Kumquat cuttings: [Grafts, Time, Rooting and Planting]

The kumquat is a species of tree that produces fruit popularly known as dwarf orange.

It has the property of generating very abundant harvests, although its growth period is quite slow.It is for this reason that far from preferring seed sowing, the use of cuttings is recommended.

Have you thought about working your garden with this species? Attention because in this post we will give you useful information about its sowing and reproduction by cuttings.

With what other plants or trees can we graft the kumquat cutting?

Due to its affinity in the world of citrus, the kumquat is very commonly grafted with species such as lemon trees.

It is also common to use other orange species such as trifoliate orange or bitter orange.Grapefruit also represents a good option when grafting kumquat.

The main reason for applying this technique when multiplying has to do with the growth time.Grafting with the aforementioned species helps a lot to obtain blooms and fruits in less time.

What is the best time to plant kumquat cuttings?

Kumquat cuttings will have to be taken in summer, when the temperature is warm, since it is the time that suits them best.

For this reason, it is not necessary to wait until the season is very late, but it is worth taking the cuttings as soon as it starts.

This, among other benefits, will offer you the opportunity to develop your roots in an environment that you find very pleasant.

How to get kumquat cuttings to root properly?

Cuttings that have been taken from the mother plant will need to be dipped in a rooting hormone to improve their chance of root production.

After this, you will bury them in a pot prepared with a universal substrate and organic matter if you have it available, as it is not mandatory.

You have to water abundantly so that the water penetrates the entire substrate and be vigilant so that it does not dry out too much.Especially considering the fact that the best location for these pots will be in full sun, whereby the water will evaporate faster.In case you prefer to have it in semi-shade, it will also do well.

How should we take the kumquat cuttings to plant them?

Kumquat cuttings will be taken with a semi-woody structure and some leaves.Being a tree, there will be no problems regarding the length as it tends to be longer than in other cases, needing at least 30 centimeters .

How long should we leave kumquat cuttings in water?

Kumquat cuttings, due to their development conditions, do not need to be worked in water but will do well directly on land.As we have said above, what is important is to ensure that the substrate is well moistened, especially in this first stage, until they produce roots.

Is it convenient to use fertilizer or compost?

Although it does not require the application of nutrients for its growth, if you have it available you will add a plus.With a little homemade compost or manure that you have available for your garden, it will be more than enough.

How long does it usually take for a kumquat cutting to come out?

Kumquat cuttings can come out in an average time of one month if all the guidelines described above have been followed.

As it has a slow growth, it can be kept in a pot after it has generated roots and work with it as a kind of bonsai.

This allows it not only to have a fruit-bearing function but also an ornamental one, until the flowering period begins and it is already possible to obtain fruit.

However, in terms of the results obtained after grafting with other citrus fruit trees, this time can be 20 days.In this case, it is most common to keep the trees in an open space because the grafting process will produce larger plants.

After you’ve gone through all of the above, you’ll be thrilled to learn that kumquats don’t need as much attention as other species.This is due to the fact that it is tolerable both in direct sun and in low temperatures, being possible that it is fine down to -10º C.

To achieve this goal, the plant submits itself to a fairly strict hibernation process, so we will not notice any type of change while it lasts.Although it does need a good amount of humidity, it is okay if one day you forget to water it, especially when it is already an adult plant.

It is adaptable to many types of soil, preferring those with a slightly acidic pH but it does not matter much if it is poor.So, what do you say? Do you dare to have a kumquat tree at home from cuttings?

If you want to go deeper, you can see: How to plant a kumquat.