North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Bob Randall <YearRoundGardening@comcast.net>]

Ginda,

I grow a lot of citrus here in the ground in zone 9b/10a Houston  
including two Meyer lemons. I also have taught citrus classes for many  
years. Citrus in the ground is very tolerant of cutting.  In 1983 and  
1989 I lost all of a large satsuma tangerine in bad freezes except I  
preserved 1-2 buds above the graft line. I also lost all of a Meyer on  
its own roots down to the roots  I cut the whole tree off each time  
and got my tree back.

Without seeing a picture of what you are describing, I can't be sure.   
But generally I would cut below the last damaged branch with  
disinfected pruning shears or saw.

These trees, in my experience recover quickly.

Bob Randall
On Feb 10, 2008, at 8:55 PM, Ginda Fisher wrote:

> As you may recall, my reliable, hardy Myers lemon suffered some cold
> damage this fall before I brought it indoors for the winter.  (The
> weather wasn't colder that what it's faced before, but it was
> actively growing late into the fall, so it was more susceptible to
> cold damage.)  I am pleased to report that it is recovering nicely.
> The cracks in the bark show a lot of callus filling in, with no sign
> of disease, and the branches that didn't die back have sprouted lots
> of new leaves and grown new twigs.  It even set two lemons.
>
> It's now very clear which parts are alive and which are dead.  So it
> seems high time to trim off the dead parts.  (Probably past time to
> do so, but I haven't gotten around to it.)  In most cases, a branch
> has died back to a crotch.  Usually, I cut back damaged plants to
> below the damage, so live cambium can grow callus over the cut.  But
> that would be hard in many cases, as the dead part gets so close to
> the base of the new (or surviving) branch.  Is it worth the risk and
> trouble to take a sharp blade and trim off all of the dead wood, or
> would simply cutting it off 1/4 inch or so out be good enough?
>
> Thanks,
> Ginda
> eastern MA, zone 6.
> _______________________________________________
> nafex mailing list
> nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
>
> Reproduction of list messages or archives is not allowed.
> This includes distribution on other email lists or reproduction on  
> web sites.
> Permission to reproduce is NEVER granted, so don't claim you have  
> permission!
>
> **YOU MUST BE SUBSCRIBED TO POST!**
> Posts from email addresses that are not subscribed are discarded.
> No exceptions.
> ----
> To subscribe or unsubscribe, go to the bottom of this page (also can  
> be used to change other email options):
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex
>
> File attachments are NOT stripped by this list.
> TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM COMPUTER VIRUSES!
> Please do not send binary files.
> Use plain text ONLY in emails!
>
> NAFEX web site:   http://www.nafex.org/

"Share What You Grow and What You Know!"

Bob Randall, Ph.D.
YearRoundGardening@comcast.net
713-661-9737