How to Germinate Tangerines

Tangerine trees are closely related to mandarin oranges and grow according to the same rules as their larger cousins. These citrus trees produce smaller growth ideal for indoor potted growing and smaller fruit. The fruit has looser skin and a sweeter taste than standard oranges, but provides the same opportunity for seeds. Plant tangerine seeds year-round and keep them indoors to grow your own productive trees.

Plastic bag
Paper towel
Bowl
3-by-3-inch pots
Organic compost

Instructions

- 1
  Start tangerine seeds indoors for protection. Use starter pots 3 inches wide and 3 inches deep for the seeds. Allocate one pot per seed for space. Plant multiple seeds for best germination.
- 2
  Wash the seeds in cool water and remove any fruit or plant matter. The sugar in this material rots the seeds and may disrupt germination. Wrap the seeds in a paper towel, put the paper towel in a bag and store the seeds in the refrigerator for three weeks. This gives them their cold germination period, or dormancy, increasing the chance of sprouting.
- 3
  Remove the seeds from the bag and paper towel and put them in a bowl of lukewarm water. Throw away any seeds that float, as they will not germinate. Let the rest of the seeds soak overnight.
- 4
  Fill the 3-by-3-inch pots with organic compost for a rich, moist and crumbly foundation. Seeds cannot push out their roots or stems in tight or dry soil. Push the seeds 1 inch into the soil, and then moisten the soil to a depth of 2 inches.
- 5
  Put the pots in areas with full sunshine and moderate warmth. Maintain moisture in the soil with several waterings a week and expect germination and sprouting in four to six weeks.

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