Something I do to promote lateral growth while not pruning the plant is to wire it. By simply bending the tip of the branch down below the other branches, the tree is stimulated to grow new buds just as if the growing tips had been pruned off. I do this with my kumquats and it works well. You can bend the branches down by tying the tips with twine and then tying the twine to something, or you can use a good bonsai wire, wrap it around two branches and then bend both down. If you bend the branches young, they are easy to bend. The older they get, the harder they get. Just be careful not to bend too far so they break. If you use wire just keep an eye on it as citrus can go through rapid growth spurts and the wire can bite into the branch and leave a mark if you don't remove it as soon as the branch sets.

Thank you bonsai_ctirus, I hadn't thought of that. I'll look into that more, I think I'll need to do some research before I start. Once shoots start appearing lower down, do I release the tied branches, or are they forever shaped down?

The branches stay permanently shaped how you shaped them, but there are ways to minimize the look of the bent branches, and even use them to fill in the tree. It's a little hard to see, but this is a branch I did earlier this year. It had gotten very tall and long, and was catching in the blind. It's hard to see, as the branch in question is inside the main canopy so it is hard to photograph, but there are two new branches forming from above the joint. The tree also budded off many lower branches as a result of this and others. I have used this technique to fill in the hole in the canopy on this particular tree, where someone at the nursery it grew at clipped all the branches on one side of the tree.

Usually, assuming the pot is big enough and it's not rootbound, as long as there is sunlight hitting the trunk, the trunk will send out shoots at the dormant nodes. I think your plant just needs some time. Is it having to deal with super hot temps already?

We had a slower start to our summer this year, which was most welcome. We are just beginning our hot spell now. This week is upper 70s for the low and 105 for the high, almost every day. I imagine that will slow the growth. It's been one thing after another with this grapefruit tree, I just can't seem to keep it happy. I can give it more time. I was afraid that with growth at the tips, this tree would end up with some leggy branches with tufts of leaves at the end. But if it will fill out naturally, eventually, I can wait.

On a related note, how do you all water during the summer? I have found that even though my trees are in a 5-1-1 mix, they still don't like to be watered often. This presents a conundrum for me during the hot summer months. Do people provide frequent sips or continue to provide less frequent but deeper waterings? How do you keep the top layers from going hydrophobic in the hot months?

For that size of container, you don’t need any central leader. Did you check the temp in several places in the media, does it get direct sun exposure, prolong high temperatures inside not good for feeder roots. What fertilizer are you using, don’t need high doses In that condition.

Travis, that tree does not look so bad. It seems to be very happy despite it's shape. I like it. I just buy a bag of mulch and add a layer of it on top of the surface. It keeps the top couple of inches from drying out before the bottom does. Makes a huge difference)

@Bob, I haven't checked the temps this season, but I did last year. Temps seemed consistent across the media. IIRC temps maxed out in the low 90s. The container gets sun from about 0600-1200 and then the house shields it from direct sun. In Phoenix it is a strong sun and is nearly everyday, so even though it only gets about 6 hours per day, those hours count. I have a small dose of Osmocote Plus for consistent nutrient availability and I give about 1/4 tsp per gallon of Foliage Pro once per week. I water by hand (with the FP) every Sunday and let the drip system do another deep watering mid-week.
I'm curious what you mean about the central leader. This tree has always looked tall and flimsy to me. Are you suggesting I could "top it off" and let it be more branched? So far I have only trimmed occasional deadwood, letting the tree and environment (and whatever training the nursery did) dictate its shape.

Your tree is tall enough for that size container. Central leader is the main branch, it’s the branch with upright growth. Because I grow a lot of citrus tres, I use Peters 25-7-15 HP, it comes only in a 25 lb bag, way too much for you. I do use Osmocote in conjunction with Peters fertilizer, why? Because when you use Peters fert, it gets flushed out with constant watering, that’s when a timed release fertilizer comes in. There is no break for the tree not to get fertilizer, it’s always there. Citrus likes high nitro. Growing grapefruit with branches like yours, not advisable. Structurally need some improvement.

Travis, when are your 'peak' growing seasons there?)0

@Meyermike I honestly don't know. I've had my two citrus trees for just over 1 year and it hasn't been entirely smooth sailing for either of them. Both have had a couple episodes of overwatering and then stabilization. Both flowered prolifically at the beginning of March. The grapefruit tree put out several new shoots after flowering was completed but that was a short phase. I don't really see any signs of new growth at the moment. The Meyer put out quite a bit of growth at the end of last summer. She has several buds emerging out of terminal nodes right now but it is not as extensive as I remember the end of summer being.

@Bob, how would you improve the structure? Heading the branches so they are shorter?

Travis, not sure what Bob would do but if it were my tree that's exactly what I would do. That would encourage new growth from the central leader and make it grow more bushy. That is what I had to do to mine.

Bonsai also had a good idea.

You have a couple of options there but both would work.

Also, not sure if you saw the part where I shared with you how to stop the top of your mix from drying out while the lower part is still wet. I use bark mulch as a top dressing) Looks good too. The Hemlock one or what ever you choose for color.

Thanks Mike, I appreciate the feedback as always. I was concerned about heading off the branches because the tree has so few leaves and they are primarily at the ends. Would you just snip the tips, or cut some limbs back? Would you remove any of that top growth or just the long droopy limbs?

Well, honestly, I'm not a big fan of Osmocote because it contains so many salts. Unless you are really giving it a good washout, those salts will accumulate. I've had plants die from it. This may just be my conditions! But just FYI.

Oh yeah, I did see your comment about mulch, thanks!

Good to know Dave! I thought Osmocote was the end all be all, so I appreciate the feedback. All my waterings are heavy, which is maybe why my trees don't tolerate more than 2 or so per week, regardless of the weather. I haven't seen any issues with burning yet, but I suppose the salts could also interfere with hydration, which would be a bad thing in the summer. I'll keep an eye out.

Travis, Dave is right! Especially in mixes that have finer particles like peat. But rest assured that your mix is so porous, it will only be helpful and in fact you will need it more than most like I use it.

As for cutting it back, I would. I would do a hard prune to at least a foot from the leader, Everything. That is just me. The harder you cut back the more it will force growth close to the leader. That is what I do will all my trees and I notice you have a Jade on your steps too? Them too. That is how I make Bonsai style plants too. I have to keep mine on the smaller side. Some cut their trees way back before bringing them before fall and they do just fine. That is just how I treat my trees. As long as the roots are healthy, chop away. It is still the growing season for me and I am hoping you too.

Sometimes trees and plants just need a haircut like people do, or they will grow straggly and unruly out of shape.

Imagine, cutting all the roots back? You have not had to do that yet)

Just do it buddy)) Don't think too much. It will survive under normal circumstances.

I love that boldness Mike! I'm willing to be daring with this tree because I've never been 100% into it. My favorite crop is grapefruit so I really wanted this tree to work, but it never looks happy, etc. I've almost replaced it multiple times. So I am okay taking chances with it.

I just want to make sure I get the cuts right. When you say prune a foot from the leader, do you mean a foot off the top? Basically removed all that top growth? To force new laterals? I'm scared I will chop off too much and kill it. But, I trust you, and as Ivan Drago says, "If he dies, he dies."

To be precise Travis...Ha

The top, I would cut back as far as you think it will look good. Me, It would be about 6 inches back on the top portion and about a foot back on all the side growth , or leave about a foot of growth out coming off the leader if that makes sense. I wish I knew how to use the drawing device on here and show you that way. It's hard to gauge from here but I think you get it. Leave more growth on top and less on the sides. Eventually the new growth will catch up with the top in a much richer and fuller state. That is what happens to my trees..))

Mike

Oh, I see!
A foot off the leader means, a foot off the leader. I get it.
I should probably do this to me Meyer as well. Most of her new growth is coming out tips of long branches instead of forming new branches. I just hate squashing new growth!

Travis. I did this to this orange tree. All it had was growth far from the leader bare in the center. The branches had all the weight at the ends and could hold fruit. So I cut back so much it only had a few bare branches and leaves left. Here it is within a couple of months. See all the new growth in the center? It’s going to look awesome. Do it and let me see buddy

A couple more pics for you.

Mike, your trees are amazing!

Travis, if you're not worried about having a stick for awhile, don't worry about cutting the tree back. Even removing most of the leaves. Just watch the rootstock for suckers and let it go. I have cut citrus trees back, removing almost all the leaves, as well and they leafed out beautiful. It all depends on what you want. If you're worried about being that drastic, you can always bend the tree down to break apical dominance, and then remove the leader once you see new growth. Both will work the same. You just want to direct the growth hormones away from the top of the tree. Any way you do that is just fine. Though figs can be far more aggressive, and grow somewhat different than citrus, (so not saying they're the same, just an example of the principle), a great example of this is my fig prebonsai that I shared on another thread. When I first got that, I cut away more than 90% of the root mass (it was all dead), and removed 3/4 of the tree. I've fully defoliated it more than once. Tree is fine and always grows more full afterwards. Obviously I wouldn't do the same with a citrus tree, but I wouldn't worry about it. Just stick with your level of comfort and remember that trees can survive a lot.

Oh! For reference, this is the branch on my fukushu that was smashed in an unfortunate couch incident a few months

ago. Lost all of the leaves. As you can see, there's a ton of new growth.

Mike, your garden truly is an Eden!
Thank you Mike and bonsai for your encouragement and examples! I am filled with confidence. I am eager to take the plunge. My last reservations have to do with timing of new growth. I'm afraid the new growth will quickly get sunburned and then my new "shape" will be ruined. I'm also wondering if this is an opportunity to do some root pruning. I don't think it's root bound, but it's lost a lot of volume up top. Would that be helpful, or too much excising at one time?

Travis, I have a feeling that like our winters, your trees are about to slow down or even get stressed due over heated soil and roots. Most plants in which their roots rise above 90 practically stop working and rest. Even my jades can be over watered in hot weather because they practically go dormant.

If it were my tree, I would make sure that the weather is not so hot it will stress the tree and then cut it back.

Or, you could stick the tree out of the sun all together keeping the roots cool.

Or you could submerge the pot into the ground through the hottest days...These options would allow active growth.

If I saw that the weather was too hot for my trees, especially in some sun, I would hold off on anything that would stress the tree until the weather cools off allowing active growth again.

Hope this helps. I don't know your weather or how it would play a role in active verses inactive growth there, but once you determine the best time to do it, I would do the trim. I would leave the roots alone unless they need work at this time.

Sage advice Mike, thank you. I'll probably wait until September and then go to town on those limbs. Will probably mean another year with no harvest, but if I can get a full, happy tree it will be worth it.

Best grapefruit I've ever had were off my aunt and uncles' trees in Phoenix. Oh the memories.

Dave, I hope someday my grapefruit tree will produce great tasting fruit!

I've never seen an established potted citrus, so forgive my ignorance. But in looking at Bob's picture, it reminds me of deciduous trees where you have some established structural branches and then a new set of young offshoots which update annually. Is that how citrus operates?

On citrus you might have 3 flushes per year, 2 for sures. I forcing this tree its first flush, hoping.

I think I was surprised by how thick the trunk/branches are, and there don't seem to be any young limbs. Do you cut back the younger growth to get new shoots on the established structural branches?

Travis, i just did this about 3weeks ago, i will show you in a couple of months what this

tree looks like. providing things going as plan, fertilizing with urea and phosphate.