CITRUS PROPAGATION
By: Ottillia J. Bier
Citrus Variety Collection
University of California, Riverside


Main methods of citrus propagation for the amateur grower:

* seed
* cuttings
* grafting
* budding

Seed:
Advantages:
most citrus has seed
most citrus is polyembryonic
can plant seeds any time of year

Disadvantages:
some varieties are seedless
some varieties are monoembryonic
seed sometimes takes months to germinate
juvenile trees are very thorny
long time to bearing age
Cuttings:
Advantages:
usually easy
no extra materials needed
can make cuttings most of the year
Disadvantages:
uses a lot of the scion material
many varieties susceptible to soil pathogens
no size regulation of resulting tree

Grafting:
Advantages:
can provide size regulation and pest resistance via rootstock choice
larger piece of scion is easier to handle
Disadvantages:
uses a lot of the scion material
requires rootstock, supplies
requires higher level of expertise
can only be done at certain times of year
Budding:
Advantages:
very small amount of scion material needed
requires low level of expertise
know within two weeks if budding is successful
can provide size regulation and pest resistance via rootstock choice
Disadvantages:
requires rootstock, supplies
can only be done at certain times of year

Selection of budwood:
healthy, fruiting tree
cut budstick from hardened growth of last flush
or, cut budstick from next to last flush
round twigs are easier to handle than angular twigs
budwood may be refrigerated for weeks to months if sanitized


Select appropriate rootstock:
rootstock must be compatible with scion
consider ultimate size of tree desired
consider soil conditions, including pests, pathogens
pencil-thickness rootstock is best (1 year old)
bark must be slipping

Supplies:
clean towel
razor-sharp knife
budding tape
bleach
plant tags


Sanitation:
sterilize fingers and knife
1 part bleach to 9 parts water


Cut bark to receive the bud:
make cut vertically
make cut horizontally, 1/3 down
loosen bark along cut with knife

Cut buds:
hold knife almost parallel to the budstick
cut sliver with bud about ½ to 1 inch long
bud should be slightly above the middle of the sliver


Insert the bud:
insert the bottom of the bud at the horizontal cut
slide bud down into lower part of bark pocket
lift top of bud pocket to accept top of bud
be sure bud was inserted right side up

Wrap the bud:
pull tape tightly to ensure good bud-rootstock contact
bud may be wrapped exposed or covered

Healing:
give tree good care
if buds turn brown within 2 weeks, rebud
after 4 weeks, buds are healed
remove tape after 4 weeks


Aftercare:
bend top of rootstock over to reduce apical dominance
keep tree “suckered”
when new bud is at least 12 inches long, cut top of rootstock off
stake new shoot
plant tree when tree has developed some bark


Topworking:
changing over an existing tree to a different variety
can be done by grafting or by budding
budding gives a higher success rate


Multiple scions:
can be done
choose scions with similar growth rate and ultimate size
usually requires routine pruning

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CITRUS BUDDING-the short story
Ottillia J. Bier
Citrus Variety Collection
University of California, Riverside

1. Select nice healthy budwood.
2. Select appropriate rootstock.
3. Sterilize your fingers and your knife.
4. Cut bark of rootstock to receive the buds.
5. Cut buds. Don’t lose track of which end is up.
6. Insert the bud correct end up.
7. Wrap the bud tightly, either closed or open.
8. Put tree in a protected location. Give tree good care.
9. Wait 3-4 weeks for healing.
10. Remove the tape. Greed bud = success; brown bud = bud died.
11. If unsuccessful, rebud.
12. If successful, bend top of rootstock down to reduce apical dominance.
13. Keep all new growth from rootstock picked off.
14. When new bud is about 12 inches long, cut the rootstock ½ inch above the bud.
15. Stake new shoot to a bamboo stake to protect it from accidental breakage.
16. Tree is ready to plant when the scion has produced its second flush (branching).