How to Grow a Carambola (Star Fruit) Tree From a Graft

The carambola, known as the star fruit tree, can propagate through seeds, but the seeds have limited viability and the mature specimen's appearance ends up highly variable. Because of this, the carambola is usually grown by obtaining mature twigs, which have a few leaves, from a carambola tree. The twigs are grafted onto 1-year-old seedling rootstocks that measure approximately 3/8 to 5/7 of an inch thick. Once the grafting takes place and the crafted seedling produces buds, the grafted carambola can be planted, cared for and grown like any other carambola tree.

Shovel
General purpose fertilizer
Foliar manganese and zinc
Chelated iron

Instructions

- 1
  Plant the grafted carambola tree in a location that provides full sun and rich loamy soil. The soil should be well-draining. The carambola grows best in a planting site that has a pH balance of 5.5 to 6.5.
- 2
  Dig a hole that is twice as large as the carambola tree's root system. Plant the grafted tree at the same level it was planted in its nursery container. Place the tree into the hole and push the soil around its root system.
- 3
  Keep the soil moist around the tree. The carambola requires moist soil year-round to grow successfully.
- 4
  Fertilize the newly planted carambola tree every 30 to 60 days with a general purpose fertilizer. Sprinkle 1/4 to 1/2 lb. of fertilizer around the tree. Water it thoroughly into the soil. Once the tree becomes mature, fertilize it four to eight times per year. Use 1 to 3 lbs. of fertilizer per application. If the soil has an acidic-to-neutral pH level, the carambola tree will require four to eight foliar applications of foliar manganese and zinc to its foliage. It will also require chelated iron if the soil suffers from an iron deficiency.

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