Fun Planting Projects for Indoors

If you've eaten more than, say, five fresh citrus fruits in your life, I'll bet you've picked out and thrown away some seeds. Many edible citrus have plump white seeds in the center. Have you considered trying to grow them? It's easy!   Pop them into a pot and grow an easy-care, attractive houseplant. Oranges, limes, lemons, grapefruits, pummelos; all of these belong to the genus Citrus and their seeds can be grown using the same basic care. Growing citrus and other exotic plants is a super-cheap way to get a midwinter gardening fix and new houseplants too.

 
 

Citrus

Note that only certain citrus that come true from seed.  Meyers Lemon, Grapefruit, Tangerine and Pomelo Oranges are examples.  Purchase regular grocery store fruit and save some of the plumpest seeds after eating.  They should stay fresh and moist until planting, so plant them the same day or rinse with water and refrigerate in a plastic bag for a few days.  Put 3-5 seeds about a half inch under the surface of moist soil in a 4”plastic pot.  Cover the pot with clear plastic wrap to hold in moisture while you watch for the first sprout and keep it in a warm place.

Be patient.  It often takes two weeks or more for sprouts to pop up. After they appear, remove the plastic and put the plant in a well-lit warm spot.  Five plants in a small pot makes a nice full plant sooner than keeping one per pot.  Another benefit is that you're less likely to overwater with five together.  Once actively growing the plants will benefit from a bi-weekly dose of 15-30-15 fertilizer.

Little citrus trees grow somewhat slowly when young.  If you'd like to grow them for a gift, you probably want to allow several months from seed to special occasion.  Your citrus will grow best in a bright warm place.  After a few years of good care, your citrus should present you with flowers.  Though small, citrus flowers have a very sweet scent.

 
 

 
 

Pomegranate

Clean flesh from seed and sow into a 4” pot with indoor potting mix.  Germination will range anywhere from 60-75% so sow several seeds at once.  When sowing, only lightly cover seeds with soil.  Place a baggy over the pot to maintain humidity.  Seeds should germinate within 2-3 weeks. 		  
   
 

 
 

Avocado

Pick a ripe avocado.  Note that the avocado from Florida is bigger than the avocado from California and is easier to grow.  Remove the outside skin of the fruit, being careful not to cut into the pit.  Identify the base of the pit; it’s the place where a folded-in dimple can be seen at the bottom of the pit.  Rinse the pit in warm water, removing as much skin as comes free easily.  Dry the pit and gently wipe it off.

Use a glass about 5” high with a wide opening.  Fill with warm water.  About a third of the way up from the base of the pit force half the length of four toothpicks into the pit.  Place them at regular intervals, making a framework to support the pit across the top of the glass.  Place the pit across the top of the glass with the inserted toothpicks as support, allowing about a half an inch of water to cover the pit's base. The pit will now stay in water until it produces roots.  Place your glass in a warm spot.

Maintain a constant level of water in the glass at all times. It may only be a few days before the first roots appear.  If the water becomes thickened or cloudy, that is a sign of decay – discard the pit and start another. After the appearance of the first roots the seed will begin to split.  Bit by bit, the seed will eventually separate. There, lying in the center will be the first pale-green tendril, ready to shoot out and up into the air. When both roots and stem develop at the same time, the seed has entered a state of good, active growth.  When you have a large amount of roots your avocado can be planted (ie roots are close to bottom of glass).  Plant into a 6” pot using an indoor potting mix. 

  
 

 
 

Pineapple

Choose a fresh pineapple from the grocery store. A ripe (but not overripe) pineapple is best. Use a sharp knife to slice off the leafy top part of the pineapple.  Make sure no fruit remains on the bottom, as it will rot and keep the top from rooting properly.  Once all the fruit has been sliced away, continue to make thin slices until you can see little round circles on the cut surface.  These are root buds, where the roots for your plant will develop.  By slicing the top to reveal these, the process of rooting will speed up.  Take off the bottom leaves (about an inch up) to make a stem for planting.  Now you must allow the cut end to dry for about a week. This allows the cut end to recover and dry properly.

After a week prepare your pot (about 6-8”).  Use an indoor potting mix with good drainage, as pineapple plants can be damaged by standing water.  Place the pineapple top in the soil (stem end down), and press the soil firmly around the stem until the leaves are firmly settled. Your plant will require plenty of warmth and sunlight.  Keep the soil of your plant moist, not wet.  Now you will have to be patient as your pineapple plant grows.  It can take up to 2 years for the plant to produce fruit.

  
 

 
 

Dates

One of the easiest plants to grow.  Eat as normal but save the date stones.  Soak in warm water  for 48 hours, then thoroughly clean the stones taking care to remove any fruit flesh from the groove.  Soak again for 24 hours and scrub with a nail brush. The stones are then ready to be sown.  It is preferable to sprout the date stone before potting; here’s how:

Use a plastic sealable tub and line the bottom with several sheets of paper towel.  Moisten the towel, and drain any excess water.  Place the pre-soaked stones with the groove upwards (stones will have a groove along one side) onto the towel.  Cover with another folded, moistened towel and seal with the lid.  This should then not need any further water.  Place the container in a warm place (18C to 25C) and monitor for root formation every few days.  You should see germination within 10 days.

Once germinated plant the stone root downwards in a deep pot in a 4” pot in indoor potting soil.  This is just the start of the rooting process, and as dates are remote germinators, where the young palm starts a few cm away from the stone, not from it, there could be a 4 or 5 week wait before the first leaf spike emerges from the compost.

  
 


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