When the world gives you lemons… give back a lemon tree!

Ever wondered if you can plant the seeds from your fruit that you usually chuck away?
This easy method is fun and rewarding.

Recently is has never been so important to increase vitamin C intake. We found that we were getting through a lot of lemons, minimum 1 a day, and we were discarding about 6 to 10 seeds per lemon! Each seed has the potential to be a lemon tree and can add a little greenery to your home and one day you might even get your own lemons!

METHOD:

#1: Remove the seeds from the lemon and use the juice for a tasty and refreshing beverage. We use a glass lemon squeezer which helps to separate the juice from the seeds.

#2: The seeds are incredibly slippery so we leave them out on a chopping board for an hour or two to dry off a bit so they can be held more easily.

#3: Peel the husk off the seed. This is a little fiddly but it shortens the germination time a lot. The pointy end is the entry point. Using a fingernail peel down the husk skin trying not to damage the brown “paper” skin of the seed.

#4: For germination, we use a jam jar with a ¼ of a sheet of kitchen paper folded into a little square in the bottom. Drip on some water. The paper should be saturated but not submerged. Drop your peeled lemon seeds on top and put the lid on the jar to seal in the moist environment. Try to separate the seeds so they are not touching.

#5: Wait. Store anywhere where you have space at a regular room temperature. And check it every few days. The seeds will absorb some of the moisture from the paper and swell slightly. If you feel it necessary add a few drops of water to replace absorbed liquid. The seeds must not dry out, but should not be swimming either.

Within a week you should start seeing little shoots emerging from the pointy end of the seed. This will become the root. At this stage they are ready to put in some moist compost in a pot or in a propagator. Cover with a thin layer of compost.

We use old 3” pots with a sheet of glass laid on top, but use whatever you have to keep the soil moist and keep the warmth in. Check every few days for sprouting and water if necessary to avoid drying out. As the plant gets bigger increase the pot size to allow the roots to spread. Use rain water or let tap water sit overnight to allow chlorine to evaporate.

So this is how we grow a lemon plant. If we missed anything or you have some questions let us know.

How do you do it? Any hints, tips or comments would be great!

We love to learn and grow!