2016 graft thread

[BobVance]

The weather has turned and it’s finally warm enough (3 of next 4 days in the low 70’s) for me to start grafting apricots (peaches, jujube, and especially persimmon are still in the future). I only had time for 9-10 grafts today, but I tried to get at least one of most of the varieties, so I can compare it to later grafts.

Here’s a 4 way apricot on Krymsk 1 (Zard, Floriage, Lasgerdi Mashaad, and Amadiocot). As you may be able to see, I have a bit of a mint infestation in this area. Though my wife likes it- but I still pull up any that get too close to the trees

One thing I did notice is that apricots seem particularly susceptible to buds being knocked off when putting parafilm on. Some of the varieties were worse than others, but it seemed to happen with those from several sources. Hopefully it was mostly flower buds I knocked off. I’m thinking that in the future, I may try putting parafilm on when I first put them into storage, rather than when I graft them.

[scottfsmith]

Bob, the buds that easily fall off are almost certainly flower buds. I had a shower of those when I grafted my apricots. So, no worries.

I grafted my last stone fruit on Sunday. It was warm and was supposed to stay warm, but the forecast shifted down by about 10 degrees just after I grafted. So I only had one warm day, will see how things turn out. Its not overly cold now, mid 60’s and in low 70s later this week, so I think I may be OK.

[Derby42]

I am still wait to do my peach, maybe this week end. It is supposed be cool but should warm up.

[Johnnysapples]

I’m waiting too. I washed my scions and changed the papers to help keep them from getting moldy. Some were showing signs of mold. A couple peaches have bulging flower buds I don’t have that warm of weather in the forecast yet. Maybe in two weeks. Everything in the greenhouse looks good so far. Spice Zee tree is growing some sprouts about 1/2" The rest are all just waking up with green swollen tips.

[scottfsmith]

A couple peaches have bulging flower buds

I had a few of those as well. Make sure to graft the bases of the scions with less expanded buds. Sometimes there is only one good (mostly dormant) bud on a whole scion.

[speedster1]

I received some flavor delight (aprium) scionwood and a lot of the buds were falling off as I grafted. I didn’t think it would take but sure enough they are growing well

[fruitnut]

I received some flavor delight (aprium) scionwood and a lot of the buds were falling off as I grafted

The ones falling off were likely flower buds. They fall off under certain conditions. Vegetative buds don’t fall off and then have growth. Even if the branch dies the vegetative buds are usually stuck on like glue.

[aaa1]

Do you still have extra scions?

[Derby42]

Yes I still have peach scion in the fridge.

[aaa1]

I mean, extra mulberry scions?

[jujubemulberry]

I mean, extra mulberry scions?

was going to offer some of ours but they are all leafed out, pm me later this year or early next year, will send some your way

[aaa1]

thnaks. Jason is not far away from me, I hope he still has some extra scion:relaxed:

[Derby42]

Unfortunately I used every single stick that I received.

[hoosierbanana]

I had a bunch of fig trees get eaten by voles this past winter. A few were really badly damaged all the way down into the roots, or had roots girdled from the trunk. So rather than dig them out, replant, and water for another year I decided to root graft them. Got about 75% success so far in the first round 2 weeks ago, pretty good I think for a first try… working in a hole.

Did a few more today, tried some different combos: RdB, Gino’s, and MBVS on Maltese Falcon, RdB on Takoma Violet, and Gino’s on RdB.

[tonyOmahaz5]

HB,

Since the base of the fig tree and root system are intact, the fig tree should send up shoots like crazy. Do you just wanted to add a different varieties by root grafting?

Tony

[hoosierbanana]

Some might still recover… You can’t see, but the bark is gone from all of those trees down several inches below the soil line on at least one side, except for a strip right below the branch in the last picture. I was worried about them regrowing in a timely manner and the large wound, the roots I used were of no use to the main trunks anyway.

I am hoping that the Maltese Falcon comes back, but since I was having luck and there were 3 good roots that had been girdled right on the surface I figured why not. I put the same variety back on its own roots if I had it, but no MF and TV sticks saved.

I don’t want to dig them, these are only one or 2 years old but they would be quite a bit of work. That is the main thing, and I would have to water the new plants individually all year. I like the idea of having a few varieties in the same hole with root systems spread away where they won’t interfere with each other though.

[Johnnysapples]

Here’s a look in my greenhouse with the grafted trees flowers and vegetables.

I also have my rooting figs from this winter in there.

Spice Zee is showing some growth probably mostly from scion energy. I grafted all these about two weeks ago.

I have 32 paw paws to the left.

After the paw paws are my tomatoes I planted from saved seeds. The other side of the greenhouse has tomatoes planted in the ground mostly for transplant. after the little seed pots on the left in the ground are peppers still to come up from seed. I have Flavor Supreme in the black planter to the right. Black Madeira Fig is the one in the big black pot in the middle right. The purple pots are flowers for mom. The little seed pots on top are Purple passion. I just seeded them. It’s been getting to about 80 deg in there on sunny days, 50’s for the lows. I still need to finish the greenhouse vents. I got it working and moved on for a while. To many projects!

[BobVance]

Bob, the buds that easily fall off are almost certainly flower buds. I had a shower of those when I grafted my apricots. So, no worries.

That’s good to hear. I don’t remember it being as bad last year.

So I only had one warm day, will see how things turn out. Its not overly cold now, mid 60’s and in low 70s later this week, so I think I may be OK.

How many warm days do you shoot for? I’ve got 3 days of 74,67,73, before it drops back to the low to mid 60’s for 4 days. I suppose I could do more apples and plums, but I don’t want to be miss the window on stone fruit when it goes from 60->80+ in a short time.

[scottfsmith]

The more the merrier, but two is the minimum I have been doing recently. This year I think there were 5 days in my main peach/cot grafting window, and the results are looking very good from that - not only good % but many are pushing vigorously already.

[Johnnysapples]

I broke off all but two from Flavor Supreme when grafting it. i was surprised to find out how easy it was to knock them off. The two lower ones are looking good in the greenhouse. Even though all the upper ones came off i tapped the the whole scion with budding tape. I figure the extra energy will help the buds that are left.