I tried to get a jump on the game and started grafting early this year. I started planting apple benchgrafts in the field about a month ago. Since then we have had several cold snaps with temps down to 20f. Benchgrafts were partly protected with row cover during the coldest weather. Newly grafted apples seem to tolerate a freeze really well. It’s too soon to say for sure but, they all look great. Anyone else had experience with Apple or Pear grafts in really cold weather?
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I like your set up. What will you do with all the seedlings? Sell?
Thank You! I’ll sell most of them and plant a few in our orchards.
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I haven’t found cold snaps bad at all. The only problem I had was where it was continually 30’s kind of stuff for a long time on some field grafts. Bad idea, all failed.
I did a few peach bench grafts and was callousing at 70F which gave good grafts, but they were pushing leaves ahead of the outside temps so I had to wait a few weeks for it to warm up before I could transplant them. I think they will still make it but planting out sooner after doing the bench grafts can be a good way to avoid getting growth inside which is too far along to be transplanted out.
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