Wiring citrus?

GailC

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Roughly how long does it take for a small citrus twig to set in place? Say 1/8" and under.
I have one I'm growing as a house plant and the branches are all tight & upright. It need to be opened up some before it begins growing.
 

GailC

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A seedling I just got from ebay a few days ago. Leaves are a bit rough, looks like something chewed on them.
 

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Pitoon

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If I had to guess I would say at least a season.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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The younger the shoot the quicker it "sets". I would wire all of those shoots, because citrus harden off quickly. By the end of a twig or branch's second season they become too brittle to wire and bend easily. Just keep an eye on it to prevent major biting in & scaring. One summer should be good enough for everything in that photo. But you won't know, until you try. I never tried to "minimize" the time a branch was wired. I always let them go as long as possible, often forgetting and ending up with permanent wire scars.
 

Shibui

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Citrus shoots as young as that will be set in as little as a few weeks. I have found that many trees set far quicker than many of us believe and advise.
I still leave wire on until I see the first signs of marking on the bark but most are well set in place by then.
 

GailC

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Thank you @Leo in N E Illinois I'll get it wired tomorrow and plan to leave it on until either the fall or it bites in.
I'm not overly worried about wire marks, I just don't want to take it off too soon just and see the branches snap back into place.
 

Forsoothe!

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I would keep the wiring to a minimum because of dieback. Also, in the same vein, dramatic bends can bring more failure than success. (Just my limited experience.)
 

Mike Corazzi

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Thank you @Leo in N E Illinois I'll get it wired tomorrow and plan to leave it on until either the fall or it bites in.
I'm not overly worried about wire marks, I just don't want to take it off too soon just and see the branches snap back into place.
Just watch the wire and see when it just hints at biting in. At that point you can probably cut it off and do it a bit looser with a smaller wire.
I find by that time it's pretty well set.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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Deciduous set relatively fast. The older the wood is when wired, the longer it takes to set.

Most pines have all the back bone of a politician. If you don't wire and re-wire, they immediately forget where they are supposed to go. A pine might get wired, leave the wire on 2 years, take wire off because its cutting in. Then have to rewire the same branch again because it still doesn't want to stay put. This cycle can go on for many years.

The older the wood, the more "memory" it has, the longer it takes to change its direction. Wire citrus in the first two years and you will only have to wire that branch once.
 

sorce

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branches snap back into place

They'll snap off before they snap back into place!

I lot can be accomplished with guywires, especially where you can utilize a thorn to tie to, it can be left forever.
Breadties and diligence.


I have found that many trees set far quicker than many of us believe and advise.

Gonna have to talk about your climate again!
I agree.

Which leads me to this conclusion that not many people are actually growing healthy trees.

But also, when you wire means a lot IMO.
I believe fall is the only time you're actually getting any setting, on something that's not brand new, and tropical...lol! But anyway...

If someone wires in spring, well, they set themselves up for a poor growth season if wiring "appropriately", so the first fall doesn't set anything, then if they don't keep the wire on thru next fall it springs back, but leave it in through next fall and it may set, but it then can be left on until just before the next fall pretty safely...
And you have people believing it takes...Nohem.
Spring 2018 - Fall 2020
That's like 2 1/2 years!

If we wire a really really healthy tree without skinning it to wire, it can set in 2 months between August and October. Nohem.

All because of how we're approaching it, how much we're paying attention.
What kind of tree...etc....sure...

But the important part is we don't let it be 3-4years. Minimizing the time is good IMO, if only because we will remember easier to take the wore off in a shorter period.

You know what else matters? How Nancy you are with the branch. Forgive me Nancy!

You have to know the tree you're working with too. Hence, killing trees to know what they do.

If you can take each tree to it's limit, which coincidentally, you can if it's healthy, you can set them the fastest as each possibly can be set.

Sorce
 

GailC

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I wired the little beast yesterday, the thorns are unpleasant even at this young age. Glad I'm just growing this as a houseplant, it would be killer as a bonsai.
 

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