Cuban Shaddock, a dwarfing rootstock? I doubt it
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
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- 9 years ago
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Dwarf Citrus from Four Wind Growers
Comments (12)The only dwarf citrus rootstock that does well in Arizona is Flying Dragon. Cuban Shaddock is a pretty poor choice for high pH environments and you will be endlessly fighting chlorosis and poor growth. You should apply sulfur and chelated iron every four months to the drip line, following the directions on the packages for application. I usually apply epsom salts at roughly a tablespoon per gallon every six months. Another option is monthly foliar feeding....See MoreMy Cuban Shaddock tree
Comments (0)The previous owner had an unknown dwarf citrus that died but the root-stock lived. It's probably at least 20 years old, but it's been very neglected. I've been kinda ignoring it, and the darn thing is still growing despite only watering it once last year. It gave us a few huge seedy fruit that had a nice lemon flavor. I think Cuban Shaddock is also sometimes called Yuma pondarosa. Anyway, we have a lot of yard space so I decided to just grow it anyway. I fed it this spring and pruned out all the deadwood and it's responding nicely. My other dwarf lemons are very young so I won't get much fruit for a while, so in the meantime I'll use the shaddock as a lemon juice source....See MoreQuestion: Dwarf vs. Semi-dwarf mature sizes
Comments (17)The Meiwa is not going to get large as a standard. The Powell and the Cara Cara will naturally be large so using a Semi-Dwarfing rootstock will help keep them manageable. The Moro will get almost as big. My preference for those would be C-35 and prune to keep them about 8-10' tall and wide. A Standard Meyer at a friends house was planted 25 years ago and is about 10' tall but tries to be wider than that. I planted standards as I was concerned that anything smaller would not grow big enough to espalier against a 6' block wall. I can't imagine using Flying Dragon for anything as it will grow so slowly, you will need to wait many years to see much growth. Many of these varieties have compatibility issues with different rootstocks so thinking that you are going to decide on the best one and then use it on all varieties will not work out well in the long run. You need to talk to a grower that knows the requirements for you area. What originally was called Dwarf was gradually mostly called Semi-Dwarf as you are not really limiting the eventual size of the tree as mostly picking a slower growing tree. Dwarfs are also trimmed more into a bush shape that I don't find looking right. A Meyer trimmed as a Semi-Dwarf Bush shape will natrually want to be 15' wide and 5' tall....See MoreRootstock Question??
Comments (14)Poncirus trifoliata is also incompatible for the Meyer lemon and will leave you with a dead tree down the road. Zone 5b you want a rootstock that can keep the tree growing a month longer in fall and start out in spring a month or 2 early. You are not talking cold hardiness because you are taking it in. Fruit dies when it goes below 28 so you have to bring the tree in anyway. Own roots in a pot with 5-1-1 mix as big as you can move when the tree reaches maximum size will give you lots of lemons and no rootstock suckers that get away from you...See More- 9 years ago
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cory (Zone 7a, NJ)