Latest graft (“Stewart”) on one of the multi-graft avocado trees is pushing nicely:
This one is “Ganter” on a “Zutano” seedling rootstock:
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You all might recall that I realized at the last minute that I was out of the wax tape/grafting tape I usually use so I ended up using saran wrap to cover my grafts to keep them from drying out. Sadly, this is going to be an awful year to determine whether that is a good solution or not because the very next day after I did most of my grafts, the temperature went from the upper 60’s/low 70’s to the 40’s and it stayed there for about 10 days. Coldest Spring in history- a complete fluke for my area. But I have to think that is going to cause a lot of failures. Grrrrrr!!! All the trees had woken up and had leaves about the size of a squirrel’s ear and those leaves continued to grow on the rootstock trees I was grafting to, so maybe I’ll be ok. The good news is I only did pear and plum grafts and those are always my highest success rates.
It has been 10 days and I am starting to see some growth on some of my scions- whether that is just stored energy in the wood or a real union has been formed I cannot know. I plan to gently slice holes in the plastic wrap as leaves start pushing against it, so lets hope for the best!
Anyway, here are a few of my grafting projects. They aren’t pretty and some of the trees I grafted to are very poor themselves - crooked, etc. But these are wild callary pear trees that just happened to come up in perfect spots where I’d like to have fruiting pear trees. In the case of all my pear grafts, I’ve put some kind of Asian pear (I used 4 types) onto the wild Callery trees. @clarkinks will appreciate this I think!
Now, this first one is a wild callery pear tree that I cut down in early fall last year for the express purpose of having it send up several suckers that I could graft to. That plan worked great and I’ve grafted 6 of those suckers! ha. Yes, hopefully that is overkill but I REALLY REALLY need an Asian Pear at this spot so I wanted to make sure at least one would take. The original plan was to remove every graft except one, but now I can’t help but consider what would happen if I left 2 of the successful grafts alone and let 2 trees grow up together- sort of like when people plant 2 trees in one hole. I seriously doubt I will do that, but I’m considering it (if I have at least 2 takes). Any thoughts on growing 2 Asian Pears 6 inches apart like that? I assume I’d just get 2 smaller trees rather than one larger one? I’d love some input on this option?? Just so you know, the one sucker that appears untouched was left as something of a nurse sucker. The idea was it would provide enough photosynthesis to keep the whole root structure that all the suckers are attached to alive until new leaves could be formed either on the grafted scions or on the low portion of the rootstock. I never know if this is needed or even harms my grafts. I’m aware that most sources (I think) advocate cutting off anything that isn’t part of a graft, but I sort of like the idea of a life sustaining nurse limb or top or sucker to keep things going the first few days after I butcher the tree I;m grafting too. Also, this is a very small sucker- surely it won’t pull enough energy away from the grafted areas to hurt, and hopefully it will add more energy via its leaves than it takes.
Below is a Spring Satin Pluot that I grafted onto a wild Plum (Americana) sucker that came up an amazing 12 feet from a fairly large wild Plum tree. Hope it takes!
These 3 photos below is another case of my grafting 3 varieties of Asian Pear scion onto a Callery Rootstock. These 3 pics are of the same tree. I once again made way more grafts than I expect to leave. I did both cleft grafts and whip (without tongue) grafts and a couple Omega tool grafts- which I like less and less as the years go by,. I did a whopping 8 grafts onto this wild Callery Pear. In this case, if I have multiple successes then I probably will leave one of each of the 3 varieties of Asian Pear I used so I can have a minor “Frankenstein Tree”. I left the top part of this tree on for 5 days after grafting to serve as sort of a nurse limb/top to sustain life until grafts could get a good start. That top is gone now. I don’t know if that was a mistake to leave it on for a few days after the grafts or not. I felt like it would help sustain life as well as insure that water and nutrients were being pulled up from the roots and (ideally) through the grafted areas. I’d love to hear opinions on whether I should have just cut off everything above the graft immediately- I know that is the usual way.
Again, this 3rd pic below is of the same tree as the 2 immediately above, but it shows all the "nurse limb/nurse top) that I left on for 5 days after doing all these grafts. I was then cut off as was everything above the grafts. Was that a good thing or bad thing?
OK, these next 2 photos are of a different Callery pear that I did several asian pear grafts onto. I suspect you guys may give me some good natured ribbing about what a poor quality tree I used as rootstock! ha. Its crocked, has poor shape, leaning over like crazy; its just not a good tree to be working with! But its ok. This wild Callery just happened to come up at a location where I’d like to have a nice Asian fruiting pear. But its not a critical tree or location, so if the grafts don’t take OR if the tree eventually leans so far over that it falls down or breaks or grows into an ugly, deformed tree, I’ll just cut it down and won’t be broken up. The scion came from my own trees so it was free and easy to get. The Rootstock is a wild Callery that happened to grow in a handy spot, so I gave it a shot. Once again, I may leave 3 different varieties on it if I get 3 varieties to take. So this is more of a fun project than an important one. Still, I’d like to see it work out! I am seeing some leaves starting to push here on day 11 so I;ll be cutting some “release” holes in the plastic wrap this afternoon or tomorrow… I left FAR less of a nurse top/limb on this one, and I left it even after the 5 day period I gave the one above. But I doubt this one tiny limb will pull enough water and nutrients to jeopardize the grafts. Right or not???
Same tree as above. Same overkill in terms of doing lots of extra grafts to make sure at least 1 (or 1 of each variety) makes it!
Grafting is so much fun!!! None of mine this year are really all that important. Everything I grafted came from my own trees so I’m just making copies- therefore none are critical. :The one I’d most like to see make it are the ones I did to the suckers I created by cutting down a tree last fall/late summer.
Wish me luck on all these, though!
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I’m not sure the reason you’re grumbling…I’m over 100 miles NE of you and the fruit are doing pretty good from all I can tell. (tho I agree all the cloudy dreary chilly breezy days do take a toll on the psyche)
Grafting count at 155…seems over 90% of the ones done in March are a success…and too early on the others. Pears not as promising as the apples…but they never are.
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Thanks Blueberry. I really needed to hear that! I was really worried because its been so cold here for the last 7-10 days (by cold I mean its been in the 30’s at night and the 40’s and 50’s durring the day for about a week and those temps all started literally the day after I did my grafts. But if you are at 90% on 155 grafts, then I should be ok. I was “grumbling” (ha!) because much of what I read says temps should be in upper 60’s or 70’s for best success rates. Normally that is possible here this time of year, but the last week and 1/2 it hasn’t been so I was very worried. But just yesterday I finally started seeing some growth on my grafts (hopefully its from a real connection and not just the stored energy of my scion wood). So seeing that and hearing that you’ve done so well give me a lot of encouragement. So yea, my grumbling was hopefully not necessary ! ha.
Can I ask when you did your grafts? Were they back before this cold spell? I know that temps were in upper 60’s for quite a few days by the time I did my grafts, then we had this cold spell the day after I did my grafts. Not sure if you’ve had same weather but it was 32 and 33 degrees here last Friday and Sat night. and in upper 30’s several nights and in 40’s- 50’s several days last week.
Hope you get lots of good takes with all your grafts.
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Thanks!
I received my rootstocks around 3/13 or 3/14…and started grafting in the evenings outdoors. About 50 or more in the first 5 or 6 days. They may have been a little reluctant to push buds and get going due to April’s chills. But, those are the ones I am confident about the 90%.
I then grafted pears…15 to 30 counting grafts to callery trees and also OH x F333 roots.
Then as time permits, I keep grafting…and the count is 155. During the coldest spells, I brought supplies into the house and did about 50 apple grafts and let them stay in the closet a bit. Have not tried to get at those for a count as to success yet.
And, I keep adding 3 or 6 or something every time I have some idle time…back outdoors.
That means 30 or more are so recent there is no point to look and count the takes on those.
So, that should clarify. But, basically, the cold is not a factor…or not a big one…other than delaying the buds in some cases. Even then, some scions pushed buds in the cold. Especially red fleshed apples and the freshest of the scions.
(Scions in storage for long periods are more tardy to start taking off once grafted…)
Sap being up, but buds not getting bigger yet…results in faster results…sometime 4 or 5 days I can count it as a success. (Those are generalizations, there are exceptions to many things.)
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Sounds like you have been VERY busy! I’m glad to hear you don’t think temperatures are a factor- almost everything I read indicates it is. So hopefully I’ll be fine. Thanks!
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If you’re speaking of peaches or avocados or persimmons or something…disregard my advice…I’ve not tried those.
But, I have had acceptable results grafting at 40 degrees and nights 17 to 30.
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Speaking of temperatures, I’m planning on grafting some hybrid plums onto an existing apricot (which the charts say should work). Since the apricot is starting to grow for the season, should I be looking for plum callus temps, apricot callus temps, or somewhere in between?
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Cittyman, I agree with Blueberry. Pears and plums graft well for me when the highs are in the 40’s and the lows around freezing. There is definitely sap flow and bark is slipping so I feel it is a great time for the wound to heal before the buds put a demand on them. I think that holds true for apples and apricots. Not sure about peaches.
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JC, I wouldn’t worry to much about the temperature. I bet both are close to the same. I find I’m the biggest variable when grafting. If I’m rushed or the light is low I do a poorer job. If it is a nice day and I’m in the right frame of mind I do a much better job. I think golfers can relate to that.
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I’ve in previous years grafted (apples primarily) outdoors, potting them up same day. This year March was colder than usual so I setup a table in my basement. These I stored in a tub with some wet wood chips around the roots and only got around to potting them up outside 3 or so weeks later. Just found it interesting that there was enough callous material on a few that it had already split the parafilm.
They had also started budding/leafing out and a few got a bit sunburned when I put them outside (in sun but under shade cloth). A few days later and most are showing a good shade of green now though…
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My first honest attempt at grafting, almost all red flesh and a few b9/antok interstem. Hope I get at least a 50% take
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All 4 of my apple grafts have some nice bud swell now… breaking thru parafilm. This Novamac/B9 is showing some green. Love it. These are my first attempts at grafting.
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Exactly, just agreeing and trying encourage others who haven’t considered grafting are on the fence about it.
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I agree completely. Temperature just doesn’t matter much. If you’re rootstock is growing or just about to, then you’re good to go. We store scions in the fridge, so more fridge temperature weather isn’t going to hurt them.
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Several graft photos from my early spring efforts. Started very early well before bud swell on Sour cherry top working a mature sweet cherry around mid Feb, followed later in March with the majority of my plum grafts. Having more success this year to top work my sweet cherries with plums using both Adara and CherryPlum interstems. So far both CherryPlum and Adara appear to be working equally as interstems. These grafts seem more successful after forcing new growth last year. Grafting onto one year old shoots is much easier than efforts to bark graft on cherry. So very soon I will have all my mature sweet cherry trees converted to other more useful plums and plueries that are less attractive to crows. This is the earliest I have grafted these varieties but my % take is much better than prior years.
Dennis
Kent, wa
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I took no pictures, but last Sunday, 16.4.22 I:
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topworked a Stina Lohman apple with Ariwa, Ladina, Kidds Orange, Redlove Sirena and another Redlove, whose full name is unknown.
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topworked a seedling apple with an unknown early apple which grows at my grandmothers house
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topworked an Akane (Primrouge) tree to Berlepsch and the unknown early apple
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added new grafts to branches that failed last year: Granny Smith on Melchnauer Sonntagsapfel, Arlet (Swiss gourmet) on Prinzenapfel and the unknown early apple on Mantet.
Aditionally, I tried topworking Sorbus aucuparia with Pears. I grafted Olivier des Serres on two Sorbus and another pear, and grafted an assortment of unknown but delicious pears from a farmer friend on three other Sorbus.
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Congratulations my friend! I don’t know most of your varieties but they should be great! 
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@Graftman @venturabananas I find that temperature is the #1 make or break variable for me. I’m consistent with my cuts and lining things up, and I always parafilm my scions for maximum protection. I’ve found, though, that none of that matters if temps are too cool for that species to callus well. Too warm can be a problem, too, but it’s usually workable. I guess the safest thing would be to wait a few more weeks until we starting getting runs of highs in the 70s. The trade-off, of course, is I’m paranoid about scions waking up in storage.
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