How to Germinate Key Limes

Key limes add a juicy, tangy flavor to mixed drinks and desserts. If you have ever sliced open one of these tiny, green citrus fruits, you have probably seen the pale brown seeds inside. Gardeners in warm climates can plant these seeds to grow their own key lime trees. Key lime trees grown outdoors in a garden can reach 20 feet tall. The tree's glossy, handsome leaves also make attractive houseplants for indoor gardeners. Key lime seeds only germinate with a high soil temperature.

Seed tray, any size
Sand
Peat moss
4-inch containers

Instructions

- 1
  Slice a key lime in half with a sharp knife. Use the tip of the knife or your fingers to remove the seeds from the lime. Discard any seeds you cut with the knife. Use only whole, undamaged seeds. Rise the remaining seeds in lukewarm water to remove any fruit debris.
- 2
  Fill a seed tray with a blend of half sand and half peat moss. Place one key lime seed in each cell and cover it with an inch of the sand and moss mixture.
- 3
  Moisten the moss and sand mixture. Cover the tray with a sheet of plastic. Place the tray in a shady spot where the temperature reaches between 75 and 85 degrees F. Use a heating pad for this, or set the tray directly on a warm sidewalk or driveway. Key limes seeds germinate in three to six weeks.
- 4
  Take off the plastic sheet and move the container into bright light. Add water when the sand and moss mix feels dry. Repot the seedlings into 4-inch containers after they grow several true leaves.

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