Grafting Lemon Trees to Orange Trees: An Overview: Grafting is a process of connecting two different types of plants, allowing one plant to utilize the nutrients and water of another. Grafting is a popular method for propagating more of one type of tree or shrub, while also introducing different characteristics. Grafting has been used for centuries, and it’s an easy way to ensure successful yields of citrus fruits. Grafting lemon trees to orange trees is a popular and often successful technique, and can be done quickly and easily with the right tools and knowledge.
Preparing for Grafting: Before attempting to graft a lemon tree to an orange tree, it’s important to properly prepare the trees and the tools. Inspect both trees for damaged bark or branches, and make sure all of the tools used for the grafting, such as the pruner, are clean and sharp. As for the trees themselves, the grafting should only be preformed when the trees are healthy and the correct climate is maintained—with temperatures above freezing and below 100 degrees. When everything is prepared, the grafting process can begin.
Selecting and Preparing the Scions: The main ingredient for grafting, scions are small pieces of healthy branches or twigs. When selecting scions, cut off healthy branches from the lemon tree, ensuring the scions are between two and four inches in length. Make sure the scions have at least one bud, two sets of leaves, and two nodes (the nodes will be the point of connection of the scion to the orange tree). Once the scions are selected, the next step is to prepare them.
Preparing the Scions for Grafting: To prepare the scions for grafting, cut each scion on an angle, leaving a small section of the bark at the bottom. This angled cut will make it easier for the scion to attach itself to the orange tree. Once the scions are trimmed, take a section of clear saran wrap and wrap it tightly around the cut, keeping the scion wet and preserving its life while it’s waiting to be grafted onto the orange tree.
Grafting the Scion to the Orange Tree: Cut a notch in the bark of the orange tree with a sharp knife, using a hammer and chisel if necessary. Place the scion inside the notch and wrap the tree with grafting or stem wrap and use a plastic tie or metal tape to secure it. As an added precaution, some gardeners apply grafting wax to keep the scion secure and moisture in.
Caring for the Grafted Trees: Once the scion is grafted onto the orange tree, the trees should be kept out of direct sunlight and watered regularly, applying more water to the scion than the rest of the tree. After a few weeks, it should be clear if the graft was successful and if the scion has taken root in the orange tree.
Grafting Challenges
Grafting can be a great way to propagate a tree, but there are risks involved with the procedure. Different plant varieties require different techniques and if either tree is unhealthy, the process can be quite difficult and unfortunately, the graft may never take. Furthermore, due to the nature of the process, there’s always a chance that the scion doesn’t take and the graft will fail outright. Furthermore, the wrong tools can lead to the grafting process being a struggle and the success rates of the graft plummets.
Retaining Grafted Trees
Once a graft has been successful, keeping the tree healthy is essential in order to retain the advantages of the graft. Grafted trees generally need to be watered and fertilized more often than non-grafted trees, along with close attention to the temperatures of the tree and its environment. As for other pests and diseases, the same general precautions should be taken as those needed for any citrus tree.
Maintaining Consistency with Grafted Trees
One of the most important aspects of grafting is to ensure consistency between the tree and the scion. Due to the different characteristics of the two plants, they may grow at different rates and therefore proper pruning is essential in order to maintain the desired shape of the tree. Many gardeners train their grafted plants through techniques such as hedging and espalier in order to maintain proper consistency and form.
Benefits of Grafting Lemon Trees to Orange Trees
Grafting lemon trees to orange trees offers a number of advantages, from ensuring success rates of propagating the desired variety to introducing new characteristics and allowing the trees to gain strength from one another. Grafting lemon trees to orange trees also reduces the need to use rootstock, which can be expensive and a waste of resources. Grafting also allows for flexibility and creativity, as different varieties can be grafted together to create a variety of different shades or flavors.
