I sprouted a little orange tree from a seed and planted it a large
styrofoam coffee cup with "supersoil" potting mix.
It has grown with 3 or 4 shoots, the longest is about 9 inches but
doesn't do well in direct sunshine.

It seems content in my kitchen window with indirect sunshine, but if I
take it outside in direct sunshine, 1 or 2 of the shoots will turn
brown and die in a couple days.

I'm wondering if it needs some special fertilizer, or more water, or a
larger pot, or less sunshine?

What are the recommended conditions for small orange trees?

-Bill

Bill Bowden wrote in news:1176777671.881505.232220
@o5g2000hsb.googlegroups.com:

I sprouted a little orange tree from a seed and planted it a large
styrofoam coffee cup with "supersoil" potting mix.
It has grown with 3 or 4 shoots, the longest is about 9 inches but
doesn't do well in direct sunshine.

It seems content in my kitchen window with indirect sunshine, but if I
take it outside in direct sunshine, 1 or 2 of the shoots will turn
brown and die in a couple days.

You have to do that gradually. Shade. To partial shade. To sun. Over
several weeks.


I'm wondering if it needs some special fertilizer, or more water, or a
larger pot, or less sunshine?

What are the recommended conditions for small orange trees?

-Bill



Only that you are probably unlikely to get an orange tree like the orange
your seed came from but let us know how it works out.

Bill Bowden wrote:
I sprouted a little orange tree from a seed and planted it a large
styrofoam coffee cup with "supersoil" potting mix.
It has grown with 3 or 4 shoots, the longest is about 9 inches but
doesn't do well in direct sunshine.

It seems content in my kitchen window with indirect sunshine, but if I
take it outside in direct sunshine, 1 or 2 of the shoots will turn
brown and die in a couple days.

I'm wondering if it needs some special fertilizer, or more water, or a
larger pot, or less sunshine?

What are the recommended conditions for small orange trees?

-Bill


Citrus requires fast-draining soil. Be sure your cup has a hole in the
bottom to allow excess water to drain away.

Also, citrus is sensitive to too much sun on the trunk of the tree. In
your case, this is the skin of the shoots. Commercial orchards often
paint the trunks of their trees with whitewash.

Move the seedling to a flower pot about 6 to 10 inches in diameter.
Make your own potting mix per my recipe at
http://www.rossde.com/garden/garden_potting_mix.html. Keep the mix
moist but never really wet.

After the seedling is established in its new container, feed it VERY
LIGHTLY but frequently with an acidic fertilizer (e.g., commercial
citrus food, ammonium sulfate). Occasionally add iron and zinc sulfate.
Over-feeding or feeding when the potting mix is dry will burn the roots
and kill the plant. A teaspoon of ammonium sulfate once a month should
be enough in a 10 inch pot.

Eventually, you will have to move the plant to a much larger container
or even into the ground. It will grow into a tree that can be 15-20
feet tall and equally wide. Also, it might not bear fruit of the same
quality as the source of the seed. Citrus (and most fruits) from seed
do not yield the same variety as the parents. Even if the fruit is not
very good, however, the tree will be aesthetically pleasing: evergreen,
with sweet-smelling blossoms in the spring, and nice-looking fruit in
the fall.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

In message , FragileWarrior
writes
Bill Bowden wrote in news:1176777671.881505.232220
:

I sprouted a little orange tree from a seed and planted it a large
styrofoam coffee cup with "supersoil" potting mix.
It has grown with 3 or 4 shoots, the longest is about 9 inches but
doesn't do well in direct sunshine.

It seems content in my kitchen window with indirect sunshine, but if I
take it outside in direct sunshine, 1 or 2 of the shoots will turn
brown and die in a couple days.

You have to do that gradually. Shade. To partial shade. To sun. Over
several weeks.


I'm wondering if it needs some special fertilizer, or more water, or a
larger pot, or less sunshine?

What are the recommended conditions for small orange trees?

-Bill



Only that you are probably unlikely to get an orange tree like the orange
your seed came from but let us know how it works out.

Citrus seeds are odd. They are often polyembryonic, i.e. contain more
than one plant embryo, and all but one (or all) of the embryos are
formed by (IIRC) somatic embryogenesis, and are clones of the parent. So
with an orange seed you're more likely to get a plant like its parent
than with most other fruit trees.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Good question. Just water enough to moisten the non-woody absorbing roots.
Over watering can cause woody root rot or decay. If you do fertilize (add
essential elements) with a fertilizer containing Nitrogen, cut the
recommended amount (dose) at least 1/4. Over fertilizing with nitrogen can
also cause many problems. To better understand fertilizing you must learn a
little chemistry. Here are two articles on chemistry.
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/shigo/CHEM.html

http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/shigo/RHIZO.html


Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Arborist
http://home.ccil.org/~treeman
and www.treedictionary.com
Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology.
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
that we are not the boss.

"Bill Bowden" wrote in message
ups.com...
I sprouted a little orange tree from a seed and planted it a large
styrofoam coffee cup with "supersoil" potting mix.
It has grown with 3 or 4 shoots, the longest is about 9 inches but
doesn't do well in direct sunshine.

It seems content in my kitchen window with indirect sunshine, but if I
take it outside in direct sunshine, 1 or 2 of the shoots will turn
brown and die in a couple days.

I'm wondering if it needs some special fertilizer, or more water, or a
larger pot, or less sunshine?

What are the recommended conditions for small orange trees?

-Bill

After the seedling is established in its new container, feed it VERY
LIGHTLY

We do not feed trees. We can add essential elements. Trees manufacture
their own food.

Also I know of no data to support that tree wrap or painting the truck do
what they claim it does. I welcome the research.

The tree painting history is this. There was a day when women were in
charge of all the chores within the house. The men were in charge of
everything outdoors. There was two rules. 1. If it moves grease it. They
greased the gate, the greased the garage door. #2. If it did not move it
got pained white. The fence, the rocks and the trees. That's the history
of painting trees. Also trees do move. They do not move in the sense that
they run from danger or move from danger. However they constantly move in
place. That is why we recommend using a device like this for staking young
trees as not to injure or hurt the tree when it sways. Compasrde to my
competition, the torture of wire in a hose..

http://home.ccil.org/~treeman/camb/

Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Arborist
http://home.ccil.org/~treeman
and www.treedictionary.com
Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology.
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
that we are not the boss.

For more information Look up "TREE FOOD"
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/T/index.html

The problem is that when we promote the idea that we feed trees people tend
to think more is better as if fertilizer like nitrogen was food. The result
is very common - over fertilizing.

Autotrophs make their own food. Heterotrophs have to have it made for them.

Trees are autotrophs and animals, humans are heterotrophs.

There are exceptions like the Ghost Flower which has no chlorophyll. This
plant must get its food - carbohydrates from other plants by way of the
bicarbohydrate transfer of plants.


Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Arborist
http://home.ccil.org/~treeman
and www.treedictionary.com
Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology.
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
that we are not the boss.

On Apr 18, 5:28 am, "symplastless" wrote:
After the seedling is established in its new container, feed it VERY
LIGHTLY

We do not feed trees. We can add essential elements. Trees manufacture
their own food.

Also I know of no data to support that tree wrap or painting the truck do
what they claim it does. I welcome the research.

The tree painting history is this. There was a day when women were in
charge of all the chores within the house. The men were in charge of
everything outdoors. There was two rules. 1. If it moves grease it. They
greased the gate, the greased the garage door. #2. If it did not move it
got pained white. The fence, the rocks and the trees. That's the history
of painting trees. Also trees do move. They do not move in the sense that
they run from danger or move from danger. However they constantly move in
place. That is why we recommend using a device like this for staking young
trees as not to injure or hurt the tree when it sways. Compasrde to my
competition, the torture of wire in a hose..

http://home.ccil.org/~treeman/camb/

Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Arboristhttp://home.ccil.org/~treeman
and www.treedictionary.com
Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology.
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
that we are not the boss.

Hi John Keslick, I have a Japanese Maple that had storm damage several
years ago. It is about 6 - 7' tall, 16 years old, and is beautiful,
However where the branch was broken off there is a hole. What do I do
now? is there any hope that this tree will not rot inside and die??
Thank you for any help you can give me.
Nanzi

"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message

[snip]

Citrus seeds are odd. They are often polyembryonic, i.e. contain more than
one plant embryo, and all but one (or all) of the embryos are formed by
(IIRC) somatic embryogenesis, and are clones of the parent. So with an
orange seed you're more likely to get a plant like its parent than with
most other fruit trees.
--
But -- the parent tree is the rootstock, not the grafted section from which
the fruit came. So what will probably happen is that you'll get a wild sour
orange or sour lemon tree to grow from an orange seed, not a quality fruit
tree.

In my case, several new trees sprouted in the grove, from seeds left behind
by birds or from fruit that dropped that I didn't immediately clean up. Now
that these new trees are well established, I'm grafting cuttings from some
of my other citrus to see if I can't create a new grapefruit, mandarin
orange, or pomelo tree. I'll let you know in five years or so how they came
out. -- Regards --

In message . net, JimR
writes

"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message

[snip]

Citrus seeds are odd. They are often polyembryonic, i.e. contain more than
one plant embryo, and all but one (or all) of the embryos are formed by
(IIRC) somatic embryogenesis, and are clones of the parent. So with an
orange seed you're more likely to get a plant like its parent than with
most other fruit trees.
--
But -- the parent tree is the rootstock, not the grafted section from which
the fruit came. So what will probably happen is that you'll get a wild sour
orange or sour lemon tree to grow from an orange seed, not a quality fruit
tree.

In this context the parent tree is the scion, not the stock.

In my case, several new trees sprouted in the grove, from seeds left behind
by birds or from fruit that dropped that I didn't immediately clean up. Now
that these new trees are well established, I'm grafting cuttings from some
of my other citrus to see if I can't create a new grapefruit, mandarin
orange, or pomelo tree. I'll let you know in five years or so how they came
out. -- Regards --



--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

JimR wrote:
"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message

[snip]
Citrus seeds are odd. They are often polyembryonic, i.e. contain more than
one plant embryo, and all but one (or all) of the embryos are formed by
(IIRC) somatic embryogenesis, and are clones of the parent. So with an
orange seed you're more likely to get a plant like its parent than with
most other fruit trees.
--
But -- the parent tree is the rootstock, not the grafted section from which
the fruit came. So what will probably happen is that you'll get a wild sour
orange or sour lemon tree to grow from an orange seed, not a quality fruit
tree.

In my case, several new trees sprouted in the grove, from seeds left behind
by birds or from fruit that dropped that I didn't immediately clean up. Now
that these new trees are well established, I'm grafting cuttings from some
of my other citrus to see if I can't create a new grapefruit, mandarin
orange, or pomelo tree. I'll let you know in five years or so how they came
out. -- Regards --



As Hinsley indicated, the rootstock is NOT the parent. The parent is
the part of the tree that produced the fruit containing seeds. If you
graft known varieties onto seedling rootstocks, you will get more of the
known varieties, not new varieties.

Since citrus is apomictic (capable of forming viable seeds without
pollination), it's quite possible that seedling citrus will be "true to
form". That is, the seedlings will indeed be the same variety as the
parent that produced the seeds.

However, apomixis does not preclude seeds also being formed from
pollination. Thus, each seed is a guess. If you really want to create
a new citrus variety, you must thus carefully ensure that there is
indeed pollination.

--

David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com/.

Anyone who thinks government owns a monopoly on inefficient, obstructive
bureaucracy has obviously never worked for a large corporation. © 1997

"David E. Ross" wrote in message
.. .

[snip]

As Hinsley indicated, the rootstock is NOT the parent. The parent is
the part of the tree that produced the fruit containing seeds. If you
graft known varieties onto seedling rootstocks, you will get more of the
known varieties, not new varieties.

Since citrus is apomictic (capable of forming viable seeds without
pollination), it's quite possible that seedling citrus will be "true to
form". That is, the seedlings will indeed be the same variety as the
parent that produced the seeds.

However, apomixis does not preclude seeds also being formed from
pollination. Thus, each seed is a guess. If you really want to create
a new citrus variety, you must thus carefully ensure that there is
indeed pollination.

--

David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com/.

I've learned something here -- I'd always understood that planting the seed
from a particular type of citrus would not result in a new tree of the same
type. IOW, planting a Valencia seed would not result in a new Valencia. I
googled "citrus" and "nucellar embryony" and understand Ross's comment "each
seed is a guess".. I'd missed FW's comment, "you are probably unlikely to
get an orange tree like the orange your seed came from but let us know how
it works out."

Actually, in another location I did plant a seed from a Pomelo, and after 6
years got a new tree that also produced pomelos. At that time I attributed
this to the fact that the parent was an ungrafted Thai pomelo tree. I moved
too soon to really learn what quality fruit were being produced.

-- Regards

JimR wrote:
"David E. Ross" wrote in message
.. .
[snip]

As Hinsley indicated, the rootstock is NOT the parent. The parent is
the part of the tree that produced the fruit containing seeds. If you
graft known varieties onto seedling rootstocks, you will get more of the
known varieties, not new varieties.

Since citrus is apomictic (capable of forming viable seeds without
pollination), it's quite possible that seedling citrus will be "true to
form". That is, the seedlings will indeed be the same variety as the
parent that produced the seeds.

However, apomixis does not preclude seeds also being formed from
pollination. Thus, each seed is a guess. If you really want to create
a new citrus variety, you must thus carefully ensure that there is
indeed pollination.

--

David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com/.

I've learned something here -- I'd always understood that planting the seed
from a particular type of citrus would not result in a new tree of the same
type. IOW, planting a Valencia seed would not result in a new Valencia. I
googled "citrus" and "nucellar embryony" and understand Ross's comment "each
seed is a guess".. I'd missed FW's comment, "you are probably unlikely to
get an orange tree like the orange your seed came from but let us know how
it works out."

Actually, in another location I did plant a seed from a Pomelo, and after 6
years got a new tree that also produced pomelos. At that time I attributed
this to the fact that the parent was an ungrafted Thai pomelo tree. I moved
too soon to really learn what quality fruit were being produced.





You could also plant lots of seeds, and only keep the ones where you got
more than one sprout per seed -- and carefully separate them. That
should guarantee you that some of the seedlings are asexual clones of
the parent variety.

Bob