How to Start a Tangerine Tree From a Seed

Overview

Starting a tangerine tree from seed is easy and just like starting any kind of citrus tree from seed. Your best bet is to purchase seeds specifically sold for growing. You can also grow seeds from a store-bought tangerine fruit. But remember that your store-bought tangerine is likely a hybrid fruit and its seeds won't produce a replica of the parent tree. Some hybrid seeds are sterile and won't produce anything at all.

Step 1

Soak the tangerine seeds for 24 hours in a bowl filled with warm water or a mixture of weak herbal tea and 1/8 tsp. of Epsom salts.

Step 2

Fill a seed tray with a mixture of all-purpose potting soil mixed with sphagnum moss. Remove the seeds from the water or tea mixture and plant them about ½ inch deep into the soil.

Step 3

Dampen using a spray bottle filled with water. Place the seed tray in bright, indirect sunlight and keep it warm so that the soil is between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 4

Move the seed tray to a south-facing window with more direct sunlight when the seedlings begin to sprout. Water the seedlings daily or once every two days to keep the soil moist, adding 1/8 tsp. of iron chelate or coffee to the water to increase the acidity.

Step 5

Select the strongest seedlings after they're about 4 inches tall and transplant them into individual 6-inch planter pots. Make sure the pots have drainage holes and fill them with an all-purpose potting soil or a potting mix for acid-loving plants.