Saturday 3 January 2009

can grafts re-grow?

I mentioned in this post that I ordered a multi-graft citrus tree but the lime graft broke off in transit.  Well, if I'm really, really lucky, the lime graft is growing back.

http://www.alexareynolds.com/garden09/limegraft.JPG

That little stub is the lime graft, and that tiny branch appears to be growing from it.  However it's also likely that it's growing from the root stock.  When you graft onto root stock, you always want to remove branches from the root stock.  They're very vigorous and hardy (that's why they make them into root stock) but don't usually produce good fruit, and tend to sap all the resource form the branches that do.

I'm not 100% sure how to tell if that branch is growing from the lime or the root stock.  I'm checking with my favourite garden forum where there's at least one expert on fruit trees who might know.  But I'll be so happy if it is the lime fighting back!

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