Lemon Tree is Splitting

[ohanamama]

I just bought and planted a 4' little lemon tree a couple of weeks ago and it is splitting from the top down about 1.5 inches. Should I try to tape it together or just cut the top off. (loosing two full blooming branches[])?

[Carey]

You can tape it, but the mend normally will be a slightly weaker spot. Make sure it is clean before taping...also if it has a lot of dead wood, this may make a soft area that could be a fungal problem latter...
First, try too find out WHY it is splitting (you may also want to contact where you bought it), it may have something wrong with it (obviously if it was caused from something slicing it, that isn't a main infestation concern, & would not need to call seller...)

I have been told it is best to allow a new transplant one season to re-adjust to new locations & trauma from transplant, before it expends the energy to flower/fruit (ie pinch back the blossoms the first year).... don't know if this is a good idea for your lemon, but that is another ??? to ask the lemon tree seller...

[janeadams]

Sad! Poor little thing... Carey's right.

If this is a very young tree, you should not allow it to fruit for a year or two. It needs to spend its energy in strengthening its root system and getting used to its new environment. Subsequent year, let one or two grow on different branches; prop the branches if the weight is bearing them down. I know that's hard, but your tree will be the better for letting it settle and grow roots. Most fruit trees hit their real production stride after a several years.

If you top it and it takes all the leaves off, you'll likely lose it -- the leaves are necessary for nutrient production from the sun. One suggestion would be to cut one of the branches off above the split, and then tape it. That could push it to pop out new branches from below the split. Make sure it's not doing it below the graft, as you'll end up with root stock, not good lemons.

Or.... If you can tape it successfully, and the wood looks clean and healthy from both sides of the cut, you can try that as well as putting in a cross bracing tie to hold them together as the re-knit. That is usually done with wire (cushioned around the branches) that is twisted with a stick or something to get it nice and tight to provide good bracing.

Take a look at the library and find a pruning book -- good pruning will keep your trees from this kind of split as they grow older.

[Spider Tim]

Ohanamama,

I run a successful landscaping business in Los Angeles, Ca, and although I cannot see your little lemon to help diagnose the problem, I do know that all citrus (infact most all stone fruits as well) are grafted. This means the root stock is from a different citrus species that is great at gathering nutrients and growing roots, but have bad or little fruit, and the top half is the fruit/fruits we have come to cultivate for their certain genetic dispositon, they are favorable to us for whatever the reason may be.

That being said, be careful that the split is not the graft coming undone. If you look closely, you should be able to tell. If it is the graft coming undone, you need to tape it back together as soon as you can, or else loose the plant. The rootstock may live on even if the top fruiting body dies, in which case you will begin to see the new growth has three leaflets to a leaf and spines on the stem. Thus the rootstocks' name, Citrus trifolia. Not very good fruit!

You have absolutly nothing to loose from attempting to regraft it. Make sure it's clean and use gardening tape that will go bad after a year or so. Successful grafting relies on lining up cambium layers so try to line them up as best you can.

Let me know how it goes.

Tim

[Spider Tim]

After reading your post a second time I see it says 4' not 4" which explains alot better why there are fruiting branches, duh. That being said, I'd still try taping it back together to save the branches, but remove all the buds so not to stress the plant out.

[Hotzcatz]

If it is splitting between two branches, then you could cut one branch off and only lose one of the flowering branches and the tree wouldn't have the split in it anymore. Even if you manage to keep the branch from splitting off now, when the tree is grown and fruiting heavily it is quite likely the branch will break later. If it is splitting between the grafted upper fruiting part and the rootstock, then tape it and hope it doesn't come apart.

You could try an air layer of one of the branches above the split. Scrape all the bark off in a circle, add rooting hormone and wet moss then cover that with plastic and secure it. When you see roots coming out of the moss, then you can cut that part off and have another lemon tree.

[ohanamama]

Thanks All! I love Punaweb!

I dutifully pinched off all the blossoms[V].

I'm pretty sure it's not splitting at a graft but maybe from wind damage?

Questions

If I tape it, does it matter if the split is fresh or not? It seems older, and rather dry especially at the top.

If I cut the weaker branch off, will the tree survive and flourish with only half its main trunk left? Should I tape the missing branch spot to protect it?

I've got alot to learn!

[Spider Tim]

either way should suit just fine. cutting off one branch will help to ensure future crops don't potentially stress the same tear year after year. Grafting it back together can work successfully, you just need to baby it. Maybe a year or two of no fruit to ensure it has mended it's damage.

Only you can decide what will be better for your tree. If you cut it off now, then you have little to worry about in the future, but you only have half a tree or so. Sometimes (and especially the more time that passes)it is best to just cut our losses Does that help?

[Hotzcatz]

Since it is still a young tree it might branch out and make another branch so even if a branch is cut off now, it will still grow more of them, won't it? I'd think so, but I'm not certain and it isn't my tree.

[ohanamama]

Well after much thought and careful consideration of split, I decided to top it below the split, I will lose about 2' but there are branches under the split that I am 99% sure are good (non root). It hurts [] But i think it would be better to lose a years growth but have a stronger tree in the long run.....Just gotta wait a little bit longer for all that lemonade!! I might try to get the top to take root and get two trees out of it?! Thanks again for all the advice in helping this new gardener out!