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steve1
Joined: 03 Apr 2012
Posts: 7
Location: virginia
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| Posted: Wed 30 May, 2012 11:31 pm |
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Hi all! I planted a lemon tree from seed ,and now it is about 12" tall. The question I have is can I cut or top the tree without any harm to it?
Thanks in advance for any info someone can give me. |
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Laaz
Site Owner
Joined: 12 Nov 2005
Posts: 5674
Location: Dorchester County, South Carolina
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| Posted: Thu 31 May, 2012 12:01 am |
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Yes, you can cut the growing tip off & it will for the tree to branch out.
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Millet
Citruholic
Joined: 13 Nov 2005
Posts: 6657
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Thu 31 May, 2012 1:27 am |
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As Laaz wrote, by cutting the tree's top, the tree will branch out. 18 to 20 inches tall is about when you cut the top. In the future, any cutting on a immature seedling tree will greatly delay the time that the tree will begin blooming and fruiting. This is because your lemon must grow to the required height by producing enough nodes (leaves) to finally reach the mature height to begin blooming and fruiting. Pruning the tree decreases the node count, thus reducing the amount of growth, thus delaying the tree's maturity. If a seedling tree is continually pruned it will never fruit.
Millet
Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Hero |
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steve1
Joined: 03 Apr 2012
Posts: 7
Location: virginia
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| Posted: Thu 31 May, 2012 8:30 am |
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Thanks for your reply,I like my little plant and did not want to damage it.How long will it take before it has fruit? |
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Laaz
Site Owner
Joined: 12 Nov 2005
Posts: 5674
Location: Dorchester County, South Carolina
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| Posted: Thu 31 May, 2012 10:06 am |
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In containers it's hard to say how long to fruit.
I have found that here in-ground trees take on average 3-4 years to fruit. My two Ruby red grapefruit took 5 years to produce their first fruit.
If you want something that fruits quickly, try Key limes they take 2 years from seed.
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steve1
Joined: 03 Apr 2012
Posts: 7
Location: virginia
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| Posted: Thu 31 May, 2012 7:40 pm |
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Thanks everybody for the help.I might try the key lime. |
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igor.fogarasi
Moderator
Joined: 11 Apr 2011
Posts: 559
Location: Novi Sad, Serbia
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| Posted: Fri 01 Jun, 2012 6:31 am |
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If you're looking for quick results of your hard labor, you're better off starting with rooting some cuttings. Lemons, limes are easily rooted without use of rooting hormones or anything fancy. Please, take a look at our citrus propagation thread.
Good luck, after all. 
Igor |
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Sanguinello
Gest
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| Posted: Fri 01 Jun, 2012 1:38 pm |
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Marcot is even faster and works with all trees. |
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steve1
Joined: 03 Apr 2012
Posts: 7
Location: virginia
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| Posted: Fri 01 Jun, 2012 6:28 pm |
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what is marcot? |
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Sanguinello
Gest
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| Posted: Fri 01 Jun, 2012 6:43 pm |
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steve1
Joined: 03 Apr 2012
Posts: 7
Location: virginia
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| Posted: Fri 01 Jun, 2012 9:31 pm |
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That is so neat! If I only lived where some mature citrus trees are. I might try this on a apple tree.Thanks |
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Sanguinello
Gest
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| Posted: Sat 02 Jun, 2012 2:35 am |
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You are very welcome ! 
Yes, it works well on apple trees and it is very useful to save old sorts.
If you wanna buy trees, you just will need only 1 for can multiply them easily.
You do not need moss therefore, normal soil will do same. |
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