Here is a closer up picture...

First, you need to remove those tapes before the life is strangled out of your tree. I can't tell if those green branches are emerging from the root stock or above it. Looks suspicious, though.

We could help you better if we had some details about the tree....when it was planted, how it was planted, watering and fertilization routine, etc.

Those green tape are actually bad and can strangle the tree? I didn't know that. I will remove them immediately.

I don't know if those are emerging from the rootstock either. That's about as good a picture as I can take, any suggestions how I can know? There's no fruit from any of those 'branches', should i just cut them away? I don't feel the tree has grown at all, it's probalby just 2.5 feet tall.

Planted it in the ground about 1.5 years ago. Very few fruit, but good fruit. Fertilize once in a while with an organic fertilizer 10-2-8. Water it about twice a week.

Thanks.

Those green tape are actually bad and can strangle the tree? I didn't know that. I will remove them immediately.

I don't know if those are emerging from the rootstock either. That's about as good a picture as I can take, any suggestions how I can know? There's no fruit from any of those 'branches', should i just cut them away? I don't feel the tree has grown at all, it's probalby just 2.5 feet tall.

Planted it in the ground about 1.5 years ago. Very few fruit, but good fruit. Fertilize once in a while with an organic fertilizer 10-2-8. Water it about twice a week.

Thanks.

So anyone kmow if i should cut those branches off near the graft area? Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks

I can't see the graft area. Could be under the tape or further down. You have to identify the graft location first before you cut anything.

My question is , should that many branches come off of the same area. If the graft line is at that cluster of branches we need to determine if any of the branches are of the fruiting tree and remove any that are not. If it is ok to leave those branch (i don't know) do you want a bush. or a tree and take it from there.

I am itching to show of my seed grown meiwa kumquat tree.
{{gwi:23834}}
Thanks for looking

Here is a link that might be useful: http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/wreristhechimney/slideshow/

This post was edited by poncirusguy on Thu, Dec 5, 13 at 22:07

Scuzzy, do not prune away anything without sending us photos of your entire trunk. We can help you to find the graft union, and see if any branches are emanating from below the graft. If so, then we'll tell you exactly which ones to prune. The green tape and stick are not needed. they are there to protect the tree during shipping. The green tape can end up strangling the tree - putting so much pressure on the cambium layer, which is the layer responsible for nutrients and water going up to the leaves of the tree (the green layer under the bark), that nothing can transverse up through the cambium. As far as your tree's health - you haven't given us enough info to help you out. Your tree looks to be very dried out. How frequently is this little tree being watered? Where do you live, how hot/dry does it get where you are and how cold in the winter? Are you fertilizing your tree, and if so, how often, how much and with what? How much sun does your little tree get a day? If you can provide more info, that will help. I would remove fruit for now, and allow the tree to develop more canopy that can support fruit development. This looks like it might be a Four Winds tree (per the hang tag), can you tell us by the tag, what the cultivar might be?

Patty S.

Thanks for the responses.
I live in Orange County (Southern California) so there is plenty of sun, the tree probably gets 8 hours a day. I might not have watered it enough, during the winter, maybe just once a week, since it wasn't too hot. Now i water about twice a week. I did fertilize it soemtimes with a 10-2-6 organic formula, I'm not even sure when you're supposed to fertilize it and if that's the right formula. The yellow tag actually is a department of food and agriculture tag. There is a hanging card on the tree that it's a DUARTE tree. The 2 or 3 oranges it does produce are really sweet.

Thanks for the info about the green tape and all, i've removed it all now.

These 4 branches coming out of the trunk look strange though. Here is a close up pic. To me when i look at it, it looks like it's coming right out of the graft area, all 4 of them. I'm not sure if that picture is clear enough to tell?

Again, thanks for any help/assistance from all of you...

This post was edited by scuzzynutty on Mon, May 20, 13 at 1:45

Those three or four branches are suckers and should be pruned off.

I do not agree. These do not look like rootstock growth to me. It will be very easy for you to tell, as the leaves on these shoots will be different than what you see from the grafted cultivar. It is not at all unusual to have multiple branches emanate from right above the graft. I think your tree is just fine. To me, this is all the grafted cultivar.

Patty S.

I noticed that the tag circles the main trunk and one of the branches. If it came from the nursery that way that branch is probably good. Since that is also the highest up on what might be rootstock and is not, it means that the other branches are good. Either that or that tree came from a very bad nursery. Is there any chance that this tree is from seed and the main trunk was cliped to encourage a more bush form. I know so little of citrus that my best guess is poor at best.

{{gwi:576593}}
picture of a seed grown meiwa tree. These are links to guide me when I have future problems

. Thanks

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1912}}

There is what appears to be what's left of an orange tag at the bottom. Usually that tag identifies the rootstock doesn't it? Unfortunately it looks like it broke off. And I would probably remove it before it strangles the trunk. it would be good to know what the rootstock is. For example, if it's a trifoliate or trifoliate hybrid, you could easily identify leaves being from rootstock. Then remove those rootstock branches.

I still cannot see a graft location.

No, not necessarily, Duarte never tags for rootstock, just their cultivar. I have had to call Duarte to find out what rootstock they've but some of their trees on (I keep track of rootstocks in my orchard for comparison purposes). They will color code their rootstock with paint dabs. This definitely does not look like rootstock growth to me at all. When you top a tree, which is frequently done by growers to reduce tree height, you'll get this sort of sprouting. The graft line could be either right above that orange tag that is partially buried, or, below the soil line (in which case, the soil should be removed so that the graft line is exposed.) Yes, Duarte uses either Carrizo/Troyer or C35 (which are both trifoliate hybrids) for its semi-dwarf trees, so you would know definitively whether you have rootstock growth due to leaves of three. Scuzzy, your branches are from the graft and cultivar. You're fine. Water more. Make a nice well around your tree about 4' wide. Fertilize with a good citrus fertilizer that will have a higher N value, as well as all the micronutrients. There are many on the market. Gro-Power makes a very nice Citrus & Avocado Food fertilizer. Lily Miller's product is also good, and even Vigoro Citrus & Avocado Fertilizer you can pick up at Lowe's or Home Depot is a good fertilizer. Fertilize 4 times a year starting in February, April, June and in September. Be sure to water enough to soak down 18" - 24". During our hot summer weather, you may need to water 3 times a week.

Patty S.

If you get a fruit from each branch and the taste and look the same, you're OK. If you get fruit and they look and taste different, then all you need to determine is which taste good and which don't and if they all are different and taste good you'll have citrus cocktail.

The easy way though is to take a leave of of every trunk and take a picture so we can see and determine exactly what you have.

Thanks for the replies Patty and poncirusguy. Ok, I will fertilize those 4 times a year. Is a 10-2-6 solution good? I have an organic one with those numbers. This year there were only 4 fruit. They tasted really good though. I'll have to see which branches produce the fruit. It seemed too that something was eating the leaves and some of the leaves were curly and stuff. Is that some kind of disease? It also seems this tree doesn't grow any bigger, it's only about 2 feet high.

I will take a pic of the leaves off each and see if they're different and post them here too... luckily i didn't cut them away, I was tempted to as they kind of look out of place, but what do I know...

Scuzzy, your fertilizer sounds fine, just make sure it also has the full complement of micronutrients as well as your macros (NPK). You'll want to see iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, calcium in the mix. And, if your leaves are curling, it could be due to aphid damage, common during the spring time here in Calif (not sure where you live, you don't have your "Zone" field filled out). Also, we are nearing Citrus Leafminer (CLM) season here in California, so you might want to prepare to treat for that pest as well. Since your tree is so young, all the leaves may be tender enough to be affected. You can either choose to treat with a combination of Spinosad and Volck Oil (or some hort oil) sprayed every 3 weeks through September (don't spray if temps are over 85 degrees, as you'll fry your leaves with the hort oil), or you can use Bayer Advanced Vegetable & Fruit Tree Insect Control once at the beginning of June. And, the leaves are VERY different, and I do not see any evidence that you have rootstock leaves from your photo. Trifoliate rootstock produces "leaves of 3". No doubt. Duarte will use trifoliate rootstock, so we can put this issue of your tree having rootstock branches to bed. None of your branches on this tree are rootstock, truly. Plus, your graft line looks to be below the branching, more where the orange tag is, so be sure you don't get soil banked up above the graft line.

Patty S.

Hi Patty,
Thanks again for the detailed response. I live in Orange County California, so I guess that looks like Zone 10 or something.

I guess i always thought the graft was near where those 4 branches were, but i took a photo near the yellow tag that and perhaps that is the graft.

I took a few pics of the leaves and stuff...seems some are healthy and some are not.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m276/fengzi72/CIMG8607_zpscde2164d.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m276/fengzi72/CIMG8606_zps37facf8d.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m276/fengzi72/CIMG8605_zps9b8c6368.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m276/fengzi72/CIMG8604_zps3a3c398d.jpg

I have neemoil that i'm using to try and kill of redberry mites on my thornless blackberry bush, will that work for the pests on the Orange tree? Does it really matter if the leaves are getting eaten?

When you say the leaves are very different, different from what?

Thanks.