Is there any reason not to let this rootstock shoot grow out and fruit? I’d like to have a source of seeds for rootstock purposes, but not if there would be any problem for the grafted variety (Pixie, the only tree my wife has specifically requested in the greenhouse).
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Let it grow about 6 inches and nip it in the top bud. After it hardens off you can remove it and root it in potting soil in a small cup. PT roots well.
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I was thinking it would grow faster and fruit sooner if it stays on the tree. Is there any reason not to keep a lower branch that’s from the rootstock? Will it cause the grafted variety to grow poorly, or will it grow poorly itself as a lower branch?
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The trifoliate rootstock will cause the fruiting part to die in a few years. Your rootstock is from seed and will need to grow to about 8 feet tall before it will set fruit.
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That’s a shame. For my avocados, I like to let the rootstock grow along with the grafted variety, and as long as I’m good about keeping them pruned evenly it doesn’t seem they have a tendency to abort/self-prune the graft when you do that. Sad to hear citrus/poncirus are different in that regard.
Thanks!
I would remove the shoot from the rootstock.
Seeds / seedlings of trifoliate are easy to come by.
You really don’t want that rootsprout to grow to a size where it will fruit .
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