Should I leave a shoot from the rootstock below the graft? presumably
some sort of lemon

On 11/23/2017 12:37 AM, FMurtz wrote:
Should I leave a shoot from the rootstock below the graft? presumably
some sort of lemon


At the position of the graft, the tree is somewhat weak. It is not s
structural weakness but a growth weakness. Nutrients going up from the
roots and down from the leaves slow at that point. This does not affect
the shoot from the rootstock, which will eventually dominate the plant.
In the end, the grafted top might wither and die.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

On 23 Nov 2017 19:37, FMurtz wrote:
Should I leave a shoot from the rootstock below the graft? presumably
some sort of lemon

No, certainly not. It will be stronger than the grafted top you want
and eventually dominate the plant. Cut it off as near the trunk as
possible.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On 11/23/2017 12:55 PM, Bob Hobden wrote:
On 23 Nov 2017 19:37, FMurtz wrote:
Should I leave a shoot from the rootstock below the graft? presumably
some sort of lemon

No, certainly not. It will be stronger than the grafted top you want
and eventually dominate the plant. Cut it off as near the trunk as
possible.


Sometimes, cutting away a sucker is not successful. A new shoot quickly
arises from the stub. If possible, pull the sucker out of the trunk or
root from which it sprouted.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

David E. Ross wrote:
Bob Hobden wrote:
FMurtz wrote:

Should I leave a shoot from the rootstock below the graft? presumably
some sort of lemon

No, certainly not. It will be stronger than the grafted top you want
and eventually dominate the plant. Cut it off as near the trunk as
possible.

Sometimes, cutting away a sucker is not successful. A new shoot quickly
arises from the stub. If possible, pull the sucker out of the trunk or
root from which it sprouted.

Exactly... catch those suckers early before they grow larger, and with
a gloved hand yank them laterally, on trunks yank downward. If cut
suckers will grow back in the same spot only larger and often in
multiples. Sometimes a sucker will persist and still grow back, then
excising some of the surrounding wood and cutting deep is necessary,
like removing a cancer, especially occurs at ground level on fruit
trees where the sucker cannot be yanked downward. With persistant
suckers on my plum trees I drill a 1/2" diameter hole 3/4" deep and
fill it with caulking compound.