Our new property has several dwarf citrus. We are considering a 200' dwarf citrus planting in our frontage area behind a wrought iron fence. That is an expensive project if we purchase grafted trees. If I can air-layer from trees we have, I will save us a lot of money.

We just want the trees to be dwarf only. I have a feeling they would need dwarf root stock, but I'm hoping an air layer will stay true to the dwarf thing.

All comments appreciated!

Thanks!

If the tree are dwarf only because they are grafted upon a dwarfing root stock, and you air layer, or bud from a standard scion, the new trees will grow as standard citrus trees. - Millet

Well, the "by-them-self" dwarf citrus are few.
I see kumquats, very early satsumas, some Australians...
Maybe kishu, kumquat hybrids...

Bonnie Childers's passed along some great advice to solve the problem very inexpensively. Buy Poncirus seed and than do your own budding. - Millet

Suzi,

you may use Flying Dragon as rootstock to graft on them... Trees will be smaller than on trifoliate. Also, if you do not care about crop too much, trim your plants.
Good luck!

Suzi,
I would consider looking for an alternate source. I don't have any personal experience, but several others on the forum have had poor luck with Tree Source.

Why not get a Flying Dragon from Four Winds Growers, they currently have 1 year old trees in stock.

https://www.fourwindsgrowers.com/store/other-interesting-varieties-of-dwarf-citrus-trees.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=258&category_id=17

Alternatively, you could get some FD seeds and grow your own rootstock, but you may have to wait until fall to to find fresh seeds.

Here are some old quotes from the Mail order citrus sub-forum:

turtleman wrote:

Well here we go again.. This year were going to be short of inventory again! Every year we have to buy in material because I don't have enough space to grow all we need, I've bought in from most (if not all) of the citrus growers that can import to Arizona but most of the time they only sell larger material.. I'm trying to find seedlings/liners on seville root Tree Source has the right idea and the liners they have are perfect for what I'm looking for,, so I did that once last year.... it was only 400 plants,, and its the last time I'll do that! Anyone know of another grower that produces the same type of item? I always seem to need 8 to 12 thousand a year. In the greenhouse I grow in now I can only get 10 thousand up a year in it so I always fall short

turtleman wrote:

My experience was, we did it "Once" and never again. I added it to my list of "The largest mistakes of my life" In conversation with other growers and nurserymen if Tree Source comes up, everyone always seems to get a scared look on there face, with raised eyebrows before they just hang their head low and shake it back and forth. I'm still in the market for allot of liners each year to save time and space, but we still grow our rootstock from seed and bud

Hi Suzi,
Okay. FD rootstock is hard to get. Citrus Tree Source did not have any FD available about 2 months ago when I placed an order for some rootstock, so perhaps them have some ready, now. Scott, that's an excessively expensive way to graft enough citrus trees for a 200' run!! But, all that said, I would not recommend FD for our area for a few reasons. Mainly, because FD is VERY dwarfing, and also very slow growing. Let's actually find out how big you'd like your trees. If you're thinking about as tall as you can reach the fruit? I would then suggest C35 rootstock. If the trees eventually get taller than say, 6 - 7', you can drop crotch prune to lower height, but that won't be for over 5 years, so plenty of time to worry about that. Now that said, there are plenty of growers that use C35 for their rootstock around here - Durling, Clausen's Willits & Newcomb to name a few. I would contact any of these growers, and see what they currently have available on C35. Willits & Newcomb are up in Bakersfield, so that would be a day trip, but you could pick up everything you need in a pick up truck in one trip. Clausen's has some stuff on C35, and it's worth a call first, to see if they have what you want on C35 before you drive down to Vista. And, Durling's puts a LOT on C35, and they are actually probably closest to you in DeLuz. Very nice folks all of them, btw.

Yes you are correct Patty.
I clearly failed the reading comp test today!

What about Cuban shaddock, Isn't that what Four Winds is using many of its trees now?

Yes, they use Cuban Shaddock, but that's really tough to find here in California anywhere. There is some thought that Yuma Ponderosa is one in the same with Cuban Shaddock (what Four Winds Growers uses for most of their trees). That you might be able to acquire from Citrus Tree Source. I still think C35 is our best bet here in the general area I and Suzi live in, or another option that some of our commercial growers are using is TI rootstock. Not familiar with that rootstock, and am trying to do more research on it.

I have a pot full of FD seedlings from seeds that Mr Texas gave me. I just burried them in an 8" pot and they all germinated. I dont know exactly how many but its quite a few.

good idea...

Thanks to everyone for your replies! Patty, I'll check those out! Really good information!!

Suzi