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andrew_scott77

Meyer Mike I need your help.

Andrew Scott
10 years ago

Hi Mike,
I wanted to get your help on starting citrus trees from cuttings. Right now I have 2 Meyer lemon trees. One, my main tree that I bought 2 years ago to replace the huge tree I sadly lost, is almost 2ft tall now and 2.5ft wide. Right now it has 8 lemons on it, but I have one branch that is really long without fruit. I was thinking I would take that branch which is 16 in long, and make 2 cuttings. My thought process was to make 2, 4 in. cuttings. I am going to order some gel root hormone, dip them into that, and then plant them into perlite. I then thought about taking a plastic zip lock bag and rubber band, and make a little greenhouse, and then put them under my 600 watt H.P.S. light. Does that sound like a good way go attempt rooting them?

Many years ago, when I was still a kid living at home, I rooted a Ponderosa lemon tree cutting by just dipping the cutting into root hormone and planting it in M.G. potting soil. The cutting rooted, and all I did was put it in a sunny window with a plastic bag over it!

I am hoping this will work. It would save me money instead of having to buy more trees. Have you tried rooting any Oro Blanco cuttings?

I also wanted to tell you I bought a 3ft Tango mandarin tree for $34 and it was at a local nursery so the best part was that I didn't have to pay shipping! I was hoping to find a seedless navel orange but they didn't have any. They did have a bunch of really nice Meyer lemon trees for the same price but I passed on them because I have 2 now, and like I said, I am hoping to be success full with rooting these cuttings!

Thanks for any help or tips you can give me!

Andrew

Comments (2)

  • meyermike_1micha
    10 years ago

    Hello Andrew..Since this is your thread I thought I would ask you how your back# 1 is doing, your Mango tree, and your Jades??????

    Good to see you again...

    As for cuttings, all I did was stick them in my little extra pond water and forgot about them until August, and whalla, they had roots..

    What I have done to deliberately root some is stick them a very well lit area and shove the cuttings into vermiculite.

    The pot in pot method...You take about a 6 inch azalea clay pot and fill it with vermiculite. Then shove a smaller 2 inch into the center after you have blocked the hole in that one with a piece of cork or clay..

    Push your cuttings into the vermiculite all around that little pot and then fill that little pot up with water.
    The water from that little pot will be absorbed by the vermiculite giving you even moisture at all times. When the water runs low in that little pot, just keep refilling..

    Works like a charm every time I want to root anything.

    Hope this helps you. By the way, I have one mango that has held on to it's fruit only 8 inches tall;;lol

    MIke:-)

  • Andrew Scott
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hi Mike,
    Thank you for taking out the time to help me. You know I really appreciate it :) I am walking around, and moving a little better but this last back surgery was probably the most invasive, major surgery I have ever had. Surgery was last January. They went in right above the top of the right leg. Surgery was to remove the artificial disc I had put in a few years ago. That was when you and Laura sent me that card, which I really appreciated! Anyhow, that artificial disc was the worst mistake I ever made. It just created more problems and pain. I also had 2 titanium screws break, that had to be removed from bone. So, they went in, and in order to get the disc out, they fractured my vertabrae. I bled out a lot, and they used my own blod to transfuse back into me. Because of that, they decided to postpone the rest of the surgery. They closed me up, and 4 days later, they reopened me. They got my fusion done with the first part of my surgery, so they put a new rod and cage in, And closed me up. I ended up being in the hospital for 5 days total.

    I went home pretty sore. I have had some nerve issues ever since. My right leg was numb from my toes up to my hip. Now, it is mostly my upper right thigh and a little on the back of the thigh.

    Ok now for my man o trees. I stupidly pruned my Ma ha Chinook over the winter. In response it started sending out tons of new growth. I lost it because the tree desperatly needed a new pot and repotting, and because I was recovering from surgery, I lost it :( I was really mad at myself Mike! That tree had bloomed once for me, and I am convinced it would have fruited this year! Grrrr! Not to mention that tree came from Hawaii and coat over $100!
    I still have my Carrie and it is going through a big growth flush. I am hoping it will bloom, but temps are cool here. We have had such a crappy summer here so are, I barely even had any inflos on my plumeria!

    My jades are doing pretty good. The ones we ordered from Germany are really doing good! I wanted to ask you about variegated Gollum, and Hob it jades. Any idea where I could find any?

    This has been a pretty busy week. After Tuesday morning things will slow down, and I will email you. Take care and enjoy your weekend!

    Andrew