My grapefruit plant originally sprouted inside my refrigerator in a rotting ruby red grapefruit. Two years later it is over a foot tall, almost a foot and 1/2 and it has sent out another "sprout". It is planted in an 8 inch pot that is about 8 inches deep. I will bring it inside this winter, but it's kind of top heavy (tall) now. Should I prune it by cutting several inches off the main stalk? Or should I just stake it for stability? Any thoughts on whether it is ready to move up to another size container? If I do that, I don't think I should bury it any deeper than it currently is, correct? Didn't think it would sprout along the stem? I have not been fertilizing it much over the summer. I have dumped coffee grounds on it recently. Is this a good idea? Coffee causes acid loving plants like roses and bouganvilla (sp) to bloom. It looks healthy except for the the leaves some caterpillars devoured in the spring.
Most of the experts recommend against pruning. A couple things you may not know about grapfruit-- it may take over 15 years from seed to fruit, and the trees get pretty big--over 20 ft. If you are into grafting-- you can put some "mature wood" on the tree and get fruit in a couple years. If you are not in too cold a climate it would be best to put it in the ground. I don't know much about container growing-- but citrus should never be planted deeper than they are.
Two years old & 1 1/2 feet tall ? You are stunting it's growth. I have 4 two year old red grapefruit that are all over 7 ft tall (Inground). Not sure of your climate in Austin, but grapefruit do much better inground. As I said before I have never seen a seed grown grapefruit produce fruit in a container. skeeterbug is correct. Grapefruit from seed will take 10-15 years to fruit in optimal conditions.
My goal is really not to grow fruit. It's just not to kill it. So, that's why I was asking whether I would damage it by pruning the main stalk (cutting off the top). Usually, this helps the main stalk grow thicker, stronger. It's tall and lanky as I said. Sorry I haven't posted a photo. We are zone 8 in Austin.
Cutting (Topping) the tree will force it to flush out new growth lower on the trunk as well as making a sturdy trunk.
I am south of you in Pinehurst TX... Some do well in the ground here others freeze...Austin is TOO cold for in ground... now back to the pruning question If you plan to keep it as a house plant pruning is a MUST! I have a Sweet lime grown from seed that is 16yrs old and has been fruiting for about 7-8 yrs it is in a large pot.... but to bring it in or keep it on the porch I have to top it out some years setting back production. The original tree the seed came from was 30' tall and as wide.... You can top out about 1/4-1/3 to force new growth and keep it smaller but for now I would repot and let it grow a bit topping out about 2-4" just to force a bit.... I do this alot with seedlings of all kinds to dwarf them.... as to fruiting it may fruit them it may not container or not.... some Grapefruit never fruit from seed and you can plant all the seeds in a single fruit and get about half the seedlings to bear.... Not sure why that is... My mom had the one she grew moved using a tree spade... it is now shorter but was around 30' and columner due to the pruning we did on it when young... but it set fruit even after the move! It is about 15ys old and has been fruiting for about 5 yrs now! Good luck with your tree! Cat
Cat I'll disagree with you that some grapefruit will never produce fruit from seed. Unless the tree is distressed from lack of nutrients they will always produce fruit from seed. Some take many more years than others, but will eventually fruit. As far as a grapefruit producing fruit in a container from seed, That I would love to see, I really doubt it can be done...
I agree with Laaz. Every properly grown grapefruit trees will bloom and fruit when grown from seed -- every one. A grapefruit tree, like all citrus trees, will mature, bloom and fruit, when the tree has grown the required amount of nodes. - Millet
Millet, roughly how many nodes have to form for a citrus tree to become mature and then to set fruit?
Each citrus variety has a different node count that must be reached before that variety matures. Key limes have a very low node count requirement, and many will fruit in the 2nd to the 4th year. Oranges have a higher node count, usually they take 7 to 10 years, or longer, before the tree has grown the required amount of nodes. Grapefruit requires even a higher number, thus a grapefruit can take 12 to 15 years before blooming/fruiting begins. In Jackerman's case, if he keeps pruning his tree, to keep it smaller, it will NEVER reach the required amount of nodes, thus it will NEVER fruit. I much prefer to build branch and trunk strength, simply by placing the tree in the wind or near a fan, so that the air movement flicks the tree back and fourth. This movement is natures way of building tree strength, and I feel it is a better method than topping the tree. Topping a tree usually causes double leaders. Of all the various citrus fruits that Jackerman could have planted from seed to grow indoors during the winter and outside during the summer as a containerized tree, grapefruit was the worst possible choice, if fruit is ever to be expected. As Laaz and others have stated on this forum many times, because of the huge number of nodes required to mature a grapefruit tree, containerized grapefruits never reach that number. Lastly, a grafted grapefruit tree, will usually begin to produce fruit in two years. - Millet
Lazz, We had 8 trees all planted in the same area and all from the same group of fruit... ONLY 2 of them EVER produced.... Nothing was different about the way they were treated or fed... I was told by the TX growers that some varietys do this when grown from seed... they said that was one of the reasons for grafting from a producer.... I have seen this a long time these trees are all now over 15yrs old. Maybe it is luck that 2 did produce! Cat
I doubt luck had anything to do with the trees not fruiting. However without knowing a lot more about the trees it would be impossible to pin point the reason that some fruited and some did not fruit. - Millet
Just because some fruited early does not mean the others won't fruit, they just may take a few more years. Grapefruit from seed take longer than any other citrus to set fruit.
The reason for grafting is : 1. Grafting a bud from a mature tree will produce fruit in a year or two. This basically bypasses the long juvenile period of a seedling. 2. Guarantees you get a disease free tree if obtained from a certified bud source. 3. Allows the grower to choose a rootstock for their climate & growing conditions.