Hank writes: My friend has citrus tree that only produces sour fruits. Is it worth trying to graft the tree with a better variety or should I just plant another tree?
A. It’s very difficult to change the variety on a large tree. You can add buds of a more desirable citrus to the some of the limbs. Only the growth from these buds produce the new sweet fruits. Replacing the variety on the entire tree would require cutting it back to the main trunk and grafting into the thick remaining limbs. Contact your local cooperative extension service office to obtain information on grafting techniques you might use. Sometimes it’s just easier to plant a new tree.
Related Questions
- Hank writes: My friend has citrus tree that only produces sour fruits. Is it worth trying to graft the tree with a better variety or should I just plant another tree?
- Willy writes: We have a large orange tree that produces lots of fruits but many are dry at the ends. What can I do to improve the fruits?
- Where in nature is the orange tree usually found?
