How to Graft Adult Citrus Trees

Graft a citrus tree to combine two varieties of fruit on one tree.

Grafting adult citrus trees allows you to create a crossbreed of two different fruits. Grafting also prolongs the life of citrus trees, while it also creates a hardier hybrid. You can combine a lemon tree with an orange tree by grafting the bud branches onto the tree. Once you graft the adult citrus trees properly, you will have a successful new crop.

Things You'll Need

• Saw
• Grafting knife
• Wax-based grafting tape

Instructions

1. Find bud wood from a younger citrus tree. The bud wood needs to be 8 inches in length, and have at least one leaf.

2. Cut off two tree limbs from the adult citrus tree. Use a saw to make the cuts, but only remove less than 1/3 of the foliage.

3. Make an upside down "T" at the base of the limb that you removed with your grafting knife. The upside down "T" needs to be 4 inches long. Create a sharp point on the end of the bud wood with the knife by removing some of the bark with the knife.

4. Fold back the bark where the vertical and horizontal cuts intersect. Place the bud wood into the "T" that you created. Slide it in until you can no longer see any of the exposed bud wood.

5. Use a wax-based grafting tape to wrap the bud wood to keep it in place. Tie the tape securely around the bud.

References

• Tree Help: Citrus: Propagation by Grafting
• University of Missouri: Grafting