Grafting lime and orange to a lemon tree

[r23on]

I have never had much luck in grafting and I guess its because I don't know what I am doing. My question is how to graft a lime cutting and an orange cutting to a lemon tree. When looking a youtube I never get to see a close up of what is happening.

1. how to select the cutting to be grafted and when to select the new cutting

 2. Where to place the new cutting 

3. how to rap and with what 

4 for how long to leave the rapping on

Most grateful for any help / suggestion 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @r23on,

I've heard, as a beginner, to expect maybe one in every ten grafts to take so I wouldn't feel too bad. What type of grafts have you tried? I've heard of people having reasonably good success with bud grafting as per the picture below. 

You could also try shield budding. Now is a great time to be grafting. To prepare the area for the graft make a T-shaped cut in the bark on one or two-year-old wood. Cut the bud from a pencil-thick shoot of the scion. Use a sharp knife to slice an oval-shaped piece of bark and wood with the bud in the centre. Place the shield into the T-shaped cut closing the bark flaps over the edges. Use budding tape to tie the shield firmly to the stock along its full length. Take care not to cover the bud. After 3 weeks cut the tape away. If budded in Spring, cut off the stock above the bud when the binding is cut. The new Yates Garden Guide has an excellent section of grafting (available in Bunnings stores). The technique is also illustrated in a series of diagrams.

Let me mention @Adam_W, @Noelle and @mich1972 to see if they have some favourite grafting techniques they could share with us.

Mitchell

[Noelle · Accepted solution]

@r23on and @MitchellMc 

Budding or bud grafting is the simpler way to go at this time of the year and on evergreens like citrus. There are some points to watch:

• The bud should be a thin shield - make sure to use a sharp, fine bladed budding or craft knife and cut away from your hand and body
• The cambium layer of the bud (green tissue immediately under bark) must make good contact with cambium of host plant.
• The T cut on the plant being used as the rootstock should be just through the bark, no deeper
• Peel the bark back carefully to slide the bud in and then close bark back over edges of bud before taping
• Use budding / grafting tape to secure bud in place - don't wrap over the top of the bud itself as it needs to be able to grow

Have a look at https://www.fruitmentor.com/bud-grafting-citrus-trees    There are also many YouTube videos showing different bud grafting techniques.  The T bud is one of the easiest.

[r23on]

Hi Noelle

Thank you for your input and the link.

If I want to put a lime bud onto the lemon tree is this the same principle 

Regards

[Noelle]

Hi @r23on 

Yes, it is the same principle.  Citrus are quite forgiving and you can graft/bud lime on lemon, lemon on lime, orange of lemon etc.  In commercial practice they all use a common citrus rootstock.

[r23on]

Once again thank you for the information. I suppose I should have asked this question first. As my lemon tree is a  number of years old and fruits well, where should I look to place the bud/ In the video it show applying the bud to a very you tree. do I find a lim that is strong and healthy make the cut apply the bud then half cut through that lim just above the bud and ben over. would this be the process

Regards

[Noelle]

Hi again @r23on 

Budding and bud-grafting is best done on young growth no more than about 1 year old - but not the soft and sappy new shoots. You might need to cut back an older branch on your lemon tree to encourage new shoots this year that will be suitable for budding/grafting this time next year if there are no suitable growths close to the main trunk of the tree.

The aim is to graft as close to the main trunk/frame of the tree as possible. I certainly wouldn't bud and then cut partway through the growth or shoot above the bud. You need sap flow through the whole shoot until the bud takes.  Grafting is a little different, where you cut the stock and then the scion so the cambiums are in contact.  Different technique altogether.

[r23on]

Hi Noelle

Thank you for your time and response. I have few location on the tree which I can give it ago. Now all I need is some buds.

Once again thank you