How to propagate a lemon tree? The latest propagation techniques and methods tutorial

Lemon propagation methods fall into two main categories: sexual propagation and asexual propagation. Sexual propagation is grown by sowing seeds, also called seedling propagation. Asexual propagation is grown from part of the lemon's vegetative organs, also called vegetative propagation, and includes grafting, cuttings, layering, and tissue culture, among which grafting is the most common. Let's take a look at lemon tree propagation techniques below!

Lemon tree seed propagation

Choose a lemon plant that grows vigorously and is free of pests and diseases as the mother tree for seed collection. Pick the lemons in November to December when the fruit is fully ripe. After leaving them for a few days, cut the fruit open, take out the seeds, rinse them clean, and sow them immediately, or store them inside the fruit and take the seeds out for sowing in spring. Dry seeds should not be stored for long, as they easily lose their germination ability. Fresh seeds can germinate in just 7 days under alternating temperatures of 15-25°C.

Lemon tree cutting propagation

Lemon cuttings root very easily. In late May, take the vigorous current-year spring shoots removed during pruning, leave 3-4 buds and cut them into cuttings. Apart from keeping one leaf at the terminal bud, cut off the rest. Insert them into sandy loam and water immediately after inserting. After that, water once every few days to ensure the leaves stay green and never wilt. After one month the terminal bud begins to grow; apply clear manure water once every 20 days. In the same year they can send out summer shoots and autumn shoots, and they can be transplanted in autumn.

Lemon tree layering propagation

Lemon layering propagation mainly uses air layering. In May to June, choose a vigorously growing branch free of pests and diseases as the mother branch for propagation. At the air-layering site, remove the leaves, use a small knife to make a ring-shaped cut 4-6 cm long, and peel off the bark, but do not damage the xylem. Then use a plastic film about 12 cm long and about 10 cm wide, and tie the film firmly with string 2 cm below the peeled section to form a cylinder. Fill the cylinder with loose, fertile garden soil. Once filled, it forms a mud ball the size of a fist; then tie the upper end firmly. After air layering, the leaves turn light green and white young roots grow inside the plastic bag, gradually filling the surrounding area, which shows the air layering has succeeded. In September to October, cut the branch off below the plastic bag, gently remove the plastic film, being careful not to break the mud ball, plant it in a flower pot, water it thoroughly, and place it in a shaded spot to recover. After 10-15 days, gradually increase the light, and before long new leaves will grow.

Lemon tree tissue culture

Cut a sterilized shoot tip to 5-8 mm long, then inoculate it while maintaining polarity onto a callus induction medium. After 3-4 weeks of culture, the explant begins to form callus. At this point it can be cut off and transferred to a shoot induction medium. After several more weeks of culture, a cluster of shoots can form; cut it off and transfer it to a root induction medium. After 3-4 weeks of culture, a regenerated plantlet with a root system can form. The culture temperature is 24-26°C, with 8-12 hours of light per day, and a light intensity of 1000-2000 lux.

Lemon tree grafting propagation

1. Cut grafting: Spring mostly uses cut grafting. Grafting works better when the sap begins to flow. In the Sichuan and Chongqing areas, grafting can be done in the half month before and after the Rain Water solar term; in Guangdong, the survival rate is high when grafting is done within 40 days after the Start of Spring. In years with low temperatures, the grafting time can be postponed to May. Cut grafting is simple to perform, buds sprout quickly, and growth is rapid; in the same year it can reach the standard for leaving the nursery, and it can be planted out in autumn or the following spring.

2. Side grafting: Side grafting is generally used for autumn grafting, and can be done from after the Rain Water solar term to early November. Side grafting has a relatively high survival rate; if it does not take the first time, it can be re-grafted 2-3 times. The scion cutting method is the same as for cut grafting. At about 10 cm above the ground, choose a smooth surface and make a vertical cut from top to bottom, about 2 cm long, with the cutting depth kept at not damaging or only slightly damaging the xylem. Once the slit is opened, immediately insert the scion, and bind and seal the joint tightly from bottom to top with plastic film strips.

3. Bud grafting: Bud grafting can be divided into two types: small-bud cut grafting and small-bud side grafting. Small-bud cut grafting is mainly done in spring, and small-bud side grafting is mainly done in autumn. Bud grafting is fast, highly efficient, and makes a small wound on the rootstock that heals easily. When cutting the bud, hold the scion upside down in the left hand, hold the knife in the right hand, keep the blade flat, and cut from 1 cm below the bud up to 0.5 cm above the bud, so that the bud carries a slight amount of xylem. Then use the knife to make a vertical downward cut on the scion and remove the bud piece.