Here’s a quick and fun way to kickstart your gardening journey — pre-germinating lemon seeds!
Pre-sprouting means coaxing your seeds to life without soil, and we’ll show you two easy methods using simple household items. But first, let’s get those seeds out of your lemon!
How To Prepare the Lemon Seeds for Germination
Let’s cut our lemon in half and carefully extract the seeds from the pulp. Give them a good rinse and wipe them down to remove any sticky sugar residue. Bacteria and fungi love sugar, and we want to keep them away from our seeds. Now, gently peel off the thin outer layer or “white skin” from each clean seed.
Don’t split the seeds in half. 
Once you have your clean and peeled seeds, it’s time to germinate.
Lemon Seed Germination: Method 1
You’ll need:- 2 Paper Towel Sheets
- Zip Lock Bag
- Water Sprayer (or a glass of water)
Lay a paper towel flat on a clean surface and dampen it with a water sprayer. No sprayer? No problem! Simply sprinkle water over the towel using your hand. The key is to moisten the towel without soaking it. Then, space the seeds out on the towel, leaving at least an inch or two between each one.
Cover it up with the other paper towel sheet and spray or sprinkle the new sheet with water again.
Carefully place them all in the zip lock bag — keeping a little bit of air inside before sealing it.
Lemon Seed Germination: Method 2
You’ll need:- Container (bowl or tray)
- Paper Towel
- Clear Plastic Wrap
- Water Sprayer (or a glass of water)
Cover the container with clear plastic wrap. 
Store it in a warm, dark place. After 2 weeks of germination, here’s what the seeds should look like: 
There you have it! Pre-germinating lemon seeds is a breeze. The paper towel method is perfect for tight spaces, as you can lay them out individually on small shelves. The container method requires a bit more room, but it allows the seeds to fully open up. Remember, we sandwiched the seeds between two moist paper towels in Method 1.
You should see sprouts within about a week, but this can vary depending on the weather. To speed things up, try placing them on a heating mat or near a gentle heat source. Just remember to keep the towels consistently moist. These methods can also work wonders with other seeds like tomatoes, watermelons, peppers, corn, and even kale. But that’s a project for another day!