The Tropical Fruit Forum

Citrus => Citrus General Discussion => Topic started by: brian on July 24, 2021, 12:35:24 PM

Title: compact lemon options
Post by: brian on July 24, 2021, 12:35:24 PM
Right now I have Eureka, Lisbon, St Teresa, Meyer, and Sunquat.   Only the meyer and sunquat are anything close to compact but they don't have the true lemon taste.  I bought the Lisbon to try grafting onto Flying Dragon, but the parent plant looks so vigorous that I'm doubtful that even the dwarfing rootstock will keep it tame. 

this site seems to suggest Lisbon-on-Flying-Dragon is workable:
https://boutiquecitrus.com.au/finger-lime-recipes-and-ideas/ (https://boutiquecitrus.com.au/finger-lime-recipes-and-ideas/)

and here's a picture of what I am guessing is Lisbon-on-Flying-Dragon:
(http://www.spnursery.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Lemon-In-Container.jpg)
I guess I will have to try it and see.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: poncirsguy on July 24, 2021, 12:40:36 PM
Go for it.  I have 2 Fukushu kumquats on Flying dragon and it is more compact than the Fukushu on C35 or on its own roots
(https://i.postimg.cc/YvGbWHRG/IMG-0297.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/YvGbWHRG)
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: sc4001992 on July 25, 2021, 12:50:10 AM
Yes, if you graft lemon on FD it will not grow much. I grafted Lisbon & Yuzu, and both are slow growing on this tree.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: brian on July 25, 2021, 09:31:57 PM
Good to hear.  Is yuzu normally very vigorous?  I don't know much about it but I intend to get one when I can find it.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: sc4001992 on July 26, 2021, 01:24:08 AM
Yuzu has not been a vigorous grower for me. I hear some people have problems trying to keep it growing well, not sure why.  I had my grafted Yuzu on FD for over 10 years and it grew only 3 ft with some side branches. I do get fruits on it but not much. I plan to graft it on another rootstock (macrophylla) and get some more Yuzu cuttings from CCPP in case I got a dud the first time.

Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: poncirsguy on July 26, 2021, 09:23:58 AM
Your twig is not a dud.  Use the scion of your current tree and graft.  I give my flying dragon 16 hours of light from September till June
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: sc4001992 on July 26, 2021, 01:06:06 PM
poncirsguy, I will do that as well, but I also want to try new budwood cuttings because it is always good to try to get it from a few different trees. I had similar experience with my NZ lemon cuttings, the first ones I grafted hardly grew (12" long) in 2 years, then I grafted a few new budwood and it had many fruits and grew 3 ft in one year. For all my fruit trees, I always like to get a few different sources or cuttings from different trees for the same variety I'm trying to grow and get fruits. I do this (multiple sources) for all my loquats, mulberry, citrus, persimmon, figs, etc.

I really don't use any of my Yuzu fruits, only give them away but recently more friends/relatives wanted the fruit so I guess I will need to get the grafts to grow faster/more fruits.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: brian on February 24, 2024, 05:45:45 PM
Four years later, I have my compact lemon.  I did two cleft grafts and a t-bud of Lisbon lemon on Flying Dragon rootstock and they all took.  I had put the tree in a corner and forgotten about it since Fall and today I noticed it has a couple lemons on it, one nearly ripe.  I think I gave away the parent Lisbon (from FourWinds, unknown rootstock) to my neighbor over the summer when I saw the grafts took on the replacement. 

(https://i.imgur.com/DTm2jak.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/A7c7Ml0.jpeg)
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: kulasa on February 24, 2024, 07:07:57 PM
a lemon ( I forgot which one) I grafted onto an FD last spring
(https://i.postimg.cc/Y4rx2Y7t/IMG-1817.avif) (https://postimg.cc/Y4rx2Y7t)
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: brian on February 24, 2024, 08:32:27 PM
kulasa your picture isn't showing up, if you posted one
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: kulasa on February 24, 2024, 08:48:11 PM
Thank you, Brian.  Is it showing now?
(https://i.postimg.cc/kDj36Trz/dwarflemon.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/kDj36Trz)
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: brian on February 24, 2024, 09:19:52 PM
Yes I see, looks very nice!
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: kulasa on February 24, 2024, 10:10:07 PM
Yes I see, looks very nice!

Thank you.  Are the lemons on your tree regular sized or are they abit smaller because of the rootstock?  Do rootstocks affect fruit size?  I remember FD influencing yield positively, I am not sure about the fruit size though.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: brian on February 24, 2024, 10:15:10 PM
Fruit are normal sized on dwarfing rootstocks.  I think most rootstocks have little effect on fruit size.  There are some tables you can find online  showing the details.  My recollection is that a few like rough lemon produce larger but poorer fruit, and the rest are pretty much "normal size"
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: kulasa on February 24, 2024, 10:18:04 PM
Thanks!
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: Radoslav on February 25, 2024, 01:09:19 AM
I read study about rootstock for ornamental citruses in pot  and the result was, that the best rootstock is volkameriana, especially for lemons. It gaves compact crown and intense flowering. Oscar Tintori nursery uses exclusively volkameriana for lemons and mandarins.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: Tortuga on February 25, 2024, 02:39:05 PM
Harvey lemon is my favorite lemony taste and it’s an ornamental bush in my landscape. Massive harvests too. It’s on flying dragon rootstock
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: kulasa on February 25, 2024, 02:44:59 PM
Harvey lemon is my favorite lemony taste and it’s an ornamental bush in my landscape. Massive harvests too. It’s on flying dragon rootstock

I like Harvey as well. Mine is grafted onto a grapefruit tho, so you can imagine how vigorous it is lol.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: poncirsguy on February 26, 2024, 12:14:21 AM
This is the same Fukushu kumquat on flying dragon posted here in July 24, 2021, 12:40:36 PM.  It is 3 year 8 months old now.



Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: kulasa on February 26, 2024, 06:02:37 AM
This is the same Fukushu kumquat on flying dragon posted here in July 24, 2021, 12:40:36 PM.  It is 3 year 8 months old now.

I don't see any picture if you posted any?
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: brian on February 26, 2024, 09:06:53 AM
I read study about rootstock for ornamental citruses in pot  and the result was, that the best rootstock is volkameriana, especially for lemons. It gaves compact crown and intense flowering. Oscar Tintori nursery uses exclusively volkameriana for lemons and mandarins.

Radoslav, I had never heard of volkameriana so I looked it up.  The first overview I found describes it as being highly vigorous, like rough lemon, and producing large but poor quality fruit.  Are you sure this is being used for compact lemons?  It sounds like a bad candidate for that given the vigorous description.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: poncirsguy on February 26, 2024, 10:06:04 AM
Volkameriana is EASY to graft,  VERY productive, and produces LARGE fruits.  Lemon taste like battery acid so quality is not important.  Sales and Profit is.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: Radoslav on February 26, 2024, 10:29:19 AM
I heard about poor quality fruits on volkameriana in the past, and everybody told me it, when I bought Avana apireno from italian nursery on volkameriana. It was in bag, for farm growing, but I was sure that italians know what they do, and time proved my thoughs. Avanas on this tree are in top 3 of my mandarins. So, I think that volkameriana does not devalve fruit taste. As I said Oscar Tintori is number one in the market of ornamental citruses in pots in Italy and they use volkameriana.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: Millet on February 26, 2024, 11:06:46 AM
Most citrus organizations say  Volkameriana as a rootstock is just fair.  Does best when growing on sandy soils.  Scions grafted upon Volk generally produce fruit with 2% less sugar content.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: brian on February 26, 2024, 01:15:29 PM
Thanks, Radoslav.  It is nice to hear direct experience from somebody who has tasted this scion/rootstock combination. 
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: sc4001992 on March 04, 2024, 05:55:34 AM
Brian, Millet, ok, I will do an experiment of grafting my Italian lemon, Sumo, Ponkan, on my larger Volkameriana tree so we can test the brix of the mandarin in 2yrs, and I will compare the taste of the grafted lemon with my other trees. I already have a few Valencia orange grafted so it should have fruits next year.

The original variety grafted on this rootstock is the Kiffir line. The fruits of the Kiffir line is not any larger on this rootstock.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: sc4001992 on March 04, 2024, 06:06:06 AM
Brian, it has been years and I forgot the Lison lemon on my FD was the original variety grafted on FD rootstock. So it hasn't grown much in all these years. I'll take a photo so you can see how much it grew in 30 yrs, not much.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: brian on March 04, 2024, 09:20:36 AM
I am interested to see how yours looks.  I am realizing that when all the lemons come at the same time I can't use them all so only getting a few per crop is okay with me.  I will have to keep buying them from the grocery store most of the time.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: sc4001992 on March 05, 2024, 01:31:36 AM
Here's my FD tree with the two other grafts. First graft is the original Lisbon lemon that was the variety I purchased. Then I grafted the Yuzu on the middle (interstock) branch of the Lisbon lemon.
So, this Lisbon lemon is 30yrs old, I bought the tree as a Lisbon lemon tree.


(https://i.postimg.cc/XqCYkTKT/Yuzu-Lemon-FD-pic1.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/mr7WLCNW/Yuzu-Lemon-FD-pic2.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/q74jKKHT/Yuzu-Lemon-FD-pic3.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/3RySrTH4/Yuzu-Lemon-FD-pic4.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/05DnVZ5s/Yuzu-Lemon-FD-pic5.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)


Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: brian on April 02, 2024, 08:02:58 PM
sc4001992 I must say your tree is funny looking :)   The lemon really stands out from the FD base

I am surprised to see that my Lisbon lemon on FD is still reasonably vigorous, more than I expected.  Lemons really want to grow fast it seems.  I think it is still probably far more reserved than on its own roots or a typical lemon rootstock.


I grafted a few of them (in case the grafts failed), and I only need one.  This is the extra one if anyone wants it:
EDIT - tree is spoken for
(https://i.imgur.com/N2PMcoC.jpeg)
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: Desertcitrus on April 03, 2024, 03:49:39 PM


I would like it if no one else wants it. Im sure it’s a given but I will pay shipping.


I grafted a few of them (in case the grafts failed), and I only need one.  This is the extra one if anyone wants it:
(https://i.imgur.com/N2PMcoC.jpeg)
[/quote]
[/quote]
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: poncirsguy on April 03, 2024, 04:21:10 PM
update on my Fukushu on flying dragon
(https://i.postimg.cc/mPDt3vF2/IMG-3207-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mPDt3vF2)
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: Millet on April 03, 2024, 04:35:55 PM
Looks good poncirsguy
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: kulasa on April 03, 2024, 04:49:41 PM
update on my Fukushu on flying dragon
(https://i.postimg.cc/mPDt3vF2/IMG-3207-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mPDt3vF2)

Still super cold where you at?
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: Desertcitrus on April 09, 2024, 01:13:46 PM

(https://i.postimg.cc/Q9s5P17t/IMG-7883.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Q9s5P17t)
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: poncirsguy on April 09, 2024, 08:10:18 PM
Thanks;

It is now outside for the summer.
(https://i.postimg.cc/K4Fqpr99/IMG-3311-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/K4Fqpr99)
I also have a Meiwa on Flying dragon after its rootstock transplant to replace its incompatible Kuharske citrange.


(https://i.postimg.cc/v4Skpg14/IMG-3312-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/v4Skpg14)
I have found FD to be very dwarfing for my Meiwa.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: Desertcitrus on April 11, 2024, 01:40:21 AM
Thanks;

It is now outside for the summer.
(https://i.postimg.cc/K4Fqpr99/IMG-3311-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/K4Fqpr99)
I also have a Meiwa on Flying dragon after its rootstock transplant to replace its incompatible Kuharske citrange.


(https://i.postimg.cc/v4Skpg14/IMG-3312-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/v4Skpg14)

Is the big tree also a Miewa?
I have found FD to be very dwarfing for my Meiwa.
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: poncirsguy on April 11, 2024, 02:04:42 PM
The bigger tree is a Fukushu kumquat.  Only the small one is a grafted Meiwa on FD.  I have 2 other seed grown Meiwa trees.  I got a quart of fruit from my 1 seedling Meiwa.
(https://i.postimg.cc/w3kqTX1P/IMG-3078.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/w3kqTX1P)
Title: Re: compact lemon options
Post by: Desertcitrus on April 11, 2024, 04:01:30 PM
The bigger tree is a Fukushu kumquat.  Only the small one is a grafted Meiwa on FD.  I have 2 other seed grown Meiwa trees.  I got a quart of fruit from my 1 seedling Meiwa.
(https://i.postimg.cc/w3kqTX1P/IMG-3078.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/w3kqTX1P)

Thank you