Any advice on transplanting lemon tree

[ash]

A friend died recently leaving lemon tree in the ground. At the moment the tree is outside because he was in the middle of redoing his conservatory. I think it will be fine over winter since it doesn't get too cold in Ireland. But I will need to move it.

I think I will need to prune most of the top branches to make up for the root lose during moving.. Does anyone have any other advice?

[millet]

Most lemon varieties are very easy to root with traditional methods. Use current flush stems, but after they are fully matured and turned woody. Wound the base of the cutting by removing two thin strips of bark 1/2"-3/4" long from the base on opposite sides. You can use a rooting hormone, but normally lemons root so easy that hormones are not really necessary.

[Laaz]

I usually just cut the bottom of the stick at a 45 degree angle & dip it in Take Root.

[Laaz]

You didn't say which lemon. Any true lemon would have a very hard time in your climate in winter, unless you're in a very warm micro climate.

[ash]

It's a Meyer lemon so that will provide a bit of cold resistance and it's big and has spent its whole life in an unheated conservatory so it should be fairly resistant to the Irish climate. The rain might be a problem. But I think it should be fine. If it looks bad I'll put a shelter over it.

[ash]

I was planning on doing cutting since I don't have any rootstock large enough for grafting yet.
But I had thought that citrus didn't root well. Since everyone grafts rather than does cutting.
Would cuttings have a weaker rootstock than a grafted plant?
Do Meyer lemon root well?

[millet]

Meyer lemon is probably the very easiest citrus to root.  Almost 100% success rate.

[artie10]

Nov 26, 2020 14:53:43 GMT -5 Laaz said:

You didn't say which lemon. Any true lemon would have a very hard time in your climate in winter, unless you're in a very warm micro climate.

. I’ve got some Italian lemons out side in the uk seem to survive

[Laaz]

Which Italian lemons & how cold do you get?

[sc4001992]

When you move your lemon tree, I suggest you take your time to dig up the root as big as possible around the tree (3ft diameter). Also don't dig up all of it in one day, instead dig around the root ball circumference about 2 feet deep and let it stay in ground for a week to let the tree get over the shock before you cut the bottom tap roots and pull out. I rushed my variegated valencia tree move (was 10ft, 15yr old) and it died after 6 months. Since I had two trees, I didn't take the extra precaution. I will be moving another multi-grafted tree next month so I will be a little more careful when I dig that one up.  

[sanguinho]

Dec 27, 2020 17:39:16 GMT -5 sc4001992 said:

When you move your lemon tree, I suggest you take your time to dig up the root as big as possible around the tree (3ft diameter). Also don't dig up all of it in one day, instead dig around the root ball circumference about 2 feet deep and let it stay in ground for a week to let the tree get over the shock before you cut the bottom tap roots and pull out. I rushed my variegated valencia tree move (was 10ft, 15yr old) and it died after 6 months. Since I had two trees, I didn't take the extra precaution. I will be moving another multi-grafted tree next month so I will be a little more careful when I dig that one up.  

Could you post photos of the complete process? I think that it is very interesting.

[ash]

Dec 27, 2020 17:39:16 GMT -5 sc4001992 said:

When you move your lemon tree, I suggest you take your time to dig up the root as big as possible around the tree (3ft diameter). Also don't dig up all of it in one day, instead dig around the root ball circumference about 2 feet deep and let it stay in ground for a week to let the tree get over the shock before you cut the bottom tap roots and pull out. I rushed my variegated valencia tree move (was 10ft, 15yr old) and it died after 6 months. Since I had two trees, I didn't take the extra precaution. I will be moving another multi-grafted tree next month so I will be a little more careful when I dig that one up.  

Ok yes that sounds like a good plan. I will do that

[ash]

  [/quote]
Could you post photos of the complete process? I think that it is very interesting.[/quote]


Yes I will. But I think it will be next autumn

[sc4001992]

If I remember to take some photos and the transplant is successful then I will share my photos of the procedure. I have moved a large mango (20yr old) tree with no success, and citrus trees are a little easier to move and not kill it. I just moved a large (9ft, 10yr old) plumeria tree and it was a success, also loquats, pluot and a couple of smaller citrus trees (2-3" diameter) successfully. The larger citrus tree I will be moving is about 4-5" diameter and 10 ft tall so it may not survive but I will let you know if the method I suggested works. Before I dig up the citrus tree, I have three large plumeria trees (4" diameter) to move first.

[ash]

I tried moving the lemon tree and it went very badly. It was on the edge of a small drop and digging it out caused a small landslide and the soil was very sandy so it just fell away from the roots leaving it bare rooted. We tried everything to keep some soil on the roots but it just wasn't possible. What little soil we manged to keep on the roots fell off on the trailer on the way to my house. So by the time we got it to the hole I dug for it there was no soil on the roots at all.

It's been 3 days since that happened and the tree looks completely unchanged. No leaf loss or wilting but I think it's still too soon to tell.

Also I think its a cutting since there is no graft and it definitely wasn't grown from seed since I know its been fruiting since it was very small.