bark ringing

Discussion in 'Citrus' started by StarLoc, Oct 19, 2008.

  1. StarLoc

    StarLoc Active Member

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    Location:
    Liverpool, UK, zone 9?
    I have a tree with growth more on one side, as a branch was pruned off before i got it, there are loads of buds on the side of the trunk, they never grow, would bark ringing help equalise it out?

    i have seen mention of this after budding a tree and then not cuting the top off to force growth, ringing instead on one side to keep the top of the tree growing as well,

    i have noticed marks that could be this on the trunks of at few trees i have, scars from straight lines cut into the bark ,just above a bud that has grown into a branch

    I found this on a search of the net

    >Both girdling and notching interrupt the downward movement of the plant hormone, auxin, through the
    phloem (inner bark). Auxin is produced in the shoot tips and moves down the phloem, preventing the
    growth of lateral buds. This phenomenon is especially characteristic of apically dominant species such as
    cherry, pear, and to a lesser extent, plum. The bud or buds immediately below the removed bark strip are
    therefore released from the influence of the auxin and will usually begin to grow.

    So, its `notching` i want to do.... with a file?, this would fit in with the marks on plants i have , i will have a go and see, has anyone done this on citrus and has it worked?
     
    Last edited: Oct 19, 2008
  2. skeeterbug

    skeeterbug Active Member

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    Location:
    Pensacola, USA
    There are several ways to force buds after grafting. Notching ABOVE the bud is one way. Cutting the stock past the bud, bending the limb or top downward, and breaking the limb or top are other methods. I have used all these methods and all of them work.

    Ringing is a term I have heard used for a different purpose and involves cutting a ring all the way around a tree to stimulate flowering. There is also a technique for dwarfing that involves removing a ring of bark, turning it upside down, and replacing it.
     
  3. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Denver,Colorado USA
    Your best course of action is to leave the tree alone. A citrus tree is very capable of taking care of this problem. Over time a citrus tree forms a pleasingly consistent, almost round shape (globe). In Liverpool, while growing inside during the winter, your tree probably receives direct sunlight only on half of the tree's foliage . . You can rotate the tree every now and then so that all of the foliage receives equal light.. - Millet
     

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