single piece of fruit. On the other hand, you may get fruit, but if you do, it is unlikely to exhibit the same size and flavor characteristics as the original fruit you took the seed from. You going to have to be very patient, because it can take anywhere from 7-9 years before a grapefruit tree is mature enough to produce its first fruit. In any event, you will have a lovely tree to show for your efforts.

Ellen