Blood Orange (forum)

Peter H1 starts with ...
I have noticed that my Blood Orange tree has started getting growth and has long spikes on the the tree to which it was grafted, my question is should I let it to continue to grow or remove this growth for the sake of the Blood Orange graft?

Time: 14th January 2016 1:28pm

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Peter H1 says...

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Time: 14th January 2016 6:19pm

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Brain says...
Take out the branch that has the tri leaves, that is coming from the rootstock and would be traced to below the graft.

As for the big spikes, likely to be a watershoot. But still above graft and therefore part of the orange.

Differing opinion as to keep or cut. I am of the view to keep, as it offers tree structure and eventually you can get side branches from that growth and eventually more fruit. But it could take at least 2 years.

Time: 17th January 2016 3:29am

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About the Author Brain
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Manfred says...
I agree with brain about the trifoliate leaves but disagree about the watershoots.

Look to the future. You will be most satisfied if the tree has a single strong trunk with the lowest fruiting branches clear of the ground. Clean up the trunk progressively until you have about 750mm of clear trunk and allow some branches above that. That way you will be able to mow or cultivate under the tree, you will be able to keep it free of rootstock shoots and you will be able to monitor mulches and pests.

Also, don't let it fruit too early. If you get heavy fruit hanging off spindly young branches they will drag them down and the tree will spend the first years of its productive life an unpickable mess as new upward growing branches emerge. You can prune for shape later in life but you will lose more fruit than if you had been disciplined about it earlier. Two years minimum, and that's in the tropics.

(I haven't always followed this good advice, but I have always come to wish I had, especially when I am stuck, bleeding in a thorny citrus tree trying to reduce its lower growth so I can cut and pull out those thorny Poncirus trifoliata shoots.

I also try to get citrus on something other than trifoliata but that's partly prejudice and partly because I can manage full-size trees so the semi-dwarfing characteristic doesn't have any benefit for me.)

Time: 17th January 2016 7:27pm

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About the Author Manfred
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Peter H1 says...
Thank you for your advice and I have removed the growth from the root stock and with luck it should not have any regrowth. I have had the blood orange for 3 to 4 years and this year I am seeing some fruit albeit 2 but at least 2 is better than none. The thorny growth was on the root stock growth and I have yet to see any thorns appear on the grafted blood orange growth.

Time: 18th January 2016 6:06pm

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Original Post was last edited: 18th January 2016 6:07pm
About the Author Peter H1
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Brain says...
Yes, some citrus does take some patience.

Well the good thing is, as you live in a colder climate, you should be able to get some red pigmentation.

Make sure you don't fertilise until they are say bigger than a golf ball size, as too much nitrogen can induce fruit drop (but leafy growth). Good luck with your fruits.

Time: 20th January 2016 6:52pm

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