Orange Tree Cuttings: [Grafts, Time, Rooting and Planting]
Within the fruit trees, the orange tree is one of the easiest species to reproduce by cuttings , allowing the number of trees to be multiplied.
Taking into consideration that it also produces very abundant harvests and that it is a fruit with very good properties for health, it is worth having it at home.
With the method of multiplication by cuttings you will save time, effort and money , since it does not need us to work excessively.Would you like to know how to carry out this process effectively? Let’s see it below.
With what other plants or trees can we graft the orange tree cutting?
The orange tree is a species that gets along very well with the grafting process and that is why it is applied quite regularly.
One of the main reasons is to promote greater resistance to pests and diseases, which is why species of orange trees are usually grafted together.
However, it is a species that also produces positive results with other citrus fruits, such as lemon, mandarin or grapefruit .
What is the best time to plant orange cuttings?
Orange tree cuttings should be planted in the spring , after the risk of frost is eliminated.This brings us to a time probably 4 weeks into this season.
How to get orange tree cuttings to root correctly?
The selection of the tree from which the cutting will be taken is decisive for the success of this process.The most relevant conditions are: the state of health of the orange tree and the environment where it grows.
When cuttings are taken from an orange tree that has been properly harvested in a nearby area, it will have a much better chance of thriving.
After taking the branches, you have to put them in a solution of rooting hormones to help in the whole process.The cuttings will be transferred to a pot previously prepared with a substrate that has a mixture of sand and garden soil.
It is also a good plan to moisten the substrate abundantly , since enjoying a hydrated environment is essential.For this reason, it is one of the most important cares that must be taken during the time that the cutting develops.
The substrate must be prevented from drying out.Due to its growth conditions, the orange tree needs full sunlight from the beginning of its development , so it is better to leave the pot outdoors.
How should we take the orange tree cuttings to plant them?
The orange tree cuttings have to be taken with an approximate length of 20 centimeters to work with it comfortably.The ideal is that the branches are young , preferably with a life time of 1 year.
As they surely have some leaves, it will be necessary to remove those that are in the lower part of the cutting, leaving the newer ones than in the upper area.
How long should we leave orange tree cuttings in water?
The greatest humidity that an orange tree cutting must be subjected to is rooting hormones.Of the rest, it is a species that develops on land, so the step that is followed for other types of plants of submerging in water can be overlooked.
Is it convenient to use fertilizer or compost?
In the first phase it is not mandatory to apply organic matter to the soil. However, when the transplant is carried out, it is necessary to give it many nutrients .
These will be possible to obtain through the incorporation of decomposed manure that will join the soil where the cutting with its roots will be established.
Some time later, when it is convenient, the corresponding fertilizations will begin to help in the process of flowering and birth of fruits.
How long does it usually take for an orange tree cutting to come out?
The roots will reach a good condition for transplanting about 3 months after being planted.
This should not be a cause for concern because it is what will help them to get strong and then move on to their final planting place.
The ideal is to keep the seedling protected from the first winter, since it will not be old enough to cope with the stress that the season produces.
Therefore, it is correct that the transplant of the orange tree is carried out in two phases, first to a larger pot and then outside.This action will help keep the plant protected inside the house when frost occurs or the temperature is too low.
The orange tree is a tree that is quite prone to attack by pests and diseases.Hence, the grafting method is used so much, since it allows you to gain more resistance to face this reality.
But with good care and proper attention to any negative changes in its structure, all these problems will not touch your orange tree.
If you want to go deeper, you can see: Sowing an orange tree.