Best way to root calamondins?

[franklazar26]

I am able to successfully root lemons using my methods of bottom heat in a plastic water bottle with the cap off, medium light intensity, misting it every day. I use hormondin 3 (.8% aba) for woody plants. Lemons and pomegranates take perfectly fine, almost 100% of the time. However I can’t seem to get any other types of citrus to work out. I know calamondins are commonly rooted and thrive on their own roots, however, mine always seem to flush out without roots, or rot. I use a 70% perlite, 30% coconut coir. Not sure why the lemons work and the calamondin don’t. Any tips?? I currently am testing out a home made propagation bucket (90gph pump with a spray head that basically just keeps the tips on the bottom wet). Only one week in and nothing yet, but hopeful.

[brian]

Calomondins are so plentiful I've never tried propagating them.  I don't see anything wrong with your method, I'd just keep trying. 

I had a bearss lime cutting root successfully but it took forever.  I now have a nordmann seedless kumquat cutting that is alive a month after cutting and showing a tiny bit of growth, not sure if it has actually rooted though or running off reserves.

[franklazar26]

Up in the northern parts of the states, they cost around 50-60$/tree. So I wish to clone for my family members haha. Perhaps I’m just not giving enough time or keeping things too warm. I’ll keep trying!

[brian]

I see the mycotrustree.com trees at walmart, lowes, home depot for $25 or less in late spring here.  Cuttings are free though

[franklazar26]

Definitely not here haha! I’ve seen them only finally this month in my local ace hardware garden store, which is awesome. The mycitrustrees are hard to come by up here, even so, the cheapest they have em is 45$.

You are correct there, however my wife tells me that’s stealing so I resist lol.

[brian]

I mean cuttings from your own trees

[franklazar26]

Ah, yes haha. Now if only I could get them to root anyways!

[lebmung]

lazar,

hormondin 3 is weak for citrus to force roots.
Your medium is very dry, they don't do well, use 50% peat.
misting everyday will lead to rot.

I root any citrus cutting from 1 months for lemons to 3 months for mandarins. Some root fast, others don't. Light, humidity and temperature play a role.

I am able to successfully root lemons using my methods of bottom heat in a plastic water bottle with the cap off, medium light intensity, misting it every day. I use hormondin 3 (.8% aba) for woody plants. Lemons and pomegranates take perfectly fine, almost 100% of the time. However I can’t seem to get any other types of citrus to work out. I know calamondins are commonly rooted and thrive on their own roots, however, mine always seem to flush out without roots, or rot. I use a 70% perlite, 30% coconut coir. Not sure why the lemons work and the calamondin don’t. Any tips?? I currently am testing out a home made propagation bucket (90gph pump with a spray head that basically just keeps the tips on the bottom wet). Only one week in and nothing yet, but hopeful.

[franklazar26]

Do you know of any higher iba percentage rooting hormone? Hormondin 3 has an iba of .8 which I thought was pretty dang good for most you see out there?

[lebmung]

You can mix it by yourself it should be 2-3000ppm, I think you can buy it online.
IAA works the best but is degrading very fast, probably before it arrives in mail.

[Millet]

Propagating by cuttings is ENTIRELY about energy, energy within the parent tree and energy in the cutting. Plus the associated hormonal levels in the cutting tissue.  Nearly all broadleaf evergreen shrubs and trees, CITRUS INCLUDED, root best from late August to middle of November.  This is because at that time of year the energy in the cutting is at its highest. Most of the cuttings will be rooted in 5 to 8 weeks. In general, it has been found that there is no ideal rooting medium, but several combinations of materials can provide a good, workable medium with a drainable pore space of 40 to 50 percent.  Good quality peat and coarse perlite, or peat and ground pine bark on a 1:1 or 1:2 basis by volume works well in propagation containers approximately 3-1/2 to 4 inches deep.  Be sure not to push the bud stick down so deep into the container that it is in the saturated mix, which is at the bottom of any container. The incorporation of Osmocote 18-6-12 into the rooting medium prior to the sticking of the cutting greatly increases plant quality.  With Osmocote, stimulation of rooting is substantial on some broadleaf cuttings, while others are not affected during rooting, but growth of all liners before and after transplanting is always greatly increased.

[pinkturtle]

Thanks Millet, I learned something new.  Add Osmocote in the soil will help root cuttings

[Millet]

Yes, but you want to be sure it is Osmocote 18-6-12 .

[pinkturtle]

I have Osmocoto 15-9-12 at home, brought them during the sale.  I guess I will need to buy another bag for rooting.

I Google it, and only 18-6-12 close to that ratio.  Didn't see 18-6-4.  Does anyone know where I can but the Osmocote 18-6-4.

Thanks,
Al

[Millet]

Pink Turtle,  I am sorry I make a typo mistake.  The Osmocote you use for cuttings is indeed 18-6-12.  I corrected my above posts.  I need to be more caucus with my typing.  Regards.

[pinkturtle]

Thank you very much..

[lebmung]

Sorry to contradict you Millet, but adding fertilizer at the primary stage, it will do more harm then good.
You can add fertilizer later after 6-8 weeks, but very diluted.
Especially Osmocote 18-6-12 in which you don't know the dose over time.
The fresh growth like 1-2 months old, roots fastest with no hassle. But you can root at any time with correct environment and different treatments. I usually take cuttings in autumn then by spring they are rooted.

And what I use after roots come out is 12-40-12, but this is my way, people have different opinions. It works for me.

[Millet]

Lebmung, you or any member of this form are free to contradict me, or any form member at any time. However, I stand by my post concerning the addition of Osmocote 18-6-12.   I generally make 1 cu. ft. of rooting medium at a time and the amount of 18-6-12 that I add is 99 grams.   As always, every one is free to use my advice if they wish or not.   By the way, the person that taught me this 18-6-12 information is Dr. Carl. Whitcomb, Ph.D. University of Oklahoma and Lacebark Research Inc.  Lebmung, thank you very much for being a member of this forum, your input is always appreciated..

[Vlad]

Millet, why not use Osmocote Plus (15-9-12) with micronutrients? 

[franklazar26]

Wow this is awesome! Thank you guys for the comments. I’m learning a lot! I’ve learned so much since joining this forum. I’ll let my trees grow, perhaps wait till end of summer to take them and try my luck better then! Also, lebmung, I found some IAA, 90% mix on eBay for about 10$ for 10g, I would like to try it, but how fast does this degrade? Can it be freezer stored to prolong the potency?

[Millet]

You have to be careful with IAA (Indole-3-acetic acid).  Citrus trees themselves manufacture IAA,  in fact IAA is the major auxin produced by plants. IAA is what causes roots to grown downward regardless of how the seed is initially oriented.  IAA is responsible of the bending of the plant towards the light, it causes growth by cell enlargement, plays a role in fruit size and so on and on..   In the tree, IAA generally moves from the shoots down to the roots through a process known as polar transport. IAA would eventually accumulate in the roots if it weren't for key metabolic reactions by the tree that catabolizes IAA to keep it from reaching concentrations that will actually INHIBIT root growth. This is natures protection for the roots from over concentrations of IAA.  One has to be VERY careful artificially using the hormone as it would be easy to inhibit root growth instead of aidding the roots.  If you don't know what your doing trouble will follow.

[SoCal2warm]

In my experience, some varieties are much easier to root than others.
Ichang papeda and Changsha mandarin are very easy to root, Satsuma mandarin is not so easy to root.

[lebmung]

I found some IAA, 90% mix on eBay for about 10$ for 10g, I would like to try it, but how fast does this degrade? Can it be freezer stored to prolong the potency?

One day exposed at light and high temperatures. You can't freeze it, it's very unstable.  I wouldn't buy it. The price is way too cheap, so I have my doubts. Also you need a solvent to dilute it, and some lab utensils. Plus you need to be careful with the health hazard.
Try better NAA and mix it with IBA.

[Millet]

Vlad, the reason that Osmocote 18-6-12 is recommended over the other Osmocote formulations 19-6-12 (3 to 4 month release), 18-6-12 (6 TO 9 month release) and 17-7-12 (12 to 14 month release). Plant species tested grew best with Osmocote 18-6-12. This response is due to the slower initial release rate of the 18-6-12 formulation which is controlled by the thickness of the plastic coating. All other Osmocote formulations available have a more rapid initial release, including  the 12 to 14 month release 17-7-12 since 20% of the formulation has the same coating as the 19-6-12 , which releases too quickly. Cuttings of woody plants, including citrus, have little capacity to absorb nutrients.   Of the current products, the release rate of Osmocote 18-t6-12  more nearly coincides with the root development of the cutting and stimulates the subsequent growth of nearly all species if some other factor is not restricting growth,

[lebmung]

I would not advise people from this forum to play with hormones. So I think is not a good idea to provide any more information on this topic. Hormones can do wonders, from inducing flowering to branching and continuous vegetation. But this comes at a cost, an unknown and unstudied health cost for the one manipulating them and for those eating the fruits. No wonder that cancer is prevalent in our times.