Limequat is the reason, not rootstock. The trifoliate hybrids don't go to sleep as easy as Poncirus trifoliata or Flying dragon

My Bearss lime is on Flying Dragon, it is deep green in colour and did not loose leaves while indoors since the beginning of October, my Meiwa is on Volkamer and since brought it indoors, lost half of the amount of it's leaves and not growing at all. I don't know the rootstock of my Meyer and my citrus salad tree.

Volk is a vigorous root stock, and as a vigorous rootstock Volk produces fruit of inferior quality, especially for sweeter citrus varieties. My favorite rootstock if Flying Dragon.

For us northerners wouldn't sour orange rootstock produce even sweeter fruits such as Marumi kumquats, New Zealand lemonade, and Blood limes. Otherwise I agree with Flying Dragon or Poncirus Trifoliata as being the best. I saw some charts showing C35 and US897 to promote sweetness.

Inferior rootstck. This is why I want to grow everything on its own roots. Graft NZL scions on to NZL seedlings. I got 3 NZL seeds.

Steve

For any grower outside the tristeza virus areas, Sour Orange is a fabulous root stock . Sour Orange is rated good against salinity, good for high pH, clay soils, wet soils, freezes, blight, and high for its juice quality. It is also tolerant to Phytophthora foot and root rot, xyloporosis viroid and exocortis. Sour Orange yield per tree is high. Excellent root stock!

It must be nice to have choices, here in Louisiana (quarantine state) almost all citrus comes from only 2 nurseries, and they both tend to only offer Carrizo or some dwarf trees on Flying Dragon. The selection of citrus is limited too, though thankfully we will be getting 4 new options in the next couple of years (Orange Frost, Arctic Frost, Bumper Satsuma, and Miho)

Ike

Which ones use flying dragon. That would be th best up north for potted an in ground trees.

Steve

I know Star Citrus Nursery uses Flying Dragon on all of their dwarf varieties (Owari, Washington Navel, and Meyers according to the web site), I am not sure if Becnel's offers any dwarf options, they don't list any on their web site.

Steve,

Why do you describe C-35 as inferior? I know I haven't seen great results from my FWG plants that are presumably on it, but I'm curious why you have the same opinion.

My plan is to transition everything to sour orange, volk, or trifoliate over time, which will probably mean grafting, since a lot of desirable varieties are only available from FWG or the CCPP.

I do not know that C35 is inferior. It is very hard to find information that compares the rootstocks of interest. Most of these rootstocks were produced to get fruit out sooner or more per tree with low regard for fruit quality. The rootstocks are also produced for soil type and pest problems. Those of us container growing should be getting trees on Flying dragon. FD is superior for fruit quality. We chose our soil for the container and the fruit contains a higher amount of soluble solids (sugar) with less acid. So many nurseries sell trees on lemon or lemon hybrid rootstocks. That makes for fast growth low quality fruit. If you can find you tree on sour orange that is probably the best.

I was doing some emailing with Ruth from Harris citrus and she told me (for those that are curious) that Sour Orange would make a great citrus rootstock for container trees in terms of fruit juiciness, sugars, quality, and plant toughness / cold hardiness. The only catch is that she recommended judicious pruning once the tree matures to keep the roots and scion balanced and appropriate for the container. Since that's more or less essential to long term care of any container plant it sounds like sour orange could be a real winner! Will be getting a Seville from Harris next Spring and possibly a Bearss lemon on Sour and will hopefully remember to let people know how the experiment goes!

I have come to the conclusion that Sour orange is the best rootstock for in ground up north protected citrus trees such as I am doing. US897 is great for potted 5-1-1 citrus trees but lacks the cold hardiness needed up north. Flying dragon is next in line for my area. Meiwa kumquat cannot be grafted to Sour orange with out an inter stock of say Nagami. My yard has not dropped below 10F in 4 years. It has not dropped to 0F in probably 8-9 years.

If I were to get a marumi kumquat I would want it on sour orange. Sour orange rootstock pushes hard on sugar and that would bring a marumi up to the sweetness of a meiwa on Kuharske Citrange.

The Meiwa is only good down to 15F. My Sweetlee tangerine tree was showing wilting leaves after many day in the low 20's and high teens. It has warmed up enough for the roots to revive the leaves and it looks good. I crumbled a leaf and it smelt fresh and alive.

Steve

Glad to hear everything looks to still be kicking and healthy!

This post is the most interesting one for me, it goes towards the interesting part of making your own tree's. Members have enough supplies of the better tasting citrus varieties. When i first got interested in citrus i remember asking members for specific seeds for rootstock to start.

I bought a dozen flying Dragon seeds for $6.00 and some other seeds to get started. Somebody else offer me some more F/D seeds(free). That was my start.

When things slow down in winter it is time to set yourself up for spring.

Houz change my u.n back to my old name, sorry.