Author Topic: Best roostock for potted citrus  (Read 1582 times)

lebmung

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Best roostock for potted citrus
« on: March 14, 2019, 05:32:06 AM »
What is the best rootstock for potted citrus.
The soil would be peat/coconut fiber/clay rock/perlite 6-6.5 pH.
Tap water with chlorine 20ppm, medium hard 6.9°dH  'German degrees'
Summer temperature 25-35°C (77-95), winter 5-10°C (41-50 F)
Final pot 50L (13gallon)

Poncirus trifoliate would be the first candidate. What I don't like about it, it's a slow grower and makes little fruits.

brian

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Re: Best roostock for potted citrus
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2019, 12:19:21 PM »
Slow grower is good for containers, right?   You could use non-flying dragon trifoliate if you're want a more vigorous rootstock.   FD is more dwarfing.

My understanding is fruit quality is improved with trifoliate, and fruit size is normal not small. 

Just check graft compatibility charts before you finalize your decision.

Millet

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Re: Best roostock for potted citrus
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2019, 01:00:44 PM »
Trees on trifoliate have good to excellent internal fruit quality with all common scions.  Fruit typically have high solids, acids and juice content. I have various citrus cultivars on Flying Dragon, and there fruits are all of normal size.  .

Laaz

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Re: Best roostock for potted citrus
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2019, 02:40:14 PM »
I only use swingle now. Compatible with almost anything & produces a nice vigorous tree.

lebmung

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Re: Best roostock for potted citrus
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2019, 06:01:52 PM »
Thanks your answers.
Yes trifoliate is a good roostock for containers.
My only problem is that water rises the pH over time and and I think some problems with chlorine.
I want some rootstock to make the tree grow rapidly, especially vegetative growth. I don't mind to prune the roots every 3 years. I grow kaffier limes for leaves, and on pt it takes a lot of time to grow.
I want to plant a small tree and have a large 2m (6ft) tree in 2 years in a 50L (13 gallon) container.

brian

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Re: Best roostock for potted citrus
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2019, 09:07:24 PM »
Check this chart:  https://crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/citrus_rootstock/Rootstock_Literature/rootstock-print-11x14-v3.pdf

Most of the largest varieties have poor tolerances. 

hardyvermont

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Re: Best roostock for potted citrus
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2019, 10:44:37 PM »
What is your water source?  20 ppm is undrinkable and may be toxic to plants

lebmung

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Re: Best roostock for potted citrus
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2019, 03:02:06 PM »
0.4 ppm my mistake