{"id":26127,"date":"2026-05-01T08:13:32","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T15:13:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/?p=26127"},"modified":"2026-05-01T08:13:34","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T15:13:34","slug":"look-mom-i-made-a-citrus-tree-from-scratch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/look-mom-i-made-a-citrus-tree-from-scratch\/","title":{"rendered":"Look, Mom. I made a citrus tree from scratch!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>It all started when I identified my neighbor&#8217;s citrus tree as rootstock. The fruit was unpleasantly sour and very seedy, nothing you would ever eat. The leaves were in groups of three. I looked at the base of the trunk and could see where the intended top of the tree had been overgrown by these branches making terrible fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was the classic loss of a citrus tree from rootstock suckers. It happens time and again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(My post, <a href=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/beware-of-rootstock-suckers-on-citrus-trees\/\">&#8220;Beware of citrus rootstock suckers.&#8221;<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But which rootstock was this? It looked most like <a href=\"https:\/\/citrusvariety.ucr.edu\/crc3912\">C-35<\/a> to me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I could use this, I thought. I could take a fruit, sow the seed, and later graft on a chosen variety. I could make my own citrus tree from scratch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On February 11, 2024, I did the sowing. I let the seedling grow for two years, in which time I almost forgot about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/C35-citrus-rootstock-seedling-Oct-2024.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/C35-citrus-rootstock-seedling-Oct-2024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26133\" style=\"width:484px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/C35-citrus-rootstock-seedling-Oct-2024.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/C35-citrus-rootstock-seedling-Oct-2024-480x386.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 800px, 100vw\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eight months after sowing the seed, October 2024.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/C35-citrus-seedling-May-2025.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"763\" src=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/C35-citrus-seedling-May-2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26134\" style=\"width:438px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/C35-citrus-seedling-May-2025.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/C35-citrus-seedling-May-2025-480x458.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 800px, 100vw\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The C-35 seedling after seven more months, in May 2025.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Then in January of this year, 2026, I toured the greenhouses of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fourwindsgrowers.com\/\">Four Winds Growers<\/a>, a California nursery operation that has been making citrus trees for generations. It got me excited about citrus, and it made me remember my C-35 seedling, and it gave me an idea for how I would graft it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Back at home, on February 19, I cut a little branch off my <a href=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/the-shiranui-mandarin-tree-a-profile\/\">Shiranui mandarin<\/a> tree. I wanted to make a second Shiranui tree since it is my wife&#8217;s favorite variety but the location of my first tree is not ideal. And the grafting method I used was the one I had seen used with great success at Four Winds, a simple splice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/splice-graft-drawing.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"674\" src=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/splice-graft-drawing.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26142\" style=\"width:254px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/splice-graft-drawing.jpg 600w, https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/splice-graft-drawing-480x539.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 600px, 100vw\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To aid the healing, I kept the grafted tree &#8212; Shiranui top onto C-35 seedling bottom &#8212; on a heat mat in my garage for a couple weeks. I was again trying to imitate what I&#8217;d seen at Four Winds, where heaters are used inside the greenhouses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shiranui-graft-on-C35-healing-on-heat-mat.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"660\" src=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shiranui-graft-on-C35-healing-on-heat-mat.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26135\" style=\"width:442px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shiranui-graft-on-C35-healing-on-heat-mat.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shiranui-graft-on-C35-healing-on-heat-mat-480x396.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 800px, 100vw\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In great anticipation, I watched for growth. In mid-April, at last, I could see that the buds on the Shiranui scion were growing strongly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shiranui-graft-on-C35-growth-April-12-2026.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"619\" src=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shiranui-graft-on-C35-growth-April-12-2026.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26136\" style=\"width:486px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shiranui-graft-on-C35-growth-April-12-2026.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shiranui-graft-on-C35-growth-April-12-2026-480x371.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 800px, 100vw\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">April 12, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And the splice graft had healed well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/splice-graft-healed-Shiranui-on-C35-citrus.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"787\" src=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/splice-graft-healed-Shiranui-on-C35-citrus.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26138\" style=\"width:432px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/splice-graft-healed-Shiranui-on-C35-citrus.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/splice-graft-healed-Shiranui-on-C35-citrus-480x472.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 800px, 100vw\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Healed splice graft in April 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I hate taking care of plants in containers so I dug a hole. Upon removing the ball from the pot, I found that the roots at the bottom of the one-gallon container were circling but I teased them straight and spread them in the hole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shiranui-on-C35-just-planted.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"771\" src=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shiranui-on-C35-just-planted.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26137\" style=\"width:416px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shiranui-on-C35-just-planted.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shiranui-on-C35-just-planted-480x463.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 800px, 100vw\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Just planted.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I stepped back to admire the little guy, and I felt like saying, &#8220;Look, Mom. I made a citrus tree from scratch!&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Want to make your own citrus tree from scratch?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can sow a seed for the rootstock like I did or you can buy rootstock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Four Winds Growers sells C-35 seedlings and other citrus types for rootstock whenever they have more than they need. (See the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fourwindsgrowers.com\/collections\/citrus-rootstock\">Four Winds citrus rootstocks page here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also buy a grafted citrus tree from a nursery and then graft it over to your desired variety, thereby treating it as a rootstock. If doing this, it&#8217;s best to use a citrus type that is similar to the one you&#8217;re grafting. For example, buy an orange tree if you&#8217;re planning to graft on an orange variety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Where to get the scion, the top fruiting part? A reliable source that I have used in the past and that has a plethora of citrus types available is the University of California&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/ccpp.ucr.edu\/onlineOrdersV2\/\">Citrus Clonal Protection Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I don\u2019t run ads on my Yard Posts because I respect you and want to help make the Internet readable again. I rely on <a href=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/supporting-the-yard-posts\/\">your voluntary support<\/a> exclusively. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>All of my Yard Posts are listed&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/list-of-yard-posts\/\">HERE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It all started when I identified my neighbor&#8217;s citrus tree as rootstock. The fruit was unpleasantly sour and very seedy, nothing you would ever eat. The leaves were in groups of three. I looked at the base of the trunk and could see where the intended top of the tree had been overgrown by these [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26132,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[109],"tags":[15,16],"class_list":["post-26127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-citrus","tag-citrus","tag-grafting"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Look, Mom. 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