Grafting Citrus

Learn how to graft citrus trees using a great technique for home gardeners. The video demonstrates grafting orange trees with the citrus bark graft. The bark graft is easy for beginning citrus grafters and gives a high success rate. I have also found that bark grafting of citrus works better than bud grafting of citrus for top working an established citrus tree; the buds of the bark grafted citrus scion begin to grow sooner than citrus t-buds or citrus chip buds. I have used the citrus bark graft to make a navel orange tree into a citrus cocktail tree with more than thirty citrus varieties including mandarin oranges, blood oranges, grapefruit, pummelos/pomelos, and limes. I have also found the bark graft to be useful for other fruit trees such as stone fruit and pears.
How to order budwood:
• Ordering Citrus Budwoo...
Some other citrus grafting techniques:
• Grafting Citrus with t...
Grafting tools (including grafting knife and parafilm grafting tape):
fruitmentor.com/GraftingTools
California Pummelos (cool weather varieties from acidless parent):
fruitmentor.com/CaliforniaPumm...
Juicing acidless blood oranges:
fruitmentor.com/VanigliaJ
Link to share this video on how to graft citrus trees:
• Grafting Citrus
Discover more about citrus at:
fruitmentor.com
In California, the collection of any citrus propagative materials, including budwood and seeds, from non-registered sources is illegal. Any citrus trees grown or grafted in California must come from source trees registered with either:
(1) The Citrus Nursery Stock Pest Cleanliness Program, administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, or
(2) The Citrus Clonal Protection Program, located at the University of California at Riverside.
CDFA program: www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/pe/nsc/...
CCPP: ccpp.ucr.edu/

[@Fruitmentor]

I've made a new video on bark grafting that shows some improvements over the technique in this video. Please see here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnWbloOqa7CJY7s

[@ericpitar]

Of all the grafting videos and tutorials I've seen, this is by far the clearest most thorough. It covers small but very important points that maximizes the chance of success.

[@johngraf5603]

Thanks for taking the time to make this video! It is probably one of the best grafting videos I have watched.

[@Fruitmentor]

You are welcome! Thank you for the feedback!

[@tam4tennis]

Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video. It's really easy to follow. I love it!

[@Fruitmentor]

Tam Huynh Thank you! I am glad that you have enjoyed it!

[@rimonantonious1045]

that's great i tried this bark grafting on lemon trees and it's working very well....thank you ...

[@Exhume2Consume]

amazingly informative by far the best grafting video online

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you!

[@ashutoshjha9147]

so beautifully documented , slow steady explaining every bit,thanx

[@Fruitmentor]

You're welcome! I am glad that you enjoyed the video. Thank you for liking the video and for subscribing!

[@captainjennifer]

Your videos are fantastic. Thanks for making such professional videos and describing citrus diseases in each video.

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you!

[@TechTalk5432]

What is the price of perafilm and how i can buy in pakistan?

[@guyveloz4382]

LEAST confusing of all grafting demos. Have followed EVERY step from ordering clean budwood from CCPP meticulously. Can't get this interesting Boukopza maltese blood orange just now, but Rick Christiano of Cal Fullerton has been amazingly helpful in guiding me how to go step by step, especially recommending I watch fruitmentor videos! Now all I need do is wait three or four weeks to find out whether I did everything right or not.

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you! I am glad that the videos were helpful. I hope that you succeeded with your grafts!

[@HCOGGAN]

Amazing video, amazing variety! Thank you

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you!

[@Dave-ht7dx]

Informative, illustrative, helpful = the best. Thank you so very much.

[@Fruitmentor]

You're very welcome!

[@catalinoancea6601]

Good job!

[@Prabhath_the_Dawn]

Thanks for the tutorial. It was helpful :)

[@Fruitmentor]

You are welcome! I am glad that you found it helpful!

[@adawahyu]

Thanks for your sharing

[@hasanwidjaja1907]

thank you for sharing. very helpful

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you!

[@fishmut]

Very nice video , love the tips you give to every one , very helpful, going to do a graft on a orange tree that hasn’t flowered in a few years so going to graft naval orange variety to it , fingers crossed it works . 👍

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you! Have you fertilized your orange tree? Lack of fertilizer is a common reason that citrus trees fail to flower and fruit. See 7:21 in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmWtqIOfn9R0f8ksi=MilaQett3D5afopW

[@squirrelscuba]

thnaks for the effort to make this video

[@Fruitmentor]

You're welcome! Thank you for liking the video!

[@0MrENigma0]

Thank you so much for taking the time to not only make a tutorial (which I know takes at least 10 times more actual real time than the finished product). This video is so well done... ! After subscribing I will be watching your other videos. I hope that the link of ordering clean bud-wood includes being able to have it shipped to California. I would very much like to do some grafting onto a couple well established (dwarf) trees. Thanks again!

[@Fruitmentor]

0MrENigma0 You are very welcome! Thank you so much for your feedback! It was quite a bit of work to make the video, but I think it is doing a lot of good. Since the CCPP is based in California, it will be especially easy and inexpensive for you to order budwood.

[@miguelvillar420]

Muy educativo e importante soy de República Dominicana

[@meaww7373]

Excellent

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you so much 😀

[@dmunchman]

I have subscribe to your video , I had tried citrus without success and will try your method , Best regards and thank you ..

[@Fruitmentor]

Trevor James Thank you for subscribing!

[@yulitablp2587]

very very creative (Y) good job

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you!!

[@safriromadhoni2490]

video anda sangat membantu manusia di seluruh dunia, semoga ilmu anda dapat menjadi amal ibadah anda. aminn

[@12374004]

thank you very much

[@Fruitmentor]

You're welcome!

[@alisher031077]

Спасибо вам за видео, очень интересно было.

[@Fruitmentor]

Пожалуйста! Я рад, что вам понравилось.

[@romaeishgardon8624]

good work

[@Fruitmentor]

+Romaeish Gardon Thank you!

[@purnalimbu7054]

thanks for idea

[@Fruitmentor]

You're welcome!

[@FloridasCracker]

I hope you get great fruit !!! Really cool video ! Thanks!!!!

[@Fruitmentor]

You're welcome! I am really looking forward to tasting the fruit from this tree!! Thank you for liking the video!

[@FloridasCracker]

How far can grafting go? Lets say you grafted a key lime with a blood orange, is that even possible ?

[@Fruitmentor]

FloridasCracker I have grafted a sweet lime onto a navel orange tree, so I suspect that it would be possible to graft a key lime onto a blood orange. Rootstocks do have an effect on the taste and texture of the grafted fruit and sometimes it is a negative effect, however. For example, I understand that a pummelo graft on lemon rootstock would not produce good fruit. Also, sometimes there can be long-term graft incompatibilities. If I am top working a tree I usually graft something similar that I think would be likely to produce good-tasting fruit. For a lime rootstock, I would suggest grafting only other limes or lemons. For a lemon rootstock, I have read that grafts of mandarin oranges may taste OK.

[@HawaiianPineappleExpress]

Great Information. I'll try my hand at grafting this spring on some hardy varieties like the Yuzu onto flying Dragon rootstock. Here in the Pacific northwest Vancouver BC Canada. I have had these trees outside for 4 years and do fine with no protection overwinter.

[@Fruitmentor]

Ray Mattei Thank you! Good luck with your grafting! I used to travel to Vancouver every year for work. I remember one trip where there was a big snowfall. I am amazed that you can grow citrus with no protection in the winter.

[@alvarolazo1374]

buenísimo

[@Fruitmentor]

¡Muchas gracias!

[@daunganjamerahdaunganjamer7974]

Awesomenessssss

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you!

[@sadammalik4369]

Nice work dear

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you!

[@foxtrot260]

thank you for having subtitles in portuguese on videos

[@Fruitmentor]

You're welcome! I would like to do more. I hope that I can make a new channel narrated in Portuguese eventually.

[@madeinussr1983]

Спасибо

[@dorvaughn]

I appreciate your grafting tutorials so much. You provide clear and concise instructions to me as a newbie grafter so thank you! I too live in Northern California, Oakland to be exact. Can you tell me if it would be wise to try growing any variety of orange tree in my 10a zone near the bay? I've heard that my Oakland weather is too cool to grow sweet oranges successfully. I would love to grow a Boukhobza like the one in the video but I'm hesitant. Thanks for any insight you can provide.

[@N0bull]

Would this work on a larger rootstock (3” diameter) and having 2-3 scions of different variety?

[@philipacovington]

What time of year is the best time to graft citrus in San Diego County?

[@khalilkerromi9688]

I followed all the instructions in the video and thank God it succeeded, but when I wanted again, I did it in a main stem and the bait fused but did not bud Is there another way without cutting the branch from above

[@lifeisbeautiful_nz]

Can I cover the scionwood with plastic bag in stead of aluminum foil. Which one work better?

[@davey_davey_dave]

I think it would be awesome if you made a video on heirloom verities you've tasted/grown that would be excellent cultivars for the home orchard.

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you! I am working on some videos like that.

[@auditocanarsie7355]

Best Citrus grafting video I have seen. Have you ever grafted Kumquats onto trifoliata? I would love to see a video if you do.

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you and thank you for the suggestion!

[@lifeisbeautiful_nz]

The thick or thin parafilm is work better?

[@jsamturner]

Great video. I recently started working at a tree farm in Northern California and it's amazing. I have discovered an interest in the art & science of grafting and it's rekindled my love of citrus. What did you use for your root stock for the graft in this video? It appears to be a readily available variety from a local nursery that you grafted your bud to. Do you recommend 5 or 15 gal container sizes for root stock? Thanks for a great video

[@Fruitmentor]

Jason Turner Thank you! I am glad that you enjoyed the video. I used a nursery tree that I bought locally. It was a tree in a 5 gallon container. This summer I have not seen 5 gallon trees like the one in this video. The diameter of the rootstock was large enough that the bark graft was a good choice. There seems to be a misconception many people have thatbigger is better when buying a citrus tree. The opposite is true. Smaller trees are younger and more vigorous. A smaller tree planted in the ground at the same time as a larger tree will typically overtake the larger tree. A 15 gallon tree will be more expensive and may have a compromised root system. I would recommend a 5 gallon or even a 3 quart tree over the 15 gallon trees. With the smaller trees you can use another grafting technique such as the chip bud if the diameter of the rootstock is not large enough for a bark graft. See:kzbin.info/www/bejne/omKrhIKvYph9fbc The next bud cutting from the CCPP will be in early September, which is still a good time to graft citrus in northern California. Depending upon the weather, grafts may not start growing until the spring. I wish you success with your grafting!

[@soloflyer1007]

Wonderful video. Where did you get the maltese blood orange bud wood? I can't find them anywhere!

[@Fruitmentor]

+soloflyer1007 Thank you! I ordered the budwood from the CCPP. This video shows how to set up an account and place an order: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXaWZXpuZdmWha8

[@azarlohrasbpour8837]

I’m binge watching your videos. You used a rootstock that was already grafted onto. Questions: - could you have used a rootstock that had not been grafted? If yes, why didn’t you? - is the top part that you cut off salvageable? Can it be rooted on its own to continue living?

[@Fruitmentor]

Already grafted trees from reputable nurseries are more readily available than rootstocks. In California, cuttings from a tree exposed to the open environment like this one should never be used for propagation because there is a chance that the tree would be diseased. Even without that consideration, the cuttings would be difficult to root and they would make an inferior tree if not grafted to a rootstock.

[@coryp3896]

I noticed you specifically say this method is your preferred when the scion is larger than the rootstock, is that also applicable when the scion is maybe 60%Dia of the rootstock? Or do you prefer cleft with a moderately smaller scion?

[@Fruitmentor]

If the scion is much smaller than the rootstock, the bark graft works well. If the scion is 60% the diameter of the rootstock, I’d probably prefer a cleft graft.

[@premkewat.05]

I like this videos..ccpp means..

[@andariel8563]

Hi Dan! Is this also the best grafting technique for a very angular scion in your opinion? Thanks

[@Fruitmentor]

Bark grafting does indeed work great for those angular scions. Another technique where they actually come in quite handy is chip budding: kzbin.info/www/bejne/omKrhIKvYph9fbc It is easy to cut a nice chip from one of those scions and the bark does not have to be slipping for that technique.

[@blahblibidyblahblah]

Very helpful and informative video! Thanks for posting! One issue I have is where I live. Thailand. I believe a lot (if not all) of the items you mentioned to order are unavailable to me. most especially, the pear (sp?) film. However, there is a commonly used and available product here that I can best describe as Plastic String/Rope. I assume the pear film provides an impermeable layer as my local gardener friend advised that I keep the grafting area completely dry. Do you think the plastic string (about 1.5" wide, though thin and easily fold-able) would be a suitable alternative to pear film? Furthermore, the plants that I wish to use as my rootstock are a non-flowering/fruiting variety of rough stock lemon. They tend to grow here exceptionally easily and, aside from one butterfly species that really likes them, are very hardy and otherwise unfazed by local pests. Also, our soil is quite acidic, so I imagine other varieties wouldn't fair so well as root stock. I currently have two of those trees, one nearly 4 meters tall and the other is catching up. Ideally, I'd like to graft multiple varieties to each of these as I have very limited garden space. Are there any special considerations for applying multiple grafts to a single tree? What's the minimum diameter branch you would use as the root-stock location? Thanks for reading this far! If you ever come across a copy of John McPhee's monograph titled "Oranges", I highly recommend it; I was lucky enough to come across it from a dumpster dive save at one of my old jobs in Portland, OR. Thanks again!

[@Fruitmentor]

You are very welcome! I am glad that you enjoyed the video. I think that you may be able to get parafilm in Thailand. I googled "parafilm in Thailand" and it looks like there are at least a couple of options. It appears that a company in Singapore can ship parafilm to Thailand and there may be local options. It looks like the product is Parafilm M which is different than what I used -- still a good product, but it would need to be cut up into strips. If you are unable to obtain parafilm, I have heard of people using other things such as plumbers' teflon tape, so the product that you are describing may be a suitable alternative. 1.5" seems a bit wide, so you may need to cut it thinner for easier wrapping. If it is not permeable to water and it stretches a bit, I expect that you could get it to work. Since your rootstock is non fruiting, you have nothing to lose by giving it a try. If your graft fails at first you can cut it off and try again. The minimum diameter branch with this technique depends upon the size of your scion. As long as your scion is somewhat smaller than the rootstock the bark grafting technique works well. If your rootstock branch is a larger diameter, you can graft multiple scions and increase your chance of success. If the size of your scion is similar to the size of your rootstock, a cleft graft may be a more suitable type of graft. I am working on a cleft grafting video and will post it here when it is ready. I think I have grafted as small as perhaps 1/2 inch with a bark graft and perhaps as small as 1/4 inch with a cleft graft. For a multi-grafted tree, be sure to pick target branches that will get plenty of light. If they do not get enough light, they will not grow well. Also, do not be shy about cutting off a big branch and grafting to it -- the branch will grow big again with the variety that you graft. If I ever come across a copy of John McPhee's book I will be sure to buy it; thank you for the tip. Good luck with your grafting and I will be happy to help if you have other questions.

[@tohopes]

How would you choose between bark graft and double cleft graft for small scions? Do you ever do multiple bark grafts onto the same rootstock cut?

[@Fruitmentor]

I would choose a bark graft for small scions. I like the cleft graft in situations where the target branch is too small for a bark graft. I would not do a double cleft graft on citrus; if the branch is big enough I would prefer a bark graft. If the diameter of the branch is large enough I like to do more than one bark graft.

[@tohopes]

Cool, thanks for your insights.

[@az0953]

very clear exlaination and the work seems to be easy i'll try it but when the best period is and i want to graft sweet orange on bitter orange rootstock would you please give me some advices about that

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you! I wrote an article on the best time for grafting citrus trees here: www.fruitmentor.com/grafting-citrus-trees-best-time Sweet orange grafted to bitter orange rootstock should give good tasting fruit. One issue with bitter orange rootstock is that it is susceptible to citrus tristeza virus. For this reason it is seldom used in California. Here is a good reference on rootstocks: www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/links/documents/Bitters.pdf

[@mamukapanchulidze1284]

Hi, thanks for video! Could you please tell me when grafting citrus trees should be done?what is good period for grafting?

[@Fruitmentor]

mamuka panchulidze You are welcome! I am glad that you enjoyed it. As far as timing goes it depends upon the weather and the temperatures where you live. I think this is an aspect that people commonly get wrong and it causes grafts to fail. I included more about this at around the 7 minute mark in my latest grafting video. Here is a link to the latest video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/omKrhIKvYph9fbc

[@mastifflover504]

Hi Fruit Mentor! I plan on ordering either the Tahitian Pummelo or the Sarawak Pummelo. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find any information on the internet that differentiates one from the other. Would you happen to have any advice or information on those two types of Pummelos? I realize they are closely related.

[@Fruitmentor]

Tahitian and Sarawak are very similar but different. If I were to grow only one of them it would be Tahitian. I slightly prefer the flavor of Tahitian and most people seem to prefer it. They are very close, though. If you have not seen it, I wrote an article that has photos of both Tahitian and Sarawak. You can find it here: www.fruitmentor.com/californiapummelos

[@khalilkerromi9688]

Is there a way without cutting the branch above because I don't want to cut it

[@jonassx100]

can we graft in winters or in dormancy .. we dont have harsh winters and min. temp goes to 5 degree celcius in January

[@Fruitmentor]

You may be able to graft if it is warm enough. Here is an article that you may find helpful: www.fruitmentor.com/grafting-citrus-trees-best-time

[@ocneal]

What material do you make your labels out of, Dan? A friend & I did about 12 grafts on my mango tree this past season, I used the plastic plant label, but since I didn’t tie it too tight against the scion, a fierce wind came and blew at least 10 of my 12 labels away 😫 😭! Now I don’t know if what varieties the grafts are.

[@Fruitmentor]

That is so frustrating when the tags come off. It has happened to me too. I have a web page where I list grafting tools and I have a link to some of these aluminum labels. The brand available changed and the price seems to have gone way up, but maybe it is a good starting place and you can find something better: fruitmentor.com/grafting-supplies-and-tools The plant training wire is also handy to attach labels to large diameter branches.

[@SuperBaba4u]

does root stock type matterin grafting . for example , having lemon plant which i m not finding usefull so want to graft it with sweet lemon so rootstock plant property will be transfer to grafted fruit to some extinct or it will be of same property of scion plant or will be mixed .

[@Fruitmentor]

Rootstocks do matter. The affect the quality and characteristics of the fruit. I have had success grafting sweet limes onto a lemon tree. Here is a link to a very good book on citrus rootstocks: www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/links/documents/Bitters.pdf

[@gustavocuevas5640]

hi, I'm learning more about citrus with your knowledge thank you for sharing! I have a question, I grafted an eureka lemon Bud in a sweet Mexican Lima rootstock one year ago, but my question is, the Mexican sweet Lima is a good rootstock for lemons? and do you know how long it takes to bloom? thanks for the help!!!

[@Fruitmentor]

You're welcome! The following book mentions the use of Sweet lime as rootstock: www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/links/documents/Bitters.pdf It seems that it used to be used, but is no longer common because of some problems. Grafts can bloom the next season.

[@gustavocuevas5640]

fruitmentor thank you!

[@12juan45]

you really have awesome videos! thank you a lot for your information, but i have a question, where can I find budwoor for those bloodoranges you have? i am from El Salvador and the nearest certificated place that sells budwood is in Belize. did you ordered yours from spain and UK? keep doing these videos they are really awesome

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you! I ordered my budwood from CCPP in California. I put up a web page with budwood programs that I can find: www.fruitmentor.com/citrus-budwood-programs My Spanish is poor, so I have not managed to find any other programs in South America. If you know Spanish you may be able to find some other programs by Google search. If you find information for any other programs, please let me know and I will update that web page. CCPP will ship to countries that allow it. To see if they ship to El Salvador you could just sign up for an account and try to order budwood.

[@hereistay88]

Hi there! I'm trying to understand where the cambium contact happens with this kind of graft. There is cambium contact: 1) between the rootstock bark and the cambium of the scion-wood ? 2)between the part under the rootstock's bark in contact with the scion-wood? By considering that in this video part of the lateral bark is cutted to enanch cambium contact i guess that the first answer is the correct one, isn't it? Thank you very much!

[@Fruitmentor]

When the bark on the rootstock is peeled back, there will be some cambium both on the bark and on the wood underneath. The cambium of the scion will be exposed and will be able to make contact with the cambium of the rootstock.

[@benbratcher8845]

Thank you so much for all the time, care, and energy you put into providing such a valuable resource Dan! We are very grateful! I have a couple of questions: (1) Is there a minimum diameter of rootstock you suggest? I too am planning to graft to a W&N tree from Costco; I’m grafting to C35. However, the diameter of the tree where I’m grafting to doesn’t seem to be as thick as the one in your video. Mine is ½” thick. Is there a minimum rootstock diameter for this technique? (2) How long are your cuts? (a) Into the bark? (b) Into the budwood? Thank you!

[@Fruitmentor]

Ben Bratcher Hi Ben, Thank you for the comment and for the great questions! I am not sure what the minimum diameter rootstock would be, but at some point the bark graft would be difficult if the rootstock is too small. The rootstock in the video was also about ½” in diameter. What is key is the ratio. I think that the bark graft would still work if the diameter of the scion is half the diameter of the rootstock, but at some ratio another kind of graft would work better. My second choice would be a cleft graft and my third choice would be a bud graft. I am very close to publishing a video on bud grafting and just started editing one on cleft grafting. When you are cutting into the bark, the bark will give a slight resistance and if you rock the knife as I did in this video you should be able to feel the knife cutting through the bark. The wood gives more resistance and you can feel it because it keeps the knife from going deeper. You do not need to cut into the wood. One suggestion would be to cut the rootstock off a little higher than the intended graft location and experiment cutting into the bark if you want to see what it feels like before you do the real graft. The length of the cut part of the scion was about 2”. I think that it a good length to try for, but it does not need to be exact. Good luck with your grafting!

[@benbratcher8845]

fruitmentor Thanks Dan! I now have all your suggested tools, so here I go... wish me luck!

[@Fruitmentor]

Ben Bratcher Good luck with your grafting! If you want to try a backup bud graft, I published the bud grafting video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/omKrhIKvYph9fbc

[@12374004]

which grafting technique is the easiest and gives the highest success rate ?

[@Fruitmentor]

For easy and high success rate, I would suggest T-budding and patch budding. I think chip budding would be next. The scion grafting techniques are a little harder.

[@gabrielsitanggang859]

How long the bud wood last on delivery ? What if the delivery need more tham 2 weeks

[@Fruitmentor]

I suggest that you ask CCPP. It may depend upon where you live, the season, and how they package it.

[@justuju1]

Thanks for the video tons of information. I like to ask one question, what is the right season or time of the year when i graft my citrus, lemon, and mango plants. i am living in Abu Dhabi UAE.

[@Fruitmentor]

Tanveer Inayat You are welcome! I just checked the yearly weather for Abu Dhabi. For typical weather, I think the best months to graft citrus would be March, April, and November. In June, July, August, and September it will probably be too hot. In your climate you will want to take measures so that the heat does not dry out the graft during the healing period; I suggest wrapping with aluminum foil to reflect sunlight. I have no experience grafting mangoes yet, but I think it will be similar to citrus for you; what I have read is that you want the minimum temperature not much lower than 21C for mango grafting. In my latest grafting video I included a part about temperatures for grafting citrus:kzbin.info/www/bejne/omKrhIKvYph9fbc

[@dmunchman]

Dan , I 'm in tropical weather of Trinidad & Tobago , is it better to graft in the rainy season . thanks again .

[@Fruitmentor]

Trevor James Hi Trevor, I took a look at your yearly weather and it looks like the temperatures are good for grafting citrus all year. I think that you can be successful in the rainy season, but you will have to be more careful in wrapping your graft than I have to be. I do not have to worry about it because it does not rain here when temperatures are favorable for grafting citrus. I understand that rainwater can kill a graft if it leaks in. By wrapping the parafilm from bottom to top, you should be able to make it so that the rain water does not get to the graft. Good luck with your grafting!

[@ulrichtjinliepshie20]

Trevor James because off high humidity,you have to wrap the gtaft 3x

[@mingsong]

Can I leave a branch on that small rootstock? I have 3 big citrus trees and ordered some rootstocks from ccpp. I will use both for grafting. And I guess for the mature trees I would only graft onto a branch and leaving other branches fruiting.

[@Fruitmentor]

The CCPP sells rootstock cuttings, but not rootstocks with roots. Sometimes when I start with a nursery tree, I graft high enough above the original graft union that I can get some branches of the original variety in addition to the new variety that I am grafting. This way it is possible to get two kinds of fruit on the same tree with only one graft.

[@TarBoysWorldWide]

I have a lemon tree with incredible rootstock but lousy fruit. I have 3-4 other citrus that are supposed to produce good fruit but they don’t like my dirt. So I thought of grafting them. Are you saying that it’s illegal for me to graft two citrus together that are in my own yard? They are already next to each other.

[@Fruitmentor]

Whether it is illegal depends upon where you live. In some places that don't have Asian Citrus Psyllids yet it is legal to do it. In some other places that have Asian Citrus Psyllids it may be legal but a very bad idea (often places where there is not a citrus industry and the local government does not care if all of the citrus trees in that location die.) I sat down with the director of the CCPP and asked your question from the California perspective. This interview covers your question from the California perspective in the first three minutes: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHKklmuKo7VmnLM

[@divyanshuarora1]

hello, really like the videos, i am also interested to see grafting multiple variety of citrus on a single grown tree. currently pamelo growing. but also want to add lemon and orange scions to the same tree.

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you! I am glad that you like the videos. There is another video that I am thinking of making that would be specifically about grafting multiple varieties to the same tree. I started it more than two years ago and now the tree has multiple kinds of fruit on it. For a video like this do you have any specific questions that you would like me to address? I would appreciate any input you may have. It would help me to make a better video I did a couple of other videos showing techniques that I used to add new varieties to existing trees. If you have not seen them yet, you may find them helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/laiTZmSwrsaWoa8 kzbin.info/www/bejne/roWnoIpjg9h9iqc

[@guyveloz4382]

What about painting over parafilm with some sort of sealant?

[@Fruitmentor]

It would not be helpful for the small wound in this video, but for a large diameter branch it can be helpful to seal the cut end of the branch rather than completely wrapping it with parafilm. This video shows and example (but with vinyl tape as the wrapping material): kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKTXc4GPg8iXmsk

[@guyveloz4382]

I just set up an account today. You got me all excited about the Boukobza Maltese Blood orange, but I fear they no longer offer it or, at least, I am LOOKING on the wrong, or incomplete, list. Perhaps you can steer me straight on my fruitless meanderings. ONE fruit I am intensely interested in is the Tahitian Pummelo, which some say is virtually identical to the Sarawak pummelo. It seems, again, that the Tahitian Pummelo proper is not LISTED as an available scionwood. Again please steer me right if I am gone wrong. When I was 22 years old and visiting the Club Med on Moorea, i was flat out BLOWN AWAY by the utterly STUNNING high qualities of this fruit, many times the size of a grapefruit, flesh of a pale green color, rather thin skinned, but the taste is beyond description, something akin to very delectable lime aide, easy to SPOON like a grapefruit, many small seeds but ALL of these clustered at the thinnest part of fruit wedges, almost directly at center of fruit and thus easily avoided. Easily the finest citrus fruit I've ever tasted, very possibly the finest fruit of ANY SORT I have tasted from a ten month round-the-world circumnavigation on the old Yankee Trader of Windjammer cruises in 1978, and the first piece of business for me at EVERY far flung port-of-call was heading straight to local fruit markets. NOTHING better than the Tahitian Pamplemousse, as the French Polynesians call it, despite my having looked high and low for its equal. The vaunted pummelos of Southeast Asia, especially of Thailand -- they are called "Somo" there I found woefully inferior to the Tahitian wonder fruit. I dearly wish to obtain some of its budwood. Again, can you inform me if I CAN?

[@Fruitmentor]

I just checked the list and see that they are not listed. You could check with CCPP to see what happened. Perhaps there were so many orders that they have to let the source tree grow before cutting more. They will undoubtedly be made available again in the future. The Tarocco is one of the finest blood oranges and I would recommend it as a substitute for the Boukhobza. I still have not had a Boukhobza fruit from my own tree. I'm really looking forward to seeing how it does in my climate. I agree that the Tahitian is very similar to the Sarawak. I like the Tahitian slightly more, but they are very close. I see that Sarawak is on the list, so I would suggest ordering it if you are eager to get started. Please note that the climate is different in California and pummelos may not be as sweet as the same variety grown in another climate. When the others are made available you can always add branches of them to your existing trees.

[@ejazkhan3739]

How to grow root stock so I can perform grafting on it

[@Fruitmentor]

Here is one method to grow rootstock: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJvXo2dqhqicbZo Another option is to just buy an inexpensive tree from a reputable local source and graft to it.

[@mingsong]

I live in Southern California, when is the best time for grafting?

[@Fruitmentor]

Here is an article on the best time for grafting citrus: www.fruitmentor.com/grafting-citrus-trees-best-time

[@belatube24]

could you not add another cutting on other side of the bark giving you more chances to success if one failed ?

[@Fruitmentor]

Yes. It works well to add more than one scion with this technique. For a target branch diameter as small as the one in this video I use one scion because more than one is difficult to wrap with parafilm. For larger diameter branches where it would not be difficult to wrap them, I like to use more than one scion. I am planning another video later this year showing this technique with two scions on the same branch.

[@az0953]

HI DAN I TRIED THIS TECHNIC WITH KAKI ON 20 AUGUST AND EXACTLY SEPTEMBER 05 THE WORK HAS GIVEN SUCCESS (THE LITTLE LEAF BULBE HATCHED IN GREEN) WHAT I CAN DEDUCE IS THE MORE BARK IS SLIPPY AND MOIST THE MORE RESULT IS SUCCESSFUL

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you for the feedback! I'm glad to hear that you got it to work for kaki. It has worked well for me for every fruit variety that I have grafted with it with so far.

[@hoseyha8599]

can you tell me a bout the process of grafting oranges?

[@Fruitmentor]

+Ho Seyha I will be happy to help if you have any specific questions.

[@desmith9034]

Several years ago I had a citrus tree which was a combination of grapefruit, lemons and oranges. Can I use this technique to recreate that type of citrus tree?

[@Fruitmentor]

Yes. I have used this technique with success to make multi-variety citrus trees. It works well.

[@chriss4066]

I had the same kind of tree a cocktail tree it grows a Meyers lemon ruby red grapefruit and navel oranges

[@faresramadan1753]

hi fruitmentor thank you very much nice videos you help me too much i need one thing from you when you pot( Published on Aug 22, 2014 ) as example say wich day the video done pleas couse the weather in California is same in jordan only the winter Jordan more cold.thank you i like to see some videos grafting olives or graft fruit ,fig,peach,plum couse no videos in U TUBE SAME YOURS good explanation.god bles you

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you. I am glad that you enjoyed the videos. Here is an article that I wrote on the best time to graft citrus: www.fruitmentor.com/grafting-citrus-trees-best-time May tends to be a good month to graft in my climate and the graft performed in this video was in May. I usually graft based upon temperature.

[@USSBB62]

Really great video. Have you ever tried "Air rooting" I have tried for years with no results. I have a beautiful Miechiela Compacta but no root stock so have tried to Air Root it with no luck.

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you! I am glad that you liked the video. I have not tried air rooting. It is not the best propagation technique for citrus; the best citrus trees are grafted. Grafting gives the best quality citrus tree and fruit. Air rooting is best suited for other types of trees. Good luck with your Miechiela Compacta.

[@muhammadabrar8555]

in witch month we can bark grafting citrus

[@Fruitmentor]

Here is an article that I wrote on timing: www.fruitmentor.com/grafting-citrus-trees-best-time

[@jaimedpcaus1]

Hi Dan, I've enjoyed watching 3 of your videos and I really like the idea of grafting (as you can see I'm so so new at this). However, this grafting thing becomes very expensive -- from buying the rootstock (the plant) to buying the budwood (what you want to grow). then of course there are three other expenses associated with soil, vases, etc... So is this grafting work for regular Joe? Thank you very much for your answer.

[@Fruitmentor]

Hi Jaime, I don't think this is worthwhile for most people. With the time and expense involved it would usually be a better choice to just buy a tree from a reputable local nursery. The only reason I started doing this is because there are some unusual varieties that I wanted to grow that I could not find in a local nursery. If I could buy the tree that I wanted elsewhere I would not bother grafting myself.

[@jaimedpcaus1]

fruitmentor Good morning. oh no, I'm not taking away anything from these videos, I believe they're terrific! By the way, I created my account on ccpp and would like to help by supporting to grow my own Meyer lemon tree, although I could buy it from the nursery. I would be trying these 3 rootstocks: Yuma Ponderosa Lemon, Rough Lemon and C-35 Citrange. I'm just stuck on the bud to use? I know it has to be a Mandarin....:-) but don't know which one. I have just ordered my bark pealing knife for horticultural work. :-)

[@Fruitmentor]

I think Yuma Ponderosa Lemon and Rough Lemon are good choices for lemon rootstock and C-35 is good for oranges, mandarins, and pummelos. If you are going to try the rooting, the Yuma Ponderosa Lemon will probably be the easiest to root and could be used for oranges, mandarins, and pummelos if you have trouble with C-35. If you are looking to graft a Mandarin, you might try Pixie, or USDA 88-2. These are seedless and quite delicious and are rare in nurseries. Good luck with your project!

[@jaimedpcaus1]

fruitmentor Oh my goodness. Thank you for referring those. I will surely give them a try. Thank you again and please post more videos, they can change the world! :-)

[@florencioperez2253]

how to order /hm

[@jomo]

Just did several grafts based on this, and one based on your cleft graft video: morris.cloud/grafting-citrus/ I'll try to report back at the end of summer with results. Super cool to be able to get such a wide variety from CCPP. Thanks for taking the time to teach. Also, that time-lapse is impressive!

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you! How did they turn out? Sorry for the slow response. KZbin had incorrectly marked the comment as spam.

[@newavehotdog]

Can I use the same technique on a mature lemon tree? We moved into a house that has a mature citrus tree in the backyard that produces unsatisfactory fruit, so I though I could try grafting other varieties onto branches of this tree.

[@Fruitmentor]

The same technique can be used on a mature lemon tree, but lemon will be an unsuitable rootstock for many citrus varieties. Are you sure that your tree is a lemon tree? Sometimes the rootstock can start growing below the graft-bud union and because it is so vigorous it takes over the entire tree, crowding out the original graft. This seems to be very common. Rootstock fruit is typically sour. I wonder if your unsatisfactory fruit is from a rootstock. When I moved into my current house I had an unknown tree with the rootstock taking over; I caught it in time and now I have a nice Cara Cara tree.

[@newavehotdog]

fruitmentor My best guess is that it might be a very very orange-flavored and round shaped meyer lemon. Too sour to eat off the tree but very orangey for other purposes that you'd typically use a meyer lemon for. I also have a mature lemon tree that bears ok lemons. I'm interested in grafting some tangerine, lime, and citron.

[@Fruitmentor]

newavehotdog It sounds like a good candidate for grafting. I have heard that tangerines would do OK grafted to lemon, but have not tasted them myself yet. If I had such a tree as yours, I would graft it. If you cut a branch with a larger diameter than the one in the video, you may be able to graft multiple scions (depending upon the diameter) and increase your chance of success. Good luck!

[@newavehotdog]

fruitmentor Thanks for all the advice, this video was super helpful. I am a visual learner. I topworked my tree today! I watered the tree when I finished but I was wondering if I need to feed the tree or anything else to help it along. Also, do I need to display the nifty tags that the CCCP sent me? So nervous, hope my patient recovers from surgery!

[@Fruitmentor]

newavehotdog You are welcome! I am very glad that it was helpful! I do not do anything special for the trees after grafting. I just make sure that they receive normal watering and fertilization. You do not need to display the CCPP tag. I just use an aluminum label for durability. I hope that your graft succeeds! When I was first learning my grafts failed often, but persistence leads to success; when a graft fails, just cut the branch off lower and try again.

[@mingsong]

Can u do a tour on ur citrus collection at home? I’m wondering what u have in ur garden.

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you for the suggestion! If I do not do a video, perhaps I will do an article.

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you for the suggestion! I did a livestream from my garden: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWSah4Z4bdSNrrc

[@csandreas1]

nice video really but cleft grafting isn't a more reliable technique? By the way, i grafted a tree in April 2014 and the graft has grown really well.. i would say 1 meter long but i pruned it a little.. will it fruit this year? let me correct you in the description in greek: Εμβολιασμός Εσπεριδοειδών. thanks

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you! I have found that cleft grafting works very well, too. I like to use the cleft graft when the rootstock and scion are close to the same diameter. I find the bark graft a bit more versatile. In cases where the branch/rootstock are a larger diameter, I prefer the bark graft. Also if the scion has an unusual shape I find that the bark graft tends to work well anyway. Congratulations on your graft! I bet that it will fruit this year, although I have discovered one variety here in California that exhibits juvenility even when grafted and takes a few years to bear fruit. Thank you for the greek translation correction; I have updated it above. The machine translations do not work very well. I have submitted the video to amara.org and added English subtitles. See: amara.org/en/videos/ie8rubJUnBOM/info/grafting-citrus/ This should make crowdsourced translations easy, like editing on Wikipedia. I invite you to make Greek the first translated language if you would like to give it a try. I hope that by spreading the word about citrus greening and clean budwood that citrus greening can be kept out of the few regions where it is not present.

[@csandreas1]

fruitmentor i would love to when i have free time:)

[@Fruitmentor]

csandreas1 That would be very cool!

[@marvelhorde4783]

like (лайк)

[@Fruitmentor]

Thank you!

[@emberharte9271]

FruitMentor, I have an existing dwarf tree that I want to take cuttings of and graft to dwarf rootstock and give away to friends. I can not for the life of me find out where I can get dwarf rootstock. I live in Wisconsin; do you have any advice? If successful I want to order buds from the ccpp and graft my own trees for more variety and less price. Thanks in advance!

[@Fruitmentor]

Hi Shelby, The rootstock can be hard to find. One option is to order rootstock budwood from CCPP, graft it to your tree, and plant the seeds of the fruit. Another option is to order the cuttings and root the budwood as I show in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIqTqKahdp58fbs I have found that Flying dragon is hard to root, though. Some other varieties root more readily. Thanks for clarifying that you are from Wisconsin. We could not do what you are contemplating in California because of the disease problem, but it is OK in Wisconsin since citrus trees cannot survive the winter outside there.

[@emberharte9271]

fruitmentor I was thinking of sprouting store bought key limes to use as a root stock. they get 6 to 13 ft tall; but if I kept it in a pot, I theorize it will stay on the smaller side. what are your thoughts?

[@Fruitmentor]

I think that you would be able to graft to it, but if you are grafting sweet fruit like oranges to it the fruit may be inferior to that from a tree on a proper rootstock. I am not sure about the size, but if you are growing in pots you can easily manage by pruning.

[@jcoop1061]

Watched a few of your videos yesterday and sent an email to CCPP, Today i am registered and able to order. Have any experience growing Rootstock?

[@Fruitmentor]

I am growing some rootstocks from seeds right now and plan some videos on the subject. One tip is that it helps to peel the seeds. Growing the rootstocks from cuttings is possible, but a lot of trouble.

[@johncooper9445]

@@Fruitmentor was going to order some root stock seeds, but minimum was like a quart of seeds. Never will use that many before they go bad.

[@Fruitmentor]

Yes. It would be nice if it were possible to order in small quantities. Citrus seeds do not last very long.

[@az0953]

yooopii i tried it and after 20 days very small leafed twigs begin to appear you're an agel thanks.

[@Fruitmentor]

Congratulations! I am glad that you found it useful!

[@sfax]

Boukhobza is Tunisian, are you sure the budwood came from Europe?

[@Fruitmentor]

It looks like the budwood did indeed come directly from Tunisia. I'm not sure if I missed that line in the following article or it was added later: citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/boukhobza.html This made me think it came from Corsica: "It was selected for introduction to the US on a visit to Corsica associated with the 1997 ISCN conference."

[@KilroyNBC]

more videos please

[@Fruitmentor]

I have some more on the way soon!

[@KilroyNBC]

fruitmentor I've been watching all of your video all over again repeatedly

[@Fruitmentor]

I'm glad that you have been enjoying them. Do you have any suggestions for future videos? Do you have any questions on the current videos? If so, please let me know -- maybe I can use them in my videos for next year.

[@KilroyNBC]

fruitmentor t budding not working mostly for me.. the bark grafting however are much more promising ...i did it on lime tree and puring flower.. u don't know how much your videos are helping me.. tysm

[@Afsar_ali97]

Sir grafting guava tree par kar ye

[@csandreas1]

if you did not shave the edges at 07:52 it wouldn't take?

[@Fruitmentor]

It might still take, but the probability would be reduced. Some grafters only cut the piece off of the end at an angle, so this alone may be sufficient without shaving the edges. Shaving the edges without cutting the angled piece off of the end can also work. I would not want to try the graft without doing at least one of these two things.

[@csandreas1]

okay, another similar technique would be this : kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5OWdqCvptCDe5I. Do you think it is better on bigger trees?

[@Fruitmentor]

I do think that the bark graft is a good technique for bigger trees. I am not a fan of that video because it ignores the effect of apical dominance and gives people the idea that a graft in the middle of the branch will work well. Other videos on that channel show that it does not work well. Although the technique of cutting the scion clearly works at least some of the time (in terms of the graft healing), I wonder if there might be some disadvantages. Here is a common way that topworking is done on farms by experienced grafters: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/136675/Reworking-citrus-trees.pdf

[@MrBoogs29]

is your website down

[@Fruitmentor]

I have never seen it down, but I am not happy with the performance of the current hosting company in terms of speed. I will be switching to a faster host soon, so I hope that will help if you had performance issues.

[@Fruitmentor]

I switched to the new host to make it even faster. Please let me know if you see any issues.

[@bonsummers2657]

Are you in computer tech for your career?

[@Fruitmentor]

Yes. Did you figure it out from the videos somehow? I am a computer engineer and I spent 20 years in the wireless industry focused on cell phone technology. When I saw that the internet was enabling the spread of deadly citrus diseases and putting citrus trees all over the world in danger, I decided to instead use computers to save citrus trees from disease.

[@occasionaladventures]

I saw you recommended this method www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/136675/Reworking-citrus-trees.pdf for topworking mature trees. Have you done this yourself? I wonder how important the plastic/paper bag steps are compared to tin foil?

[@occasionaladventures]

And for bark grafting like you do in this video, does it mean it worked if the scions are still green after 2 weeks?

[@Fruitmentor]

I have not tried the plastic/paper bag steps from that document. My understanding is that the plastic bag serves a similar function to the parafilm. They both help to increase humidity. The paper bag serves a similar function to the aluminum foil. With the method of wrapping the scion with the parafilm, the aluminum foil part could be omitted if the temperatures are not too high. My understanding is that professional grafters tend to prefer the method of wrapping the scions with parafilm. This avoids labor associated with the paper bags. The professional grafters would not use the aluminum foil. They would graft at a time of year where the temperature is lower. For a hobbyist grafting at home, the aluminum foil can allow grafting later in the season when it would otherwise be too hot.

[@Fruitmentor]

Green after two weeks is a good sign, but they could still die. One mistake people sometimes make is to unwrap the parafilm to check on the grafts. It is better to be patient. I tend to cover with aluminum foil and not even look at them until 3 or 4 weeks after grafting.

[@occasionaladventures]

Ok, I checked on them all by uncovering the aluminum foil, but I put it back and won't look again for another week. I've checked on 21 of my grafts and 14 of them look green still.

[@occasionaladventures]

Unfortunately I have had more failures. 3 cleft grafts of frost owari satsuma, kishu and murcott mandarin onto a young gold nugget mandarin tree failed. 1 kishu, 1 murcott mandarin, 2 Yuzu, 2 Australian finger lime, and 1 Midknight Valencia bark grafts onto branches of a large mature bearss lime also failed. 1 remaining Midknight Valencia bark graft is still green at the buds but the rest of the stick appears browning and I don't have much hope. I found many of the failed grafts were moldy, and especially on the mature lime there is a lot of moisture build up under the grafting tape. I may try again with the plastic and paper bag methods. The sap is definitely flowing to the wounds, as I believe that is where all the moisture is coming from. 2 Cara Cara cleft grafts onto a young Rio Red Grapefruit worked. 3 of 4 Sanguinelli and Tarocco blood orange cleft grafts onto a Moro blood orange worked. 1 Meiwa kumquat bark graft onto Nagami kumquat appears to have worked. 1 Frost Owari Satsuma bark graft onto a branch of the bearss lime tree appears to have worked. Well, none of these have leafed out yet but they are still green after removing the tin foil at 3 weeks.

[@bonsummers2657]

Sounds like you said 'two weeks' after grafting,… though it was 'ten' weeks

[@Fruitmentor]

Wow. It had been a long time since I watched this video. I made it too long. I wish that I had edited it more. For the ten weeks, I was just saying that was the duration of the timelapse video. I left this tree in the shade for three weeks for healing.Then I moved it back into the sunlight and then it started growing four weeks after moving it back into the sun. For most of these videos I have uploaded subtitles, so in cases where it is not clear what I am saying, it can often be cleared up by turning on the subtitles and backing up the video.

[@cristobalvilches2143]

español

[@bikr6573]

I really appreciate all your lessons on grafting and citrus crisis awareness. Nevertheless, I think the crisis awareness was totally in vain. Similarly to most of governmental programs: a great façade with little actual substance. E.g. Recycle programs / CRV taxes were great at the advertising, charging, and collecting phases but when it came to the actual "recycling," most of our trash was either ship off to be burn in a 3rd world country or ended in a landfill. In this case, the CCPProgram charges $5 per BUD on a scionwood + shipping cost and only readily available after mid summer. A small, fruit-bearing, citrus tree is only about ~$40 (in SoCal). Not only it will cost more time and money to "responsibly" graft, the actual enforcement is impossible. Great on paper, dead on arrival...

[@meadow-maker]

Really great video, very nice editing a real cut above most, pardon the pun. What rootstock would your recommend for early fruiting lemon? Poncirus trifoliata ‘Flying Dragon’? This is the only one I find reference to. I've already bought seed for growing rootstock for kaffir lime but that was for vigour. Thanks

[@Fruitmentor]

Meadow Maker Thank you! I have read that poncirus trifoliata is not compatible with Eureka lemons, but I understand it is used for other lemons.Here is a nice article on rootstock compatibility (including lemons), but unfortunately no mention of poncirus trifoliate: ucanr.org/sites/ucceventura/files/57694.pdf

[@meadow-maker]

fruitmentor Oh, great, that's a good one, I haven't found that so far, thank you. By the way, can you sterilise the scion? In micropropagation you can sterilise the plant material in 10% bleach solution. Is that a possibility? I suppose not or it would be done? Thanks

[@Fruitmentor]

Meadow Maker I do not think it is necessary to sterilize the scion. I would have thought it might be harmful to use bleach, but maybe not if 10% bleach is typical for micropropagation; I will try to learn more. One case where sterilizing the plant with bleach might be useful is when grafting to an old neglected tree. I grafted to an old tree that had molded mummies of unpicked fruit and ants farming scale creating even more mold. I tried sterilizing the tree with alcohol before grafting, but learned that alcohol does not kill mold spores; I lost many of those grafts to mold. Bleach kills mold spores, so perhaps I would have had better success if I had sterilized with diluted bleach instead -- that is if it is not harmful to the rootstock. When grafting to newer trees without such issues I have not seen many graft failures from mold.

[@meadow-maker]

fruitmentor If you do use bleach the kind I'm talking about is Milton Sterillsing Fluid, I think you have that in the US too, for sterilising babies bottles, not the toilet cleaner kind, that probably would be harmful. Thanks.

[@Fruitmentor]

Meadow Maker Thank you for the tip!