Author Topic: Multigrafting question  (Read 2560 times)

surftrunks

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Multigrafting question
« on: May 12, 2020, 02:38:16 AM »
I have limited yard space with a healthy meyer lemon tree that is about 5 feet tall P in a large planter.  I want to experiment with ordering budwood and grafting 1 or 2 different citris varieties on to it for fun.  I have done some internet research and I understand the different types of grafts. Cleft grafting seems like it would be the easiest for me.  My question is where and what type of branch is the best branch to cut short and try a Cleft graft? A branch near the root stock?  A branch near the top of the tree that is branching diagonally?  A branch near the top that is branching out horizontally? A sucker coming off the root stock?  Or is a different type of great better to try in my situation?

If I try a bud graft or t graft  should I try it on the root stock or the main trunk of the meyer lemon tree or a branch from the tree?
Thank you

Oolie

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2020, 02:45:13 AM »
Consider what the grafted branch will look like down the road. The common amateur mistakes are to graft far from the trunk and too high up, so that fruit produced by the branch are not a major part of the tree, and are too high up to pick.

To make a graft a major part of the tree, graft low and central.

Though cleft seems easy, I have equal to better luck with bark grafts.

surftrunks

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2020, 03:07:13 AM »
My meyer lemon tree is not very big yet (about 4 foot). I do not want it too tall and want it to be bushier. There is one side of the tree that does not have many branches lower down on the trunk and i would like to encourage branching down there anyway.  Should I try a bark graft there?  What type of bark graft is easiest and most successful for a beginner?

Do I bark graft on to the root stalk or the main trunk of the tree above the root stalk?
« Last Edit: May 12, 2020, 03:10:05 AM by surftrunks »

Ilya11

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2020, 04:33:24 AM »
Probably a photo of your plant will help to answer. Also, if you want to graft several varieties you better chose them with same vigor to avoid the disequilibrated growth.
Best regards,
                       Ilya

surftrunks

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2020, 10:34:24 AM »
Here are two images from two sides of the meyer lemon tree, it seems healthy and gave us about 20 lemons last year.   I plan to keep the tree not much taller then this.  Where would be the best place to graft on a new citrus variety?  I was thinking of ordering budwood and grafting bearss lime, satsuma mandarin or eureka variegated pink lemon, maybe two of the three.  Which variety should I try to get, what type of graft, and what location on the tree would be best? I'm doing it just for fun in my backyard.   Thanks so much. 






stephen

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2020, 11:04:59 AM »
You can graft really on any branch on your tree, since it's fairly small. Generally I try to imagine what the tree will look like in several years. Are you ordering budwood from CCCP? If you're doing a cleft graft, just look for branches that are about the same thickness, and also take into account possible fails. So imagine if the graft doesn't work, you just have to be okay with cutting that section of the branch off.

Of the varieties you mentioned, I would choose the Bearss lime and the pink lemon. I have read somewhere that since your interstock (a Meyer lemon) is a sour citrus, they probably used a rootstock that's best for sour citrus. In which case, you don't really know if it would affect a sweet variety, like a satsuma mandarin. I'm testing out this theory myself since I didn't know about it before I did my grafts.

Please keep us posted on your grafts!

surftrunks

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2020, 11:28:25 AM »
Thanks so much for the reply. Now I'm thinking of possibly removing the support stake and doing a T-bud graft or bud graft on the side of the tree that has no branches.

1. Does this tree need its current support stake? It gets alittle windy where it is but not that windy.
2.  What type of graft would have a better chance of success? cleft graft on a current branch coming from the trunk? or directly placing a bud graft or T-bud on the trunk on the other side of the current branches?.
3. If I try a bud graft or T-bud graft. How many grafts should I place and how far up along the tree should I place it?
4. Does the main trunk of the tree get damaged if a bud graft fails? (I know if a cleft graft fails you can just cut off the branch, but what if the bud graft on the main trunk fails?)

Thanks so much for everyones expertise. I am trying this for the first time and what to make sure its done right without doing any damage.

stephen

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2020, 11:51:12 AM »
Thanks so much for the reply. Now I'm thinking of possibly removing the support stake and doing a T-bud graft or bud graft on the side of the tree that has no branches.

1. Does this tree need its current support stake? It gets alittle windy where it is but not that windy.
2.  What type of graft would have a better chance of success? cleft graft on a current branch coming from the trunk? or directly placing a bud graft or T-bud on the trunk on the other side of the current branches?.
3. If I try a bud graft or T-bud graft. How many grafts should I place and how far up along the tree should I place it?
4. Does the main trunk of the tree get damaged if a bud graft fails? (I know if a cleft graft fails you can just cut off the branch, but what if the bud graft on the main trunk fails?)

Thanks so much for everyones expertise. I am trying this for the first time and what to make sure its done right without doing any damage.


I usually remove support stakes as soon as I get the tree home. But if the trunk is weak, I put support stakes a little ways out to its left and/or right, and then use something like flagging tape (that has flexibility) to support it to the stake. That way the tree is still able to sway a little with the wind and get stronger over time.

Personally I've only done cleft and z grafts on citrus. I don't like risking marring the trunk in case bud grafts don't work. But I'm just overly cautious. :) Clefts are just so easy.

By the way, do you already have buddy tape? They're a bit pricey, but they make wrapping the budwood so easy, and they last quite a while.

surftrunks

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2020, 12:37:35 PM »
Thanks. I will remove the stake and try some grafts this weekend. I might try one cleft graft and one or two bud grafts and see what takes. I have parafilm tape and vinyl tape.  I am ordering budwood from cccp. is there a max as to how many grafts I should try at a time?

stephen

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2020, 01:01:03 PM »
Thanks. I will remove the stake and try some grafts this weekend. I might try one cleft graft and one or two bud grafts and see what takes. I have parafilm tape and vinyl tape.  I am ordering budwood from cccp. is there a max as to how many grafts I should try at a time?

When you order from CCPP, you'll get budwood that is twice as long as you need. So one budwood can really do at least 2 grafts. I had so many extras that I had to ask my friends if they wanted to graft onto their trees. lol Do you have any other citrus that you can graft onto? If not, an idea might be to have a sweet citrus multigraft tree. And your lemon can be your sour citrus multigraft. :) There's not really a max number of grafts.

surftrunks

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2020, 11:37:41 PM »
Quick update.  I did some t budding grafts and some cleft grafts of lime and kumquat to the meyer Lemon tree.  I guess now I just wait 3 or 4 weeks and hope the grafts take. 







stephen

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #11 on: May 18, 2020, 10:12:56 AM »
Cool! Please keep us posted. Hope everything works out! Just make sure not to put the grafts in full sun. Some people loosely cover exposed grafts in foil to keep it from baking in the sun.

By the way, have you seen some of the citrus grafting videos by the YouTube channel, "fruitmentor"?

surftrunks

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #12 on: May 18, 2020, 06:41:32 PM »
Yes.  The guides from fruitmentor were the ones I used

mrtexas

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #13 on: June 03, 2020, 06:05:23 PM »
I have several in ground large trees I have top worked in my yard.
I graft using mostly bark graft on a high branch. Then to
insure the graft grows I make the graft the highest bud on the tree.
Unless you do that your graft may never grow even if it took.
Downside to more than one variety on a tree is one will always
outgrow the others. With my way of doing it I have one variety on the bottom
and one on the top so vigor of variety is not so important.

BTW the picture with arrows, those grafts are only one year old and already
as big as before the graft. They grew around 8 feet in one year. Root stock is citrange.
I have gotten lots of scions from CCPP thru the Texas bud wood bureau in the past. Not so much
lately as Texas has started to charge a $150 handling fee on out of state budwood in addition to $40
per variety and $35 overnight shipping.

CCPP won't sell me bud wood directly. Last time I paid $250 for giant key lime
and red finger lime and none of the buds took(approximately 40 buds). Sometimes budwood doesn't work
even though it looks good. Usually 9 out of 10 work for me. Interestingly enough, two varieties of pummelo
hybrid scions in the same order, all the buds took.

For example on large in ground trees:
sugar belle on top of pixie
bream tarocco on top of valentine
shiranui on top of sour orange
cara cara on top of gold nugget
shiranui branch on tango
One tree has branches of shiranui, turkish sugar orange
and mostly sugar belle seedling.



« Last Edit: June 03, 2020, 06:43:17 PM by mrtexas »

Yorgos

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Re: Multigrafting question
« Reply #14 on: July 30, 2020, 02:34:59 PM »
mrtexas, I am inspired.  Need a good Italian lemon bud to graft onto a meyer seedling growing in my yard.
Near NRG Stadium, Houston Texas. USDA zone 9a