Some of my bagged grafted seedlings have their graft union higher than I prefer, and it is likely that I will be cutting many water shoots out from the rootstock for the next few years if planted at the same ground level as in the bags. Is there a way to plant them deeper without causing fungus or rot problems on the trunk?

I prefer to have my cleft-grafted plants with the graft union only 50 mm (2 inches) above the ground to minimize rootstock suckers. These plants are on sour orange rootstock that tend to put out a lot of suckers.



Can I gradually add earth around the trunks, or top dress with a few inches of compost? Alternatively, can I wrap or paint them with something to minimize suckers? Any ideas?

John

On the left side of this picture, you can see thin black foil hose on the trunk of plant ( there is a gap between hose and trunk).
http://www.exotickerostliny.cz/images/stories/citrus_clementina/comuneisa.jpg
Nearly all citruses for field planting - grafted high, from Italian nurseries have it to prevent suckers or twigs from rootstock.
You can see it also here:
http://www.citrusy-trutnov.mstu.cz/w09/foto_11/vykan_11/IMG_2734.JPG
or here:
http://www.citrusy-trutnov.mstu.cz/w09/foto_11/vykan_11/IMG_2732.JPG

I only found some small dry roots on trunk, after the removed foil.
So, it looks like plant try to create roots under the dark of the foil.