How to Cut Back a Calamondin
The calamondin is a small citrus tree with dense, slightly thorny branches and glossy, evergreen leaves. The small fruits are aromatic; oddly, the bright orange peel is sweet, while the juicy pulp is highly acidic. Native to China, the calamondin spread throughout southern Asia and Malaysia and became the most important citrus-juice source in the Philippines. Now it's common around the world, popular for a multitude of culinary and medicinal purposes. Calamondin is moderately tolerant of a broad range of growing conditions, and, like other citrus trees, it does best when it's allowed to grow naturally. Prune a calamondin only to control tree size, to eliminate sprouts and to remove dead, diseased or damaged wood. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Work gloves
- Hand pruners or loppers
- Curved tree saw
- Latex paint, whitewash, or pruning sealant (optional)
Instructions
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Inspect the tree for unwanted sprouts and damaged, diseased or dead wood.
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Remove all sprouts from the trunk by hand.
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Locate the stem collar at the base of any branch you plan to remove. The collar is a ridge of swollen tissue that grows around the branch near the stem.
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Cut off smaller branches (less than 1.5 inches in diameter) flush with the collar, using hand pruners or loppers.
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Remove larger branches by first cutting with a sharp tree saw, about a third of the way through the underside of the branch, 6 to 12 inches out from the collar. This undercut prevents subsequent cuts from causing the branch to tear.
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Cut completely through the branch, 3 inches out from the undercut, so the branch falls away, leaving a 9-inch to 15-inch stub.
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Saw off the stub, flush with the collar, on the side away from the trunk.
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You may protect any wood exposed by the cuts by coating with latex paint, pruning sealant or whitewash, but this is optional. The wound will heal naturally.
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Tips & Warnings
February through April are the best months to prune, unless you have freeze damage. In that case, wait until late spring or summer, to allow any false growth to die back and to enable you to determine the extent of the damage.
Sprouts, which grow from the trunk or from large limbs, are green and don't have any bark.
Always prune living wood, to be sure you remove all damage.
Be sure your pruning tools are sharp, to minimize the chance of injury to you and to ensure smooth cuts to the tree.
