How can you take a cutting from an established, producing Lemon tree and grow a new tree?

Question

There is a house near me that is going to be torn down this summer. There is an established Meyer Lemon that produces huge Lemons. I can't dig up the tree, but I would like to take the biggest cutting I can and grow a new tree. How can you get a branch to root? 30 years ago in Hawaii, I saw someone scrap the bark off of an 8" segment of a branch of a tangerine tree, apply root-tone (--I think), and then apply muddy, wet moss and leaves over the exposed area (-- I think), and then they wrapped plastic all around and then wire tie the ends. The only thing I am 100% sure of is the plastic and the wire and that they came back a couple months later and sawed off the tree branch and it had grown roots under the plastic deal. Then they planted it in their yard. It grew. This is how I remember it being done. Does anyone know exactly how to do this?

Answer 1

It's called AIR GRAFTING. You should be able to find excellent directions on WIKIPEDIA on-line! However, the tree produced from this graft may or may not make good lemons. Most citrus is grafted onto "root stock" grown especially for grafting (not Air Grafting), but you may get lucky & lemon's should reproduce fruit more like the original tree than, say, an orange or tangerine. I know why he'd graft it & try to reproduce it in Hawaii -- there are very few citrus trees in Hawaii & reproducing them is very important as I believe importing them is not allowed.
Where did you live, what was it like, and Why On Earth Did You Leave ?????

Answer 2

Find a small branch of the tree, cut it at a 45 degree angle. Take that branch and stick in a potato, submerge in water for about 2 weeks and you should see roots start to grow. Once it starts rooting plant the potato in loose soil.

No tree is to big to be dug. There are many companies that do this for a living. Typically lemon trees are not too large. I have moved several fairly large trees ( 40 feet tall, 12 inch base ) by using a backhoe. If you opt to go this route you can rent a backhoe or hire someone that does backhoe work. Dig all the way around the tree. Lets assume that the tree has a 8 inch base. Mark a line 16 inches to the outside of the base all the way around the tree forming a circle. Have them dig down 30 inches all the way around the tree. Then taper making the bottom smaller than the top. Now lean the tree over and place burlap under the tree and then stand the tree back up. Wrap the entire rootball in burlap and use hay twine to tie the burlap to the tree. Haul it to your place and dig your hole the same size as the rootball. Plant and fertilize. You can also stake the tree so that wind does not break new roots from growing.

Answer 3

Check this out:
"from seed Rarely do they produce quality fruit. Have had good luck using 0.1% IBA (rooting hormone) to produce rooted cuting. Grafting is the other method & use your seedlings as root stock..."
"As a matter of fact, The citrus fruits are a major exception to the rule about seedlings coming true. The reason for this is that the seeds are special and generally contain parthenocarpic embryos with, or instead of, pollenation derived embryos. For this reason, you can often raise 2-4 seedlings from a single seed of these plants. It is, in fact, hard to get pollenation derived seedlings at all in many cases. Citrus plants grown from seed go through an extended juvenile stage, and may take many years to reach adult stage and bear flowers and fruit. For this reason, grafting is most often used to bypass this juvenile stage."
Go here:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/citrus/msg0823344114140.html?4
Get a YOUNG cutting from a NEW FLUSH, after it has hardened off (stiffened up)6 to 8 inches in length, and clip off all but 2 or 3 leaves. Wound the bottom by making a virticle cut removing a little of the bark. Dip in a rooting hormone, make a hole in the growing medium with a pencil or stick and place the cutting in the hole and push the soil around the stem, being careful not to rub off the rooting hormone. Place the cutting under a misting system or if you do not have a mist system then place inside a plastic bag. Place the bag in a bright light area, but NOT in direct sunshine. Wait approximately 4 to 6 weeks for the cutting to root. Do not let the sides of the plactic bag touch the cutting. Your lucky you are trying to root a lemon, as lemons are amoung the easiest of citrus varieties to root. If you use a misting system you should get approximately a 100% success rate. Using the plastic bag method the success rate is approximately 50%, so if you are going to use a bag make 3 or 4 cutting to be sure you successfully root a couple cuttings. You should see the rooted cutting flowering the following year or at least in the second year. - Millet

Answer 4

Lemon Tree Cuttings

Answer 5

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Answer 6

In the spring , take a cutting of new growth .Dip it in Root tone & place in 'Distilled' water. Change the water every day. Keep it warm. In a few weeks you'll have enough root mass started to put it in soil. Have fun.

Answer 7

Try thr root hormone that you mentioned. That would be my guess. Since their going to get rid of it anyway, take a lot of parts and try different things, maybe you'll end up with one good one. Also talk to a nursery and get their advice.

Answer 8

Yes, your clone will be identical genetically to the parent and will grow lemons like the parent.

Answer 9

No. You need to plant the seed.

Answer 10

by "Graphting"