Author Topic: Spacing on flying dragon  (Read 1934 times)

Ulfr

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Spacing on flying dragon
« on: September 20, 2017, 04:59:06 PM »
Hi All

Can I get away with 2m/6.5ft spacing on flying dragon rootstock? I don't grow a lot of citrus but going to make an informal row/ semi hedge along one side of the house where it will get taken care of. Looking for trees to touch but not over crowd each other / having to prune to the point of no fruiting.

Thanks
« Last Edit: September 21, 2017, 11:01:41 PM by Ulfr »

Citradia

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Re: Spacing on flying dragon
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2017, 08:15:21 PM »
I've seen FD planted at Biltmore House in Asheville, NC, in a big mass planting like a bed of azaleas, each plant/ bush about 4 ft tall and 4 or 5 ft spaced apart; one could still walk between the individual trees. They tend to be taller than wide, almost columnar.

Millet

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Re: Spacing on flying dragon
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2017, 08:54:11 PM »
I know the suggested planting distances of (commercial) Minneola, Navel, Valencia, Lemon, Meyer lemon, Tahiti Lime and Key lime, but not Flying Dragon.  I would expect that Flying Dragon would be something close to a Key Lime which most growers recommend 10-ft apart (will take a long time to grow to full growth).

Ulfr

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Re: Spacing on flying dragon
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2017, 06:27:15 PM »
Thanks Millet and Citradia

I should have been clearer in my original post, the trees are various citrus (three types of mandarin, Valencia orange, kaffir lime and Meyer lemon. They are all on flying dragon dwarfing rootstock. I might split the difference and go seven ft. I can prune as production isn’t a huge concern, as long as I can still get some fruit.

Millet

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Re: Spacing on flying dragon
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2017, 08:59:02 PM »
Ulfr, as I believe you are aware, pruning a citrus tree greatly reduces or even stops fruit production.  This is because on citrus,  flowers and thus fruit develop on the new wood.  Pruning eliminates the new growth. What you can do is prune just one side of the tree letting fruit develop on the opposite side, and then prune the other side the following year.  This way at least one side of the tree will always be in fruit.

Ulfr

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Re: Spacing on flying dragon
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2017, 09:53:01 PM »
Ulfr, as I believe you are aware, pruning a citrus tree greatly reduces or even stops fruit production.  This is because on citrus,  flowers and thus fruit develop on the new wood.  Pruning eliminates the new growth. What you can do is prune just one side of the tree letting fruit develop on the opposite side, and then prune the other side the following year.  This way at least one side of the tree will always be in fruit.

I hadn't even though of that :)

I was figuring I would just get fruit on the front and back side of the 'hedge' where the trees wouldn't touch (probably wouldn't end up pruning unless trees were impacting on each other).

Hmm I'll keep thinking on it. Thanks Millet.