Thread: Fruit, Nut, and Vine Grafting, Tree Propagation, Tree Care

For fresh squeezing citrus fruit my favorite is the Page Mandarin. I have 2 Page trees already but one hardly fruited last year as the tree was still in shock from being thrown in the tornado several feet landing on it's side. Citrus trees don't like just being moved around this particular Page tree went into shock and stayed there. I had a container with a Key Lime (fast growing root system) and a Persian Lime (slow growing root system). The Key Lime just aggressively grew chocking off the slow growing Persian Lime. I have another Persian Lime (my preferred) that is on a fast growing root system and produces more Limes than I can possibly use. 2 Valencia Orange trees were grown for a later spring citrus but they are processing oranges and taste like cheap orange juice sold in the grocery stores. I need more Page trees so I can squeeze and freeze enough Page Mandarin juice to last a year.



The first picture is the Lime tree container with both trees rough cut preparing for Topworking. The second container is a Valencia orange that I already rough cut.



This is another Valencia tree that I have already Topworked the 2 grafts growing well but the root system pushing more Valencia shoots. To direct all the growth to the existing grafts I need to cut the balance of the Valencia wood off.



After cutting the tree trunk in the desired spot the ragged cut needs slicing smooth. I use an old Butcher knife for that. If you look at the pictures closely you can se I shaved cleanly the bark all the way around. This extra detail really helps the bark callous over well.



Splitting the bark with my grafting knife first to insert the Page Mandarin Scion I prepared for grafting. I then insert the scion to a depth leaving a bit of the tapered cut on the Scion above the tree trunk.



Here is a larger trunk that I put 3 Page Scions in. It shows the shaving of the bark smooth well.



How to prep all the Scions for Bark Grafting no matter the tree. Using first years growth is always desirable but I have almost 100% success with 2nd years growth. I like to make the tapered cut on the opposite side of the buds on the Scion I want to grow.



I had a hard time getting the phone to focus here but you can see I do a back cut on the opposite side of the scion to ensure some Cambium Tissue contact when the Scion is inserted.



I extra step I developed on my own that really ups the success rate is scraping gently along the backside bark on each side edge exposing the bright green Cambium tissue increasing Cambium contact dramatically.



My preferred way to finish this type of graft is with Electrical Linerless Rubber Splicing Tape. You stretch it while applying and it self vulcanizes sealing the grafting work as well as starting the compression of the joint.



My go to sealant is Grafting Wax. Bugs leave any joint I graft alone as well as greatly reducing infections in the joint. here I'm using a Candle Warmer for scented candles to warm the wax enough to be applied to the tops of the grafts waterproofing them.



I like to use Rubber Bands to apply the balance of the compression needed for a good graft job to take. Rubber bands on the exterior of the graft reduces solar heat transfer and they breakdown in the sunlight over time just when it's time to remove them anyway. I use to apply them under the aluminum foil of Topworking jobs on Pecan trees but now overlay the Rubber bands so they rot off or loose their tension after a few weeks. Once the grafts are growing out I will post a follow up.