Laura, water your seedling trees only in the mornings, unless on extra hot days some additional moisture may be needed. Rhzoctonia stem rot is the number one killer of young seedlings. This happens when the surface of the soil remains damp for longer periods of time. Watering them in the morning and placing them in sun light during the day will quickly dry off the top surface of the soil, and greatly help prevent this killing problem. The VERY best to your little trees, may they have a long and healthy life.. - Silica

Thank you Silica! I will do as you say. They will likely be indoors until next Spring. They seem too small and fragile to live outside right now, and then we get winter...The window they are at gets western sun and is bright for lots of the day. Hopefully that will work.

Laura, also keep a sharp eye on your seedlings. MGGS mixed 50:50 with perlite will have a very fast drainage, and will not hold a lot of water. Your little seedlings have a small volume of roots to reach out for water. Be sure they get enough root zone moisture. Just keep a eye on them. - Silica

A better method, but more time consuming is to water them from the bottom, while they are young and tender; just dip them in water that does not reach the top of the soil. I water all my seedlings like that; because I hate germinating a seed successfully only to see it damp off.

Thank you both. I've never grown citrus from seeds and will be very vigilant. Their pots are quite large for their size and the MG potting mix I used says "moisture control"...don't know if that is good or bad, but is what I had available. I will keep a watchful eye for sure. John, would I just dip them? I am not sure these pots would be great for that because they only have slits at the bottom. We are getting lots of rain today so I am collecting as much as I can and will use it to water them while it lasts...

Laura next time I would recommend that you not purchase the MGGS that contains moisture control. Control the moisture yourself. - Silica

Will do!

The seedling aren't safe from damp off until they are about a foot tall

It seems I have to walk a tightrope with these little guys....I hope at least a few make it.

Laura,

Just put the pots in like a roasting pan and pour in water; they will absorb it from the bottom.

Ok John...that's easy enough!

Laura, I started 4 Daisy Mandarin seeds on August 31st. 3 are in Miracle Grow Garden Soil and one is in fine bark. One of the seeds in the MGGS didn't sprout, but I don't think it has anything to do with the MGGS. I'm just experimenting for the fun of it. The MGGS that I seem to be able to buy in my area seems to have very fine particles, is heavy, dense and not like the barky, airy mix Silica, Millet and Laaz write about. I don't know if you can see in the picture that it pulls away from the containers walls as it dries. I am thinking of emailing to find out if there are different formulas in different parts of the country. I do water my seedlings from the bottom to avoid the mold from forming on the top of the soil. I also have read if you sprinkle a fine layer of sphagnum moss on the top of the container's mix that will also prevent the mold. I have had fun growing seeds and enjoy seeing how different seeds from the same fruit can look and grow quite differently from each other sometimes. Below is a picture of my new Daisy Mandarin seedlings. If I remember I will go outside a take a picture of my seedlings I started I think in 2014. They are in the 5-1-1 mix.

Oh, I see in the picture the Owari Satsuma I found laying on top of the mix of its container. I'm not sure if it fell off by itself or one of my pesky critters bit it off and left it behind this time. Maybe I caught him in the act so he left it behind.

Cory

Those look great Cory! I will water from the bottom then also now that I see how it is done. I may go buy a pack of MGGS at HD just to see what it is like. If I don't like it, I will just use it in my garden beds. I am sorry about the Owari...that really stinks! I've had no issues with critters lately other than squirrels planting corn kernels in my mix, which sprouts...not too bad considering what else they could be doing!

I just tried the Owari Satsuma.

It's juicy but still very tart and sour yet. If it had stayed on a little longer I think it would have tasted great.

Cory

Cory, I found an Owari and a Honeybell fruit on the ground. My enabler and I tasted both and loved both. Of course they were not ripe yet but they were juicy, flavorful and tart but I love d the tartness.

I can't wait till I get some mandarins - any type!! Glad they were tasty!

Cory, here is a pic of the MGGS I have and it does has small pieces of bark, etc. (And a little critter on the middle of the pic. The bag has been opened for some tome in my barn.

Thanks for showing your seedlings Vladimir. It is interesting that the runts seem to stay that way. I like to see the differect shaped leaves on the seedlings that must be hybrids. Must be from the parent's traits showing up. My MGGS does not look barky like that. I have used it to fill in low spots in my yard so it wasn't wasted. I would like to find the barky type as I think that would be better for using in the yard too. I use my compost when I have any ready. Once it stops raining so hard I will go out and take pictures of some of my seed trees that are a couple of years old now.

Cory

Those look great Vladimir. Cory, I would love to see yours also. My seedlings look good after repotting yesterday. I just used my OWN limequats to make a key lime pie (I'll start another thread) and I could not help myself. I had my daughter pick the plumpest seed and we planted it. I don't know what I will do if all of these turn into trees...gifts??? LOL

Yes they make nice gifts. I have brought some to give away at orchid society events and everyone wanted one. My nephew gave me a Key Lime he grew from seed a few years ago. I have not gotten any fruit on it yet, but it did bloom. It got set back this spring when the greenhouse overheated, but it has recovered and I expect more blooms and possibly fruit soon. You are making me want to make a key lime pie too! I will have to buy the limes though although some Persians are forming on my tree and I have several ponderosa lemons if the critters don't take them firsto again. They already took a few a several weeks ago. It is really raining here so I can't get pictures, but we sure need the rain. Usually it has been passing me by.

Cory

Yes Cory...we needed the rain here also...desperately. It is sunny here now, but windy. I was so pleased that even after picking 10-12 limequats from my bush, I still have quite a few that are large and many on their way...I will be baking key lime pies all winter....and lemon bars...lol...can't wait! I tasted the mix before pouring it in the shell and it was incredible. I think it may be the best key lime pie I've baked so far. I keep stalking it in the fridge to see if it is cold enough to slice!

Laura, here are the Moros. Most of the seed trees I have left are Moros.

Moro#7

Moro #5

Moro #4

Moro#13

Moro #14

Moro #15

Moro #8

Moro #10

Moro #11

Moro #9

Cory

A few more Moros:

Moro #1

Moro #3

Moro #6

Moro #2

Laura, do you still want one?

Cory

Here is a variety of my other seed grown trees.

Unknown Lemon #2

Unknown Lemon #1

Unknown Lemon #3

Ujukitsu Sweet Lemon #1

Ujukitsu Sweet Lemon #2

Clementine #1

Clementine #2

Clementine #3

Well, that's all my trees from seed I think. Most were planted during 2014.

Cory

thanks Cory' I enjoyed seeing your seed grown tees.

Seed grown Sweetlee tangerine at 2.5 years

After a winter unprotected and much die back here she is at 3.75 years

seed grown Fukushu kumquat trees #1 &#2 started by Cory . It has been with me for the last 16 months.

6b Steve

Thanks for posting those pics Cory and Steve! Cory, those seedlings are beautiful - all of them! I would be happy to give one of those moros a home. I am happy to pay for shipping also. I wish I could drive up there and see your trees. With my family, it would be difficult though. You are welcome here anytime!!!

Steve, those sweet potatoes are HUGE!! Did you grow those on your roof??

Laura, pick one for your birthday and I will send it to you.

Cory

Steve, nice to see the Fukushu trees are doing so well. I am thinking of trying the parent plant outside this year. It is so full of flowers and fruit I might relent though as it gets colder. I guess I could bring it in on the coldest days. You grow the hugest sweet potatoes!

Cory

Cory, I thought I was the crazy one growing all kinds of citrus from seed that would take until God knows when to produce fruit but you are truly amazing! Do all of them go into your green house? What are your plans for them?

I have seedlings that I don't know what to do with. I just gave away two of my beautiful two year old calamondin babies to a plant person and to someone who knows very little about taking care of plants. I hope she does not kill hers.

Cory, I would love one! It is so hard to choose...they all look beautiful and healthy. I kind of liked #2, but I will leave it to you. Whichever you can part with will be fine with me! And thank you very much. I would be happy to send you a cutting of anything I have that would interest you!!

Tangerine seedling July 22:

Tangerine seedling August 15:

Tangerine, lemon, and kumquat September 12:

Same 3 again today October 19:

I haven't fertilized them in over a month. Been wondering if I should give a little bit because the tangerine and lemon (the two on the right) look a little pale on their newer growth.

James, those are lovely! If they look a bit deficient, I can't imagine a little FP would not be a good idea. Since we are headed into winter though, I would not use the full dose.

Here are the same plants above, pics taken Dec 31.

Tangerine. It is way more yellow than it appears in the photo. Seeing how dark it was back in Sep/Oct is discouraging, but at least it hasn't lost any leaves.

Lemon. Holding up pretty well. No yellowing. Has some new growth but as you can see the new leaves have so far stayed very small. Hopefully they'll grow more as the days get brighter.

Kumquat. Some yellowing on the top leaves but the rest of it looks good. Has some new growth coming on in the middle of the plant but you can't really see it in the pic.

I'll take some more pics in the Spring.

They sit in a sunny windowsill during the day, and before I go to work in the afternoon I put them under a daylight CFL in a foil-lined box.