My grapefruit seedling... one of 20.. is doing something very different compaired to all the others. I'm not sure how to explain it... its like a little leaf then poofs into a big leaf.

Heres a pic



All the leaves on the seedling are doing it, just odd as non of the other grapefruit seedlings are doing it (all from the same batchof fruit)

Plants, just like people mature at different rates. Your grapefruit seedling is just going at a bit faster rate than its fruit mates. This is what grapefruit leaves look like. Orange leaves are the same way but a bit smaller.
Don't worry.....its normal
The little wing is the petiole(sp)

thanks. just looked odd compaired to any of my seedlings... though, noticing a few of my key lime seedlings doing it as well

Your little babies are just growing up.

Wooohooo. grown up babes are good. Now... I want them to really grow so they have eventually be grafted to a root stock and give me fruit beore old age sets in. I know the odds are I'll never graft or get fruit from these trees but... still cool to grow from seed.

I also have honey tangerine seedlings, clementines... then all my key limes.

just fun seeng them sprout

Even if you graft the seedling to a rootstock you will still have to wait a while for fruit. I have seen a lot of posts where someone said you can speed up fruit production by grafting to a rootstock. I don't think this exactly true. It has been said that it MIGHT be possible to achieve fruit sooner if the seedling is grafted to a MATURE, FRUITING tree that was grafted onto a suitable rootstock. I don't know if this has ever been proven to be true or not. Seems to me it would be hard to tell if the fruit was produced because it aged the grafted seedling or if it was because the mature plant took over. I suppose one could always try it and see if it works.
Andi

everyone has told me that grafting to a mature tree is the way to go for earlier fruit production. It could be a year or 2 after grafting... but a hell of a lot sooner than 15-20 years for a grapefruit tree.

I've taken this as fact, that grafting the bud onto a mature tree will bring on fruiting sooner. Seems most sites and ppl on here are very firm in that belief

I think you are both confused about grafting
To get fruits from a planted seed could take 5-15 years or more (2 1/2 -4 yrs for key lime).
You have your rootstock growing...now it's pencil sized & ready to graft onto. You take cuttings from MATURE FRUITING TREES & graft or T bud THAT onto the rootstock. Now, you will get fruits much sooner than the seed planted trees.
The cutting mayl produce a blossom or 2 sometimes a few months later - more or less- like a pic that Benny showed. Why graft a seedling onto roostock??? It will still take years to fruit!...doesn't make sense.
Nurseries can make many separate fruiting trees from cuttings of one mature tree grafted onto 2 yr old roostocks.

then why have I been told I will have to graft my seedlings if it doesn't make any sense? I was told I'd have to graft them to get fruit sooner. Several ppl on this board and others have said they'd need tobe grafted. how else would you graft them to get fruit sooner if not to a matured tree or root stock?

I'm getting more confused and more gets conflicting

You don't have to graft onto a mature tree. You take the bud FROM a MATURE tree & graft it to a 2yr old (at least pencil sized) rootstock.
I have P Trifoliata & Flying Dragon seedlings growing. Next yr they should be ready to graft onto. You CAN graft to a mature tree, but like I said, the scion should be from a mature fruiting tree.

But I'm saying with my seedlings. I was told I would have to graft them in order to get fruit in a decent time. If I dont graft them to rootstock, what the heck do I graft them to? Makes no sense to graft them to a mature fruiting tree... otherwise I would have just bought the mature tree.

I was definatly told by a few ppl on this board, that I would have to graft. now ppl are telling me no. I hate when ppl start saying so many conflicting things. when so new to something... you pay attention to things and learn all you can, just sucks when others throw in conflicting things now

Patty I wasn't confused. I was ony stating what others had said. I also said that I didn't think that would would be true. What I was refering to is what some call the breeders method.

Betty, many people graft their trees due to many not doing well on their own roots.

Patty is correct. If you take budwood from a mature fruiting tree you will get fruit from that graft in a year or two.

If you take wood from a seedling you will not get fruit any sooner than from the seedling you took the budwood from.

Also I will tell you I have never seen a seed grown Grapefruit fruit in a container produce friut. Grapefruit have to have a massive node count to fruit. I doubt you will ever get that from a seed grown grapefruit in a container...

its not the roots, it was to get fruit sooner. thats why I was told that I would have to graft.

I give up. I know what I was told, if its wrong, its wrong. so be it. I'm not going to get even more confused. I do value everyones opinons, dont get me wrong! I'm just way too tired and drained today to get even more confused.

I'll do my reading and go from there, base what I do on what I read. never hurts to try either way