Newbie help growing from seed

18 years ago

Hi all,

This is my first time on this forum, I usually hang out on the hot pepper and havest forums. I grow and preserve hot peppers, but am new to growing citrus. I live in northern Italy, and I started growing my own peppers because I couldn't get many different types here, like jalapeÃ±os and habaÃ±eros. I like to cook, and I was dying for some kaffir lime leaves for Thai dishes. I mentioned this on another forum and someone from Australia offered to send me some seeds. They were pretty dried out, and I got one weak sprout which died at the cotyledon stage.

Then she sent me some seeds in a little plastic baggie with some wet pulp from the fesh fruit inside. I planted these with some of the pulp, and I have two beautiful little sprouts, both with a first set of leaves, and there may be more. I realize it could be a long wait to be able to harvest leaves, but it has become a challenge to grow them, and well, I just enjoy it.

I started them in a bottom heated propagator tray where I also start my peppers. Once they sprouted, I dug out them out and put them in plastic cups and put them under flourescent lamps - all this in regular potting soil. They are doing well, I can see new progress each day. After reading many posts on this forum, I am a bit worried about what to do next - after all this effort, I don't want to kill them!

As I live in Italy, I can't find (US) brand name products, and I am asking (begging) for advice on what to do next. I might be able to find a cactus mix, which I have seen mentioned, but I'm not sure. Is there a common/generic mixture that I might be able to make myself? I mean generic as in sand, vermiculite, peat, etc. I don't know if I can find things like coconut husks - I'll have to look around. I'm just afraid of damaging these young sprouts, and any information would be greatly appreciated.

My only other foray into growing citrus was when I found a seed in a "seedless" clementino (Clementine mandarin) and stuck it in a flower pot with another plant. The thing sprouted, and I replanted it, and grew it for about 3 years. Of course, I did everything WRONG - flooded it with water sometimes, left it outside in freezing weather, but it looked good, until it finally died. I thought it was from lack of water, but now I see it was probably from too much. I don't want to make the same mistake with my precious kaffirs!

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Comments (12)

birdsnblooms
18 years ago
Chiar, are your citrus ready to be repotted?
You can use a mix of 1/3 all purpose, 1/3 sand, 1/3 peat, and if possible, Perlite.
Keep plants in bright light, (if possible take outdoors) feed w/a citrus food or Azalia food.
I find plastic pots work best..Water rootball thoroughly, then let dry between waterings..Use pots with drainage holes. Are you planning on grafting?
BTW, Welcomr to the forum.. Toni
chiaroscuro
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi Toni,

Thanks for the reply.
These are only sprouts - a little over a week old. Right now I just want to make sure I don't kill them, since I and my Austalian friend went through a lot to get this far. Her trick of sending the seeds in a bag of pulp was a stroke of genius, I think.

I will try to make the mix you recommended. It shouldn't be a problem. I got one other reply by email that said basically the same thing.

Right now they are in plastic coffee cups that I used for the secondary stage for my pepper seedlings. They are in a mix of compost, ground coconut husks, and pomice,(no soil) which doesn't sound too bad to me. The PH is listed as 6.5 to 8.5. It drains pretty well. I think I will leave them in this for a bit, until they are a little more established, and then into a better mixture. I have them under fluorescent lights right now, and will try to gradually move them into the sun. With peppers, I did this over a period of a week or two, I suppose it woould be the same for these.

I doubt that I will try to graft them, as I just want the leaves, and don't really care about fruit. It's really too early to think about anyway, and I like the challenge of growing them.

You can see the bambini {{gwi:591239}}
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bencelest
18 years ago
Very nice healthy plant.
birdsnblooms
18 years ago
Chiar...cute plants..I though you were talking larger seedlings..I'd leave them in the same pot until larger, too. Do these containers have drainage holes?
8.5 is a bit high, too alkaline..If you fertilize, use something for acidic plants, or 1 capful of vinager per gallon of water will improve soil..Otherwise they look fine..Toni
chiaroscuro
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi Toni,

Yes, they have drainage holes. I'll try giving them a little acid... Ooops, there's a guy in a black suit at my door...

Seriously, I need to find a PH tester of some sort. When I dabbled in hydroponics, I just used litmus paper. I'll check the local garden center and see what's available.

Thanks for the reply!
birdsnblooms
18 years ago
Chiar, where do even find litmus paper anymore? LOL I guess someone would have it, and there's always Ebay..You can find anything on Ebay..
But u never know..try typing in litmus paper on your search engine and see what pops up.
lol, duh, just figured out what u meant about guy in a black suit..LOL..Make sure you don't develop 'weed' in your 'pot.' LOL Toni
chiaroscuro
Original Author
18 years ago
Toni,

How did people measure PH before electronic meters came along?

I found litmus paper in a hydroponics store in Berkeley, CA. It came with a color chart to compare the results. It works quite well, many people use it.
jimmydo2
18 years ago
Most HomeBrewing stores also cary litmus paper
birdsnblooms
18 years ago
Chiar, good question..and one I can't answer. LOL. I'd guess people experimented with soils hoping for the correct medium. I often wonder how people got along without half the stuff we have nowadays..Toni
kquat
18 years ago
Toni: Please explain what is LOL. Thanks. K.
birdsnblooms
18 years ago
Chair, to be honest, life was much easier than it is now..Things were simplified, not complicated. I sometimes with the old days were back..when watching old movies, everyone looked so happy..(S)

K, LOL ='s laugh out loud..Toni
janetplanet
16 years ago
I just signed on to this forum as we ate some wonderful oranges in Spain and brought back the seeds. I know now from what I've read, that my dreams of my very own orange tree with that wonderful fruit may not be a reality....but I'm a dreamer, what can I say. We put the seeds in a damp paper towel for a week before I started researching what to do. Right now, they're drying out....I've been reading the forum, but I'm so lost....guess I'm a newbie newbie.

Can someone please take the time and walk me through what needs to be done to salvage my orange seeds? I really want to give this a try. In Spain, there are orange trees everywhere, and I would love to bring a piece of that memory back to my home. Thank you so much!