Author Topic: Grafted lemon Q's  (Read 678 times)

gnappi

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Grafted lemon Q's
« on: March 26, 2023, 09:08:13 AM »
Last winter I grafted an unknown lemon cutting from a big box store to an unknown seedling fron a grocery store for my girlfriend and her granddaughter.

By the time I got to the seedling it was already pretty big and 1/3 of an inch thick, so the graft is pretty high up.

The graft took perfectly and the scion has pushed a lot of growth upwards of 10" already. My Q's are:

1. I know the rootstock from the seedling will continue to push growth but since I do not need nurse branches should we keep cutting them off or leave them be?

2. If we leave them I suspect it would be several years to fruit and but... can the rootstock kill the graft?


3.Since the scion is growing so agressively, at best to worst when can my GF expect fruit?

Note it's in a large ceramic coated clay type pot.

PS, can I graft another variety like tangerine on the scion or rootstock and not endanger either?
« Last Edit: March 26, 2023, 10:46:45 AM by gnappi »
Regards,

   Gary

sc4001992

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Re: Grafted lemon Q's
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2023, 05:17:46 PM »
Yes, you can graft multiple varieties on your rootstock or the sciowood branches if they are growing well.

If you do not plan to add any more varieties (grafts) then you should continue to remove any rootstock shoots that grow below the grafted scionwood to get the fruits sooner.

Do you have a photo of the tree, that would help with any more advise.

gnappi

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Re: Grafted lemon Q's
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2023, 07:49:46 PM »
Thanks, here's a pic. The tree is just under 6' and the graft line is the brown spot and there is 1 branch below the graft.



Regards,

   Gary

sc4001992

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Re: Grafted lemon Q's
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2023, 08:16:42 PM »
Your graft and tree looks really healthy. If you just want to grow the grafted lemons then leave it alone and you should be gettings lemons this year or next.

If you want to add more other varieties (madarin, orange, lime) then I would graft one on the second branch above the graft union.

If you want to graft fruits that will be larger such as the grapefruit or pomelo then I would use the lower rootstock ( 1" branch) to graft those varieties.

If you like lemons, the seedless Lisbon is good (large fruit, mostly seedless) or the new one from UCR, it's called seedless Eureka, nice medium seedless fruits. I got a huge seedless Eureka fruit on my branch this season.

Here's some fruits from my seedless Lisbon, it always has ripe fruits on the tree all year long.












gnappi

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Re: Grafted lemon Q's
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2023, 12:20:47 AM »
Thank you!!! Grafting a larger variety on the bottom below the graft is a GREAT suggestion as is all of  the other advice you gave me.


Thanks again,

  Gary



Regards,

   Gary

gnappi

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Re: Grafted lemon Q's
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2023, 04:27:14 PM »
Follow up, the lemon tree is doing very well. My GF's grand daughter can't wait to get lemons from it :-)



Regards,

   Gary

gnappi

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Re: Grafted lemon Q's
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2024, 02:07:56 PM »
Well, we moved the tree to a permanent location to my GF's son's house a couple of months ago and it is going extremely well. This spring I'm going to attempt to graft another variety to the shoots from the root stock.

Regards,

   Gary