Grafting a lemon tree: when and how to do it

Grafting is quite a traumatic process for both the support plant and the cutting. For this reason, the graft should always be carried out in the season when the tree is in the best condition and with its defensive system more in shape, which is in early spring, which is when the plant will better recover from the aggression.

Depending on when the graft is carried out, it is known as a live bud graft , if it is in early spring , or as a dormant bud if it is done in autumn .

The first thing is to take into account which tree you are going to graft the lemon tree on. Ideally, use a tree that is as similar as possible, such as an orange tree or another citrus from a close family. If you use an orange tree, do it before fall , so that the bark is looser and the sap circulates more easily. The most common is to graft a lemon tree with a T-shaped incision :

1. Prepare a razor or tool as sharp as possible and disinfect it with rubbing alcohol.
2. After cleaning the tool, make a T-shaped cut in the rootstock, and carefully separate the bark, taking care not to break it.
3. The green layer under the bark must be left uncovered, which is where the lemon tree graft should be applied, which you will have to have previously prepared and cut around the bud.
4. The graft is adjusted as much as possible to the rootstock and covered with plastic or some other protection above and below the bud to prevent insects from entering the wound or becoming infected with a harmful micro-organism, such as bacteria or fungi.

In this other AgroCorrn article we will tell you more about How to make grafts in fruit trees .

As is usual in grafting, when it comes to applying care, what is in control will be the needs of the rootstock, which is the plant that will support the lemon tree graft . However, as the ideal is to graft an orange tree or other nearby citrus tree, the usual thing is that the rootstock has needs very similar to those of a lemon tree, so we are going to list them so that you know the basic care of a grafted lemon tree.

Caring for the graft wound

The first thing is to take special care with the graft and the wound area, especially until it heals completely. Keep the area covered so that insects or any other type of plague cannot sneak in, and try to clean it of sap that may have dripped or escaped.

Temperature and light

Since most citrus fruits are tropical, almost all of them need warm temperatures and a good amount of hours of sunshine a day. Many of them can survive for short periods at temperatures of 0 ° C, but prolonged exposure for several hours or in very intense cold will cause serious damage and even death. Also, if the place where you live tends to suffer from strong winds, it is a good idea to protect your citrus fruits with windbreaks.

Soil for the grafted citrus tree

Regarding the soil, citrus fruits are not plants of great demands. They are sufficient with a depth of just over a meter, and although they can develop in clay soils, those of the sandy type will make the plant produce better quality and flavorful fruits. It is good, however, that they have good drainage to avoid rotting and other problems. Regarding the pH of the soil, they tend to appreciate slightly acid soils, between 6 and 6.5.

In addition, we recommend you consult these other articles on How to plant a potted lemon tree , its care and diseases and How to grow a potted orange tree , so you will better know the needs of each citrus tree. Likewise, as a vital part of caring for any tree, pruning must be taken into account. To do this, we advise you to read this other post about When and how to prune a lemon tree .

The lemon should be harvested when the fruit turns yellow . As long as the lemons are green, it means that they are still in an early stage of ripening and, therefore, their flavor will not be adequate. Usually, the harvest occurs between the months of March and June , which is when the lemons tend to show that intense yellow color that indicates that it is time to pick them.

Also, if you like these citrus fruits, you can take advantage of the seeds to create new trees. Here we tell you how to germinate lemon seeds and their care to get healthy and productive trees.

If you want to read more articles similar to Grafting a lemon tree: when and how to do it , we recommend that you enter our category of Growing and caring for plants .