I have a Li jujube cutting coming and an wondering if there’s a “best” results way to grow them from cutting? I have rootone, have seen videos where an inch off the bark is cut off, added to damp soil and covered with a plastic bag and people just putting it in well watered dirt, covering and keeping it away from direct light and heat. I know it is extremely hard to get cuttings to take and have also heard that they will not produce fruit as well. Any insight into the process is really appreciated. Maybe I should just spend the money and buy a tree outright.
They grow somewhat slow. I would recommend buying the biggest tree you can find. Good advice given to me in my earlier jujube days from another member here. Some people find enjoyment in doing the cuttings. I lack patience. It’s easier to just buy the tree.
Jujube have pretty aggressive roots, so they may be on par with rooting mulberries. I can not even count how many mulberry sticks I just stabbed in the ground out there growing now.
Wonder why jujube grow slow, but have massive root systems.
Jujubes are generally difficult to root and certainly not similar to mulberries in that regard, unless you are referring to the fact that some mulberries won’t root at all.
Of all the jujubes I have grown on their own roots, only one, Sweet Tart, had a large aggressive root system. The others all had relatively small root systems. The root systems of jujubes grafted onto rootstock vary widely, depending on the rootstock used. Most in my experience do not have massive root systems. Most have relatively small root systems.
Try to root it. But even if it roots it may not thrive and may still die. If it does not die, it will be years before you get fruit. But still, try rooting it just for the experience.
Li is the easiest tree to find to buy. So you may want to buy a grafted tree next Fall if you want fruit soon.
Most jujube trees are grafted on seedling jujube rootstocks. So aka contorted jujube on it own root sold by Just fruit and exotic I believed. I preferred to cleft graft my own jujube on seedling jujube rootstocks. The Honey Jar will take off 5 to 6 feet on a large rootstock and produce fruit the first year being grafted.
I do not see how to properly quote a message but Id like to ask the poster above Tony to explain better his post. Im new at all of this and I do not understand.
Quote: Most jujube trees are grafted on seedling jujube rootstocks
Do you mean they are grafted using runners or suckers from other trees?
Why is it so difficult to find someone willing to sell or share these suckers that Im assuming are so easily found coming from the main tree?
I purchased a couple of tiger tooth jujube from a nursery a few months ago, the guy showed me his main tree and around its base was literally dozens of suckers, he showed me how easily removing these suckers were made into new plants.
Im at a loss if its that difficult than why are the plants so difficult to find.
I dont know why but he has destroyed his tree, his explanation was that he was tired of dealing with the suckers.
His Tigertooth jujube probably grafted on a seedling rootstock from a sucker or a planted seed. Rootstock can spread many suckers or runners but they are sour jujube and not true to the grafted variety above the grafted union. I do dig up the suckers and planted them in a permanent spot and grafted them after a year or two once they sized up a bit. So now I hoped you understand how the Nurseries grafted fruit trees and sell them.
Roger Meyer used to sell rooted suckers but he passed away.
Some grafted jujubes are grafted on suckers. These days more sellers use seedling jujubes for the rootstock.
Some jujubes don’t create very many suckers. When I had big trees, some had no suckers at all. Some would only send a up a few suckers every other year or so. I only had one tree that sent up a lot of suckers.