2020 Grafting Thread

[Bear_with_me]

Here are some of my grafts. I am happy overall with the results.

My goal this year was to create miniature fruit trees, preserving some of my favorite varieties on trees small enough to grow in a fenced garden and without ladders. Most were apples on Bud-9 and a few on Geneva 222. Only one did not take, I forget which one. This is 13 varieties.

These are most of the apples. They are all about 3 or 4 feet tall. I gave them a few doses of Miracle Grow during the spring and early summer.

All but one were whip and tongue. This one is Oxford Black on Bud-9

I tried to preserve a Pristine apple that had graft failure on a multigraft tree. It was such a good apple. The mature branch just fell off the tree a few years ago. It hung on by a narrow strip for a year. I grafted from that onto another multigraft tree, but the grafts were so tiny they barely grew. I took one of those and grafted onto Geneva 222. It was too small to use whip and tongue, so i used a cleft graft. I thought it didn’t take, but that was another variety. The Pristine took and grew 3 feet tall. I’m happy about that because it was one of my favorites and is an early and disease resistant apple.

I also did some weird grafts. Since I wanted miniature trees, but wasn’t aware of miniaturizing pear rootstocks, I tried things that others have said will work but not knowing if those will make miniature trees. Some took some did not.

Pear on Winter Banana Apple interstem on Bud-9 did not take.

Pear on Winter Banana Apple interstem on a multigraft apple tree did take. I just discovered that today. It only grew about 6 inches.

Pear on a couple of varieties of Service Berry did not take.

Pear on Black Hawthorn did not take.

Asian Pear (unknown cultivar) on Aronia took. That only grew about 9 inches. I thought this one died and weeds grew there, but yesterday I was cleaning up and there it was. Didn’t get water all summer long.

European Pear on Chinese Haw took and grew about 2 feet. That is unknown pear, looks like a Bartlett.

[Luongo43]

Grafts look great! Thank you for your pictures. What kind of soil do you use when you pot them? I used potting Soil not sure if they like it or not.

[nil]

I read an article where they used straight sand and hydroponic solution to drip-feed potted trees, so that gives me some ideas. I want to try the same, but with pool filter sand & expanded clay pellets. I like to toss old potting mix in the gardens, but sand & clay pellets would be re-usable multiple times without ill effects. It would also be very easy to wash from the roots during transplant.

[GAFruitLover]

I am a fruit tree hobbyist based in Atlanta GA (7B) and would like to ask if you or anyone you can refer to in this group can share some Scion wood for non-astringent KAKI’s

Thanks

[jcguarneri]

Starting to look ahead to 2021, and I have a pawpaw question. How thick is pawpaw scion typically? I have some seedlings, 2-3 of which are 1/4" diameter and 2-3 more have 3/16" + diameter. However, most of the pictures and videos of pawpaw grafting (or at least the ones I can find) seem to show more in the 3/8" - 1/2" range. Is it worth it to start sourcing scion this winter or should I give them another year or two?

[Hillbillyhort]

(“ How thick is pawpaw scion ”)
Well that depends on what size you request .
I have grafted 1/8 inch —- 1/2 inch sizes with good results.
1/4 in. Scion/ rootstock is Prefered size to me.
But have grafted tiny ones.

[jcguarneri]

Thanks! That’s reassuring. It’s funny, I’m plenty patient to go through the process of starting seeds and grafting my own trees, but I can’t seem to handle waiting to do each step!

[Bear_with_me]

I used regular potting soil. It works great! Once in a while I fertilize with 1/4-strength miracle grow, and stop fertlilzing in mid july.

[tubig]

@californicus looks like you got some great grafts… have you tasted tree-ripened fruits from flavor supreme, golden nectar, chocolate, and coffee cake? Just curious how many people find they live up to the hype as I’ve never tried any of these. Can you compare them to red heart?

[californicus]

I haven’t tried them yet (and not going to this year) - at least the plums. Last year, my tree was so ravaged with aphids the grafts didn’t grow much. So, they produced 1-2 flowers and they dropped off. They are 1 year grafts anyway, so probably for the best as you are not supposed to let them fruit now. Flavor Supreme is a shy setter, so I am not expecting a ton of fruits. Others have tasted it and rate it as one of the best pluots. I also heard good reviews about Golden Nectar, but haven’t tasted them myself. I am sure plenty of others here have. The yellow color is attractive (to me). Haven’t heard of red heart much - how do you like them? Got diligent with dormant oil spray and plums are growing lusciously this year, so hopefully some fruits next year.

As for persimmons, I have tasted Coffeecake and it was good. Very much like the common Fuyu but with a cinnamon kick at the end. However, PVNA varieties are not easy to get fully pollinated and hence may not be fully non-astringent. I am told heat (or lack of it) also plays a role, so I am waiting to see.

[tubig]

@californicus Whereas with Italian prune plum, there’s a slight delay before you’re hit with the flavors, with Red heart, you’re immediately hit with juiciness and a fireworks of flavors with a hint of tart bitter flavor at the end as far as I remember. Just very slightly lacking in sweetness but that could be due to a too early harvest, given it took atleast a week for most to ripen in the paper bag.

Have you tasted a fully-ripened, wrinkle-skinned, water-baloon-soft hachia? Is coffeecake similar in flavor intensity? Hachia to me, is definitely collection-worthy. I like fuyu but I would only choose that if hachia’s not around.

[californicus]

Yes, I have tasted a water-balloon (really apt name ) Hachiya and I love it. To me, it has an unmistakable Sapodilla taste which I grew up with. I also like Fuyu, just different fruits. Coffeecake, when properly pollinated is close to Fuyu with slightly more complex flavor. If you only like astringent, jello-like versions, there are others to try. I grafted Nikita’s gift, Saijo, Giombo, Rojo Brilliante and Gora Roman Kosh this year. Rojo Brilliante, I hear doesn’t have to be completely gooey before it loses astringency. Haven’t tasted any of them yet

I’m also very curious to try some American persimmons. I’ll attempt grafting them using Nikita’s Gift and Gora Roman Kosh as interstem next year.

[tubig]

@californicus cool! Hachia actually reminds me of a properly-ripened star apple. What I like to do tho is peel that ultra-thin layer of rind so I can taste the subtle complex flavor of the skin.

I actually bought a Nikita’s gift to enable me to graft both asian and american persimmons but I think i’ll let it grow atleast a year or so before I start grafting to it. I’ve tried rojo brillante but based on the sampes I’ve had, I’d still opt for the hachia and even fuyu. Not sure if it’ll be different if the Rojo spent more time on the tree tho…

I’m just waiting for my young asian rootstock to wake up so i can graft tanenashi, chocolate, and maybe hachia.

'Hope to hear updates when your grafts start fruiting!