How do people here root lemon cuttings?

[Jangchub]

I have two lemon trees which I just pruned and cleaned up after they were under cover for the winter. They actually had lemons on them! One is 'Pink Lemonade' with variegated foliage. The other is plain green, both are Meyers lemons.

I am trying to get them into a tree shape, so each spring I prune out everything going in toward the center, or crossing, or anything lower than the canopy I'm trying to make.

I took the trimmings and made heel cuts, dipped them in rooting hormone and firmed them into flats with moist pro-mix. I don't have any plastic around which is clear. Should I use a white plastic bag to put over the entire flats? Is this a futile attempt at something which will not become plants?

There is virtually nobody around selling citrus. It cannot be shipped here in Texas for some reason. At least that's what I have been told so it may not be true. I would still like to make gallon sized plants with these cuttings and eventually sell them locally to the better garden centers which have more than impatiens and petunias.

Any experience out there?

Victoria

[Val]

I cut the bottoms off plastic soda and water bottles to make little cloche covers for my cuttings. You can remove the cap if they are getting too wet or close it up if you need more warmth and moisture. Look at it this way......you started out with no cuttings so if they don't work you aren't out anything but a bit of time; if they grow you've made progress.

Val

[Jangchub]

We don't drink soda any more, but I have a billion gallon milk jugs which I can do the same thing with. That is a great idea, thanks.

As for the success, I agree. I know people are hankering for this variegated, pink fruited form, so I'd like to put it out there.

thanks, Victoria

[David E. Ross]

The usual method for propagating citrus is to plant seeds to get a sapling rootstock and then graft the desired variety (e.g., from prunings) onto that rootstock. If you start with Meyer lemon seeds for the rootstock, the tree should be a standard size. If you start with some other variety of citrus, especially not lemon (not even Eureka), you may get a dwarf.