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Tangerine trees grow easily from seed, but a tree grown from seed can take several years to be large and mature enough to produce fruit, so you must be patient! Although not all types of tangerine trees are made from seed (i.e. have fruit identical to the parent), some varieties reproduce relatively quickly. Most citrus trees, including tangerine trees, are grafted onto two-year-old disease-resistant rootstocks. Grafted plants should bear fruit within two years of purchase.
If you are passionate and have the time to grow a tangerine tree from tangerine seeds, here are the steps to help you achieve your successful dreams.
1) Save the Seed
Keep a few seeds from a large juicy, preferably organic tangerine. Gently wash the seed, let it dry on a paper towel, then plant the seed or save it. Fresh seeds are more viable (i.e. more likely to grow) than older seeds. Seeds will grow best in spring or early summer. If seeds must be stored, store them in a labelled envelope in an airtight container.
2) Sow the seed
Sow the seed in a container filled with potting soil (available in bags at garden centres). Seeds can be sown in a small pot (10cm) with one seed per pot. Moisten the mix before sowing the seed, then gently push the seed about 5mm deep into the mix and cover. After sowing, water the pots.
3) Keep the pot warm
Keep the pots warm in a greenhouse or place them in a foam box covered with a sheet of glass or plastic to form a mini greenhouse. Keep the box in a warm, well-lit place, but not in direct sunlight.
4) Keep the environment moist
Mist the mix to encourage seed growth and to keep it from drying out (the soil should be moist but not soggy). Water gently with a sprayer-type attachment once the sprout appears. Germination normally takes about seven to ten days.
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