Hi I just joined a cople day ago will like to say Hello been reading a lot the last few days great info on the board. I want to start experimenting with grafting. I live in Tijuana , Mex Zone 10, when would it be a good time to graft citrus trees in this zone ? also is air layering done to create a fruiting tree or as to create a root stock?

Welcome Ramon!

The best time to graft is when you see new growth flushes on your citruses. Usually T-budding is the best to use on citruses.

for air-layering, follow this link:
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4148728&a=31193555&f=

Welcome Ramon,
This is the place if you want to learn how to graft citrus-- I had never tried grafting citrus before last summer-- I had grafted a few pecans, but had never tried the T-budding method that is so popular with citrus. I followed the tutorials and links on the forum and did a little bit of practicing at cutting buds while I waited for the weather to cool -- T-buds do not do well when the daytime highs are above 90.

I jumped in it in a big way in Sept-- putting 42 bud on the few trees I have in my yard plus a few on my sisters trees. I had about 60% success-- which I think is not bad for a beginner.

Since I grafted mine in the fall, I have to wait until warm weather to force the buds-- that is when I will have my final analysis of success.

As for suggestions to you on when to start-- do it before it gets to 90 in the day-- but you have to wait until the bark will slip easily-- a major factor in T-budding success. You can check to see if the bark will slip by cutting a practice "T" on a suitable limb and trying to lift the corners of the "T" -- if the corners lift easily you are ready to go.

Hi Ramon, I do air layering (marcotting) on trees that I want another of. Some cuttings do not root easily for me, so I air layer to propagate. I air layered several branches of a Bay tree & now have those branches potted in their own pots as separate trees.

thank you guys, I had gone out earlier today afther I posted on this board and did a T cut and yes I could lift the corners I took some buds from the same tree and did a practice graft hope they take , the tricky part in Mexico is finding someone who has a diferent citrus to graft on to my tree, what I usually do is buy across the border in the USA at mi US adress then bring it back. Thanks again.

Ramon, welcome to the Citrus Growers Forum, we are very please that you join this forum. Take care.

Millet

Hello Ramon. As the others have stated, welcome to the forum.

thank you all, it is a great place to learn, lots of post to read still

Hello Ramon,
Greetings from Croatia.

Hello Ramon, Greetings from a very chilly Minnesota!

Cut your buds late in the dormant season before active growth start. Clip the leaves off and store in the refrigerator crisper in a zip lok bag. I like to clip the blind buds off and discard when storing the budwood.

Buddingman-- what are blind buds?

Do these blind buds not have a viable bud? Can you tell by the appearance or do you just count up from the bottom of the stem?

No most are not viable. They are also called dead eyes.