Grapefruit Seed Planted About 5 Months Ago Is Still A Seedling (Not Even An Inch Tall)

The story of a non-green thumb, trying to grow things...
Planted on November 3rd 2015. It is now April 2nd, 2016 as I'm writing this.

Found a grapefruit tree while exploring some abandoned neighborhood about five months ago. It seemed to be in good shape and the fruit smelled good, so I picked a few. There were only four seeds from the two good grapefruits I had. After peeling away the protective cover of each seed, I planted them in their own little makeshift greenhouses out of plastic water bottles. (I've always had problems with mice destroying my seedlings before, so this seemed like a good idea).

I labeled each as:
Grapefruit #1/4, Nov. 3 2015, Largest Seed
Grapefruit #2/4, Nov. 3 2015, Large Seed
Grapefruit #3/4, Nov. 3 2015, Small Seed
Grapefruit #4/4, Nov. 3 2015, Smallest Seed

I sprayed just enough water to dampen the soil and let them be in a warm dark spot (I was told that they didn't quite need sunlight just yet, I kinda doubted that was the case but I went with it), checking on them every few days. Sometime in early December only the largest of the seeds had sprouted, so I put it in the window that had the most sunlight throughout the day. It was a proud little thing, and I was proud for having sprouted my first seedling.

Fast forward to where my stepdad went on a "cleaning" rampage, I think it was late December or early January, he threw out all my little plants. I WAS SO ANGRY AND SAD, I was just an emotional wreck. I went through all the trash outside looking for it, cutting my hands on pieces of glass along the way. When I found it, it was in tiny little pieces. But next to it was the other three bottles that I had forgotten about. And one of those three had a small sprout, it was #4, the smallest seed. I moved it to a new tiny pot with new soil from the store. Since then it hasn't grown much. It's way smaller than the first sprout, not to mention it's been about five months now and it's just under an inch tall. It has plenty of sunlight, water, and seemingly good soil. It has three leaves, two "baby" leaves, and one leaf that is a bit more developed with a bit of shine to it's topside.

It looks healthy and is not drooping in anyway. Why is it still so small after all this time?

I suspect it is now ready to grow-it is spring, sun getting stronger. It might need fertilizer. Seeds don't need fertilizer to sprout, or for the initial growth, it is all stored in the seed. Once they are ready to grow it is a different story. What kind of potting soil did you use? How big is the "tiny" pot? Which direction does the window face? Some photos would help.
Sounds to me as if your thumb is getting a bit green ;-)

The pot is actually a salsa jar. :/
As for the windows, I have them on all sides of the house. I usually put it on the windows that are facing south or east. But it seems each window doesn't get much sunlight either way. .__.
I'd put it outside, but cats like to destroy all my plants even if i put them in a hard to reach place.

It looks super healthy, nice and green and not wilted.
Two thoughts- one is that a salsa jar has no drainage, and the little plant will really n ot like being soggy. It needs to be in a container with a drainage hole. You could use a cottage cheese container with a hole made in the bottom, or at this stage even a yogurt container would work.
I would try to figure out a cage or something, and get it out in the sun, but do let it adjust to outside life over several days. I just looked at the weather report and it is already real hot there.
Some fertilizer should happen soon too.
Think of a citrus grove in Florida or California-they are in full sun. One thing to worry about, your hot sun beating on the container might make the roots real hot, maybe shade the pot (not the plant).

Alrighty then, I'll come up with a proper container as soon as I can. I'll probably try and get a window box thing too that stretches out of a window, but idk when that'll be. Is there a specific fertilizer for citrus plants?

Well there are certainly products that are labeled as specifically for citrus, but I am not sure how necessary that is. I had a Meyer Lemon tree as a houseplant for years, I used Miracle Grow. It made lemons!

Cools, noted.

I punched a few holes in a can. Would this be a suitable "home" for my Grapefruit until I can get a better one?

I also found these fertilizer spikes at a dollar store, who for some reason didn't have plant pots. Would this work for the little seedling?

I like the can, but not for a permanent home, I think eventually it might rust and release too much iron or other things, but for a few weeks or months seems fine. Then it will need repotting anyway. Oh one downside could be, the metal might heat up a lot in the sun, you might make a little paper sun shade to keep the sun off it, or actually any pot. Even in April the sun is really powerful in TX.I have never used fertilizer spikes, I kinda wonder it this would work in this particular situation, where the soil is not filled with little feeder roots yet- the roots need fertilizer to grow, to get near the spikes. I am just musing here, I have never tried. Too much fertilizer will "burn" roots, so see if there are instructions on the package for plants in pots. The classic thing to use on seedlings is weak liquid fertilizer, often.

Ah okay. I crushed up one of the spikes in tiny pebble powder stuff just before ur post. I hope I didn't mix in too much in the soil.

Well this is fun, and it's how we all learn. Keep us posted.

Needs room for the roots to stretch down, cant flex the can to roll the plant out when the roots fill it, watering from the top is bad- increases chance for smudge, smoot, black fungus. They actually do make a soil for citrus plants, drains fast for the water it likes and needs. Do not use tap water if possible- not sure if Channelview uses chloramines in their water but it does retard growth and life. (Dont tease the gators if you use ditch water, chuckl). The citrus loves humidity, but not wet feet, heat, and sun at this season

Fertilizer spikes for citrus? Are still not really good except for maintaining lo growth houseplants.

Ack! Thanks for the info. Going to change things as soon as I can. Man, I'm so worried now. D:
My thumb is not green, I repeat, thumb is not green!

S'ok, once you get it in a self watering style of bucket, stand back and avoid the thorns, lots of sun! These guys really are cold sensitive. I hit mine with triple 13 fertilizer once a year, but have also the citrus fertilizer. If you enjoy the gardening centers at places, you can find the NPK ratio for citrus, and it will tell you how strong the NPK is. N-nitrogen, P- Phosphorous, K- potassium. You can still use other fertilizers, but it isnt necessary for maybe 6mo. Mine get fall and spring applications. Relax. The plant knows what its supposed to do

No thumb ever starts out green, and yours is getting greener. This is how thumbs get green ;-)

It's not dead yet. Not much has changed tho...