This is the latest bark graft of a ten year old swingle rootstock tree. First it was a full sized wekiwa tangelo, then a full sized Panzarella Orange. When I got a lot of fruit of each of those, it convinced me they weren't very good. Last year it became Cocktail grapefruit and two kinds of pumelo last spring. Last winter all three branches froze. They were only one year old branches. Luckily I had saved some Cocktail budwood. The first bark graft this year took but the stump died! Same with 2 other branches. I cut off the stump again and here is the second try this year. Wow that grafting tar makes a difference. It prevents half the stump from dieing as I've had happen many times. Some don't agree but I've had much better luck using than not using it. When I use the tar, the stump always sprouts all the way around, when not half the stump dies. My bonzai grower friend recommended it.

Panzarella oranges, big but little to no flavor

Here are some t buds I did high up in my clementine tree to try out other varieties of clementine, here is de Nules from last fall and I've also budded fina sodea on some branches. This way I'll get to taste the fruit next year and compare to the Algerian clementine that the main tree is. Interestingly enough, I also budded some sudachi buds 3 or 4 feet below the top of my yuzu tree. All are forcing even though not the top bud! Looks like I'll get to taste xie shan satsuma, miyagawa satsuma, and de Nules from my top grafts this year.


Here is my valencia tree I'm changing over to 88-2 lee x nova a seedless mandarin by bark graft. I don't know why I planted a valencia tree as the fruit will freeze here in SE Texas most years by April when the fruit is ready. I've also done the same to a satsuma tree with sanguinelli blood orange. My smaller trees have all frozen the last two years even when banked with dirt. I'm trying to let the satsuma grow a couple years as they never freeze and then topwork to something less cold hardy. Both the tree were grown 2 or 3 years before I did the bark graft.


Here is a good crop of trees I budded last fall and this spring including Valentine grapefruit, New Zealand lemonade, 88-2 lee x nova, 15-150 lee x orlando, clementine de Nules, hirado buntan pummelo, Marsh grapefruit, and some other hard to get cultivars. Apparently I'm endlessly curious. This goes to show you how much better it is to bud in the fall than the spring. The spring buds are just now beginning to force with last fall's some are a foot tall already after growing 6 weeks.

Mrtexas,
Great work and great collection! I wish I had room for more than a few trees.

Phil way to stick with it - never give up. I also have a Panzarella Giant Orange (PGO). I noticed several months back that you said that you did not care for its taste. Last fall was the first time that my PGO produced some mature fruit. They were not the best, but I sort of liked the taste, a little bland, but its unique taste got to me, so I kept the tree. Unfortunately my Valentine grapefruit graft did not make it. That graft really hurt when it died, as it is a hard budwood to get. Your kids are getting bigger, and from the picture you posted they also look like they are getting stronger. My two Xie Shan Mandarins are loaded this year. What you need is winter "global warming". Take care, thanks for the pictures. . - Millet (621-)

Wow you have been successful. Keep up the great work. Tim.

You have an ever changing variety of trees there Mr Texas. I do like the idea of grafting over varieties that you don't care for with ones that suit your taste better. Why continue with a tree if you don't like the fruit, right? It is also interesting to see your success with the grafting tar as many have argued against using it.

Mr Texas, what bark tar or liquid bark did you use?

Mr. Texas,

Great job. I'm very interested in hearing how the fina sodea taste as I have one planted. Unfortunately here in FL if we don't like it we cannot over graft.

About the soil banking, I have been looking at the watering socks you put around young trees and thinking I could fill these with soil on the inside this fall as a soil bank. Would that be enough soil?

Very nice collection!

No flavour or not, panzarella are some nice looking fruits!