Regarding my broken Mexican Lime...

My Mexican Lime which had been broken (other thread) is growing on a Flying Dragon root stock...

I was wondering - maybe I could t-bud a navel bud or a lime bud from the exiting lime tree slightly below the existing graft, and begin my grafting education??? There is about 3 or 4 inched of Flying Dragon above the surface of the soil.

If this is possible what time of year would be best to do it? I’ve read the threads and articles on t-budding and so have at least a rudimentary idea of what is supposed to happen…. I think.

If you want photos of the existing lime / rootstock just say the word!

Thank you in advance

You do not need to go below the graft to add a new variety unless there is an incompatability between the key lime and the orange--I don't know of an incompatability there.

I now have 16 varieties on my Lisbon Lemon--it is on trifoliate stock, but all the grafts are on the lemon. I have 4 varieties on my satsumas that are all on rootstock sprouts, but I have 3 varieties on each of the following my Ponkan, my Moro Blood Orange, my Minneola--they are all directly on the named variety.

The only incompatability I have run into is clementine on satsuma.

If I remember correctly, you only have two inches of root stock growth showing above the ground. You could still graft there, when the root stock is slipping. Slipping normally occurs any time when the tree is producing active growth. However, as Skeet advises, it would be much better to T-bud onto the Mexican lime scion. Choose one of the more vigorous branches of the Mexican lime. Evidently, if your thinking of grafting onto this tree, it must be doing OK. - Millet (1,332-)

What would be the best method to graft onto the rootstock? T-bud or bark graft?

T-bud. If you did a regular bark graft you would cut the trunk off where you insert the scion. What you are probably thinking would be called an inlaid bark graft--all of those I have done have barely grown, but do flower and fruit as very small limbs.

I just wish I knew with certainty, precisely where to get the bud from, on an exiting tree - and wish I had close-up photo of what a good bud looks like.

Is it possible to graft and existing branch or are buds the only way to do this?

What I REALLY wish is that one of you expert guys lived close by so that I could buy you lunch to get you to come over and show me how to do it!

I'll do a budding tomorrow and post photos for you.

That would be great, Laaz!

Can't wait to see.

Thank you.

I'm sure Lazz's pictures will be helpful, but one thing I will add is that there are blind buds that will not grow--they usually are the first 3-4 leaves of each flush. If you look carefully, you can see where each flush starts--the next 3-4 leaves will have blind buds. The best buds come from the wood that was part of the 2nd or 3rd flush back from the current growth---where the wood is beginning to get round and about pencil size.

Ok I hope this helps anyone attempting citrus budding.

First select a budstick you want to use. Here I am using a variegated Centennial kumquat.

The buds are right next to the leaf bases which you will see as a small bump. (As Skeeter stated do not use the first 3 - 4 as they are usually blind buds and will not work.)



Next strip the leaves off making sure not to damage the buds. Tools I use for budding.

Next you are going to cut the bud off the budstick starting about a 1/8 of an inch above the bud.



Make sure you know which end is the top, inserting the bud upside down will cause the bud to fail.

This is the bud removed from the budstick. I stick the bud in my mouth to keep it moist while cutting the rootstock.

Make a inverted T cut in the rootstock and then peel each flap open as pictured with the tip of the knife. If the rootstock is slipping it will peel very easy. When making the lower horizontal cut, do not pull the knife across the bark. Roll the blade around it with a little pressure and you will have a perfect cut.

I then take the bud and stick the tip of the knife blade in the leaf base just below the bud as pictured. This makes it easy to insert the bud into the inverted T.



Next gently slide the bud up into the inverted T. The bark will split as you slide the bud up. Once the bud is up just past the bottom of the cut you are good to go. The bark from the rootstock will hold the bud in place if you have done this correctly as shown.

Now start below the cut and start wrapping the tape up above the bud, and then back down, keeping some pressure on the tape.



Finished wrapped bud. After your done, leave the budded rootstock in a semi shaded spot for about three weeks.



After three weeks if you have done this correctly, the bud will still be green and taken to the rootstock. This is a variegated Valencia orange I budded three weeks ago. Once the bud has taken I cut the top of the rootstock off a couple inches above the bud. The bud should start pushing out new growth in a few weeks.