How To Grow An Orange Tree From Seed For An Endless Supply Of Fruit

Biting into a perfectly sweet, juicy orange can make you wish you had your own orchard. While that may not be practical in your climate, you can still grow an orange tree from seed as a fun gardening project. Though you shouldn't expect quick results, if you're patient, you can eventually harvest your own oranges, and in the meantime, they make great houseplants. As long as your orange isn't a seedless variety, you can probably grow a tree from it. The fruit may not taste the same as the original fruit, but sweet oranges are often close. Avoid "Temple" and "Pompelo" varieties, as the fruit won't be true to the parent.

Start by saving the seeds the next time you eat an orange. If you're going to invest a decade or more into growing this tree, don't go with a mediocre orange. Wait until you have a delicious one that's worth the effort. Choose the large, robust-looking seeds and wipe them clean of any pulp or debris. Soak the seed in room-temperature water overnight to speed up the germination process. After soaking for at least 24 hours, you can either sprout your seeds by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and placing them in a plastic bag or plant them directly in potting mix. The seeds should sprout in a few weeks. Unless you live in hardiness zones 10 or 11, which tend to foster a warmer climate, you'll need to grow your citrus tree indoors during the colder months.

Some seed-grown orange trees will never produce fruit, while others may produce as early as five years from planting. A healthy tree can continue to grow oranges for 30 years or more. Environmental factors such as soil conditions, temperature, and sunlight have the biggest impact on when and how much fruit your tree will produce. For the best results, give your tree as much sunlight as possible, ideally eight to 10 hours daily. Protect it from cold temperatures by moving it indoors in the winter. Orange trees need about an inch of water per week. They don't do well with soggy roots, so choose loamy, rich, well-draining soil. Use a citrus fertilizer as directed on the package to make sure your tree gets the nutrients it needs.

Inspect your orange tree regularly for signs of pests or diseases, such as leaf curl or fungus. Treat any issues early to prevent them from spreading and damaging your tree. You may need to hand-pollinate your tree, depending on how long you're able to leave them outside. To do this, use a small paintbrush to move yellow grains of pollen from one flower to the stigma (central tip) of another flower.