How to Propagate Kumquat? A Detailed Guide to Grafting Methods and Timing

Kumquat, also known as jinzao, jingan, or small orange, is a plant of the genus Fortunella, and its fruit is highly nutritious. It is mostly produced in the Guangdong region. Kumquat is an evergreen shrub that stays green all year round. During the Spring Festival, many residents buy a pot of kumquat to place at home for good luck. So how is kumquat grown? What methods are there for grafting and shaping it as a home bonsai?

Kumquat Propagation Methods

1. Seedling offspring grown from kumquat seeds are mostly variable, the varieties tend to degenerate, and fruiting is late, so sowing propagation is generally not used.

2. Grafting propagation is commonly used. Use trifoliate orange or sour orange as rootstock, which can improve cold resistance; generally, bud grafting and branch grafting are used.

3. Bud grafting is carried out from June to September. For potted plants, approach grafting is commonly used, and transplanting is done before budding the following year.

Kumquat Grafting Methods and Timing

1. Cutting time

Kumquat cutting propagation is best carried out in spring and summer. Generally, April to June is more suitable for cuttings, because during this period the temperature environment is generally above 20°C, and there is no scorching midsummer sun, so it is more suitable for the survival and growth of cuttings.

2. Making cuttings

First select robustly growing branches from the mother plant. After cutting them off, cut them into cuttings about 7-10 cm long. Keep 1-2 leaf stalks on each cutting, and keep only a small half of the leaf on each leaf stalk, cutting off the rest of the leaf. After cutting the cuttings, the upper ends must be sealed with wax to avoid water loss through evaporation.

3. Cutting process

Choose a moderately sized earthenware pot with good air permeability as the cutting pot, put sterilized soft sandy loam soil into the pot, and then insert the prepared cuttings into the nutrient soil. If cutting is done during April to May, the inserted portion accounts for about 60% of the entire branch length, after which it is placed under semi-shade conditions for care; if cutting is done in June, the inserted portion accounts for about 40% of the entire branch length, after which it is placed in a fully shaded environment for care. At the same time, in order to improve the survival rate of the cuttings, it is recommended to cut and insert at the same time.

4. Covering with film

After all cuttings are inserted, water them thoroughly once, then cover the pot opening with transparent plastic film. The purpose of doing this is to prevent rain from washing them while also defending against the invasion of pathogens. More importantly, it can keep the cuttings at a certain humidity so they will not die from lack of water.

5. Care and management

It takes about 2 months from completing the cuttings to the cuttings rooting and sprouting, so during this period the film needs to be opened at intervals for ventilation, about once every 2 weeks. At the same time, observe the dry and wet state of the potting soil and water as appropriate to maintain the humidity of the potting soil and provide sufficient water supply for the cuttings. When the young leaves on the cuttings are seen to spread open, the film can be removed. The young plants will continue to sprout new branches and leaves, after which the young plants can be repotted and transplanted.

When to Prune Kumquat

Early February to mid-March in spring; early July to mid-August in summer and autumn. In addition, auxiliary pruning such as bud removal to control shoots and cutting flower branches is carried out from late April to early July.

How to Prune Kumquat

Handle flexibly according to the characteristics of each variety and the vigor of the tree.

1. Trees with many flowers should be pruned heavily, combining thinning with heading back; trees with few flowers should be pruned lightly, only thinning out some dense branches and thin weak branches.

2. Dead branches and severely diseased or pest-infested branches should be cut off entirely from the base.

3. Aged branch groups should be renewed by heading back or thinned out. The length of renewal branches depends on the strength and position of the branch group.

4. Crossing branches and water sprouts should in principle be cut off from the base, but when the middle and lower parts of the canopy are relatively empty, they can be appropriately headed back to serve as renewal branches or to fill gaps; dense branches should be appropriately thinned out, and overly long ones should be pinched.

Every year during the New Year, many families buy a pot of kumquat bonsai bearing golden fruit to decorate their homes. However, kumquat likes sunlight and a warm, humid environment, is not cold-tolerant, is slightly shade-tolerant, and is drought-tolerant, so when caring for it, be sure to pay attention to winter cold protection.