On September 22, 2006, I stuck a Yen Ben Lemon cutting for rooting. The cutting retained it green color, but would not set any roots. Yesterday, January 14, 2007, after almost four months, I noticed new shoots starting to grow up and down the cutting. Never give up. - Millet

CONGRATS!!!

I am a firm believer in "Never give up!"!!

Gina *BabyBlue*

Im going to be trying some rooting and grafting for the first time here in a few months. My question is does rooting hormone work with citrus?

Congrats Millet!

I used some of the available-at-store, low strength rooting hormone, and a humidity dome. Some here have advocated a misting system. a 2-L bottle with the bottom cut off to slide over a small cutting, or a zip-lock upside down and stood up so it doesnt touch the sides and smother the plant should help.

I did occasionally mist (with a spritzer) my cuttings. I have gotten a thai lime and 2 nana pomegranate cuttings to take.

What was your method Millet?

I root in a mixture of 50 percent peatmoss and 50 percent coarse perlite, with mist. The particular Yen Ben Lemon cutting I'm posting about was stuck in the rooting medium with many other cuttings, most of which rooted in 4 to 6 weeks. The Yen Ben sat there for 16 weeks before finally rooting. Maybe, as they say, "Time Roots All Things." - Millet

You're right Millet! I stuck a trifoliate cutting in a mixture similar to yours and waited.... after 4 or 5 months it was as green as when I tried to root it. I finally cut open the container and there were no roots. I figured it just wasn't going to happen, perhaps I should have waited even longer!

Jackpine, I actually received several sticks of Yen Ben Lemon budwood. I did some T-buds, on Flying Dragon root stock, and stuck one in a germinating mix to root. The Yen Ben Lemon cutting that I was rooting always stayed just as green as the day I stuck it. Never any sign of rot or other problems. Finally after 16 or so weeks it developed roots. - Millet

Millet, you are so right about "don't give up". JoeReal sent me some budsticks for my first budding attempt & none took last SEPT.---- so I thought! Recently, I noticed a bud is still green & is now putting out new growth. I thought it was dead like the rest. As it is on 1/8th inch stock, & a teeny tiny bud,I'm surprised it took!!! Others were on 1/4 inch stock. I budded it last Sept. onto P. trifoliate rootstock & to my surprise....it now took!!!!!!!
When I noticed this few days ago, I moved into warmer house air & under spiral fl. lite & it is budding out. I'm so happy!!!

Patty do you remember what kind it was? the bud

Hi Valencia, it's Algerian Clementine. I never had one before, but I'm sure I will next year. It is soooo tiny...how'd I do that?LOL
I've had 2 other plants that looked dead an entire summers growing season, & they came to life the next yr.

I is just amazing how they can do that but with most plants as long as the roots are alive they come back.

Millet,
As long as the cutting/budwood is green, one should never give up. Will ANY citrus cutting root? The reason I ask, I have some budwood in route very soon. My grafting skills still ain't up to snuff, I was wondering if rooting them maybe they way to go? OR, I could split the cutting/budwood 50-50 and try both?
Darren

Darren it depends on the cultivar. Being your right down the street from me, nothing is slipping until early mid Mar. I would keep the budsticks in the fridge until then & bud them... Lemon & Citron root very easy, but many are difficult to root without a misting table.

Hey Laaz,
Actually I think I have a bunch of stuff slipping. Don't forget the majority of my stuff stays in the greenhouse. The smell of hundreds of blossoms right now in there is wonderful!
I have been moving everything inside when the temps drop below 40 and kept the heat on them.. they are all happy, including the poor sickly Valencia I came across at Lowe's in West Ashley the week after Christmas. The poor thing was outside and had about three leaves on it. It has a bunch of new growth just fixing to break.
Darren

Let me know if you want me to bud them for you then... You have my #.