How to Plant Citrus Seeds So They Sprout and Survive Easily

Our country is one of the important places of origin of the orange fruit, with rich citrus resources and many fine varieties, and a cultivation history of more than 4000 years. So, do you know how to plant citrus seeds?

1. How to plant citrus seeds?

Take out the citrus seeds, remove the pulp sticking to the surface, and soak them in clean water, changing the water once a day so that the seeds have enough moisture; after a week they can be taken out. After taking them out, remove the thin skin on the surface of the seeds. Prepare a pot of nutrient soil and plant them two centimeters below the soil surface, watering once a day; they will sprout in about 3 weeks.

2. The Growing Environment of Citrus

1. Temperature Requirements

The suitable average annual temperature for citrus cultivation is 16-22°C, the absolute minimum temperature ≥ -9°C, the average January temperature ≥ 4°C, the annual accumulated temperature ≥ 10°C above 5000°C, and the annual sunshine hours above 1200 hours. Citrus begins to grow when the temperature is above 12.8°C, grows best at 23—29°C, and its growth is inhibited below 13°C or above 37°C. In autumn, flower bud differentiation requires day and night temperatures of about 20°C and about 10°C respectively.

2. Light Duration

Light is an indispensable light and heat energy source for citrus trees to carry out photosynthesis and produce organic matter. Too strong or insufficient light will bring adverse effects on citrus trees. In closed orchards with insufficient light, the twigs are slender, weak and not plump, the germination rate and branching rate decrease, and even the twigs and leaves wither and die; the leaves are thin and large, pale in color, the number of flowers is small, there are many deformed flowers, the fruit-setting rate decreases, the fruit becomes smaller, the peel becomes smoother, the coloring is poor, the acid is high and the sugar is low, and maturity is delayed, etc.; it can also promote the occurrence of certain diseases and insect pests. Too strong light, however, will cause sunburn.

3. Moisture

The suitable relative water content of the soil is 60%-80%; when it is below 60%, irrigation is needed. Too much rain easily causes soil waterlogging or a high groundwater level; in citrus orchards with poor drainage, this will cause the root system to die. Citrus requires an air relative humidity of about 75% as suitable.

4. Wind

A gentle breeze can improve the ventilation of the tree body, enhance transpiration, promote the root system's absorption and transportation of water, and enhance photosynthetic efficiency; it can also prevent winter frost and summer heat damage and reduce the occurrence of diseases and insect pests. Strong winds, however, are the opposite, with more harm than good.

5. Soil

Citrus has a relatively wide adaptability to soil and can grow in red soil, yellow soil, purple soil, etc., but the most suitable soil for citrus growth is loam and sandy loam with a deep soil layer, an active soil layer of more than 60 cm, a groundwater level below 1 m, and a soil pH value between 6.0-6.5.

6. Air Quality

Citrus is sensitive to sulfur dioxide, fluoride and some organic chemical pollutants in the air. Dust in the air also has adverse effects on the growth and fruiting of citrus; even dusty substances such as soil have obvious effects. Dust covers the leaf surface and fruit surface, reducing photosynthetic efficiency and making the fruit appearance poor. When the air is humid, dust covering the citrus tree body can also induce the reproduction of algae, blocking sunlight from reaching the leaf surface and further reducing the photosynthetic rate.

7. Altitude

Altitude has a relatively large effect on temperature. In areas with freezing damage, an increase in altitude means an increased possibility of frost, and the acid content of the fruit also increases. This is because within a certain temperature range, the lower the average annual temperature, the higher the acid content of the fruit. The coloring of citrus fruit is also directly related to temperature; a moderate low temperature (3-10°C) can promote coloring. Temperatures above 20°C are unfavorable for citrus fruit coloring.

Citrus prefers a warm and humid climate, so the citrus-producing areas of our country are mostly distributed in the southern regions.