In March we budded more than 2000 citrus trees with various scions for upcoming research projects.  May is a great time of year to watch the phenomenal growth of vegetation in a greenhouse.  Vigorous varieties such as lemons have been putting on up to five inches of new growth each week, while navel and mandarin varieties are growing well although not as fast.

This photo shows what newly pushing buds look like, with the upper rootstock tops cut off and bent over at an angle.  After the new growth of the scion reaches six inches or more, the remaining rootstock above the scion is removed completely so that the scion becomes the dominant trunk for photosynthetic activity and nutrient movement.