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Specialty Citrus and Fruit Grafting
updated: Feb 13, 2013, 12:26 PM

I have a small patch of garden to plant in front of my condo's kitchen window. I am interested in planting two dwarf trees (one citrus, one fruit) that have grafts. Basically, I'd like a dwarf citrus grafted to have orange, lemon and lime; and also dwarf fruit grafted to have plum, apricot and nectarine.

Do any edhatters know of a tri-counties area nursery or person capable of helping me with this project? Thank you all in advance for your thoughts and suggestions!

Places People Are Talking About:

Knapp Nursery

La Palta Orchard Care

La Sumida

What People Are Saying:

COMMENT 374038P	2013-02-13 12:40 PM
Talk to the people at Terra Sol Garden Center on Overpass Rd. - just off Patterson. They are both knowledgeable and helpful. If they can't help, they probably know who can.
COMMENT 374056	2013-02-13 01:18 PM
I'd try Knapp Nursery or La Sumida. I tend to think of Terra Sol more as my go-to succulent place, and La Sumida more for roses, veggies, flowers & trees. I've perused their citrus/fruit trees before. I don't recall Terra Sol having them (although I admittedly tend to stick to the front corner where the succulents are). But Knapp's might be a better choice than both. If you can contact Billy Goodnick, he'll likely have some good suggestions for you.
COMMENT 374111	2013-02-13 03:29 PM
These arborists would be a good source if not the talent you need, for a recommendation. Do a search for: santa barbara certified arborists list
COMMENT 374127	2013-02-13 04:19 PM
I would search for trees that that already are grafted. Even for people with experience in grafting 50% a success ratio is considered acceptable. If you start with one tree you may end up with nothing. I would check with Green Thumb nursery in Ventura. They are far more complete than any of the local nurseries.
COMMENT 374128P	2013-02-13 04:20 PM
Terra Sol does have fruit trees (and veggies and flowers). I got a 4-type grafted apple tree there. I've also seen multi-type citrus trees there. Ask for Mike; he will have good advice.
SCEPTIC	2013-02-13 04:30 PM
Botanical Gardens - they used to offer a grafting class, maybe still do, taught by a Master Gardner(?), probably can provide contact info. Great class, I took it, grafting isn't very difficult.
COMMENT 374142	2013-02-13 05:13 PM
YouTube has videos on grafting citrus, and other trees.
COMMENT 374156	2013-02-13 06:10 PM
If you are going to graft citrus, make sure you contact UC Riverside for you bud wood. Due to the "HLB" fears, much of Santa Barbara is in the quarantine zone. FYI: we can thank a backyard grafter for our current HLB fears, they smuggled bud wood in and grafted it to their own tree.
COMMENT 374176	2013-02-13 07:34 PM
OP here. Thank you everyone for these terrific suggestions.
COMMENT 374198	2013-02-13 08:59 PM
down to earth landscape
COMMENT 374247	2013-02-14 07:31 AM
Look up "bud grafting". Sunset Western Garden book will probably have photos and how-to's. Stone fruits (apricots, peaches, etc) require "stick" grafts and are usually more successful. But any amateur can do it with a little Youtube or photo help. However, forwarned: often one graft will prove more vigorous and take over from the other two :)
COMMENT 374249	2013-02-14 07:34 AM
Fruit salad tree? Why not grow two normal dwarf trees? Multiple grafts are difficult to manage, one often outperforming others, and the nectarine plum apricot is even more of a challenge since the species are pretty far apart and intergrafting may be impossible. Multiple fruit varieties on a single tree is much easier, 4'way apple or peach-peach-nectarine, citrus-citrus, etc. There is a super dwarf peach out there that will produce a half dozen or so full size fruit on a tree under three feet tall. check online for pre-grafts, you'll save a year of growing time. California Rare Fruit Growers has an active local chapter with beaucoup hands on experience, camaraderie, and community. Channel Islands (Ventura/Santa Barbara) Larry Saltzman 26 El Prado Place Santa Barbara, CA 93105 (805) 563-2089 Email: ventura@crfg.org
COMMENT 374251	2013-02-14 07:39 AM
The Valencia orange tree we planted died, or at least the Valencia did. The tree grew large and fruited revealing that the root stock had been Pomelo, a pretty useless citrus. I have always wanted to cut it down and graft different citrus on the new growth. Go for the graft!
COMMENT 374253	2013-02-14 07:41 AM
KCOY 12 had a story this morning about a seminar/demonstration of how to graft citrus tress. One of the organizers had a tree with 100 different kinds of apples. I like KCOY over KEYT because they give more Santa Barbara local news although I just spent 15 mins looking for the link on their site to no avail. I know it was in SLO and I think it was at Cal Poly? Good luck.
COMMENT 374265	2013-02-14 08:53 AM
Master Gardeners program, the Botanical Garden can put you in touch....I second the Calif Rare Fruit folks option
COMMENT 374275	2013-02-14 09:08 AM
La Palta Orchard Care, John, owner. Has a degree in agriculture/fruit production. Very good at grafting. Has done it for our fruit trees.
SEEDLADY	2013-02-14 09:49 AM
Calif Rare Fruit Growers Ass'n, SB chapter. Also, the SB Co. Master Gardener's program through UC Davis has classes. Check with the County Dept of Ag (Cooperative Exptension Service) for times & dates.
COMMENT 374372P	2013-02-14 12:28 PM
don't know details but free grafting workshop at cal poly on saturday
COMMENT 374453P	2013-02-14 03:03 PM
If you only have room for 2 fruit trees, but are going to be there long enough to plant and harvest from those trees... Make friends with some neighbors who love to garden and harvest too. One plants lemon, another orange, another plum, another apricot, etc., and you all agree to tend to all the trees health and share their bounty. What a lovely way to bring back neighborliness and make long term friends.