William’s Pride, Arkansas Black are taking off. Only Gold Rush is still nothing, any day now I think.
Looks like my graft of the allegedly cold-hardy avocado “Fantastic” has taken after a slow start:
I’m hoping to compare it to “Del Rio” to see if they really are the same cultivar, or just similar. I have a bunch of Del Rio grafts I did back in September that are growing nicely this spring, so it shouldn’t take long to at least compare foliage.
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Did a little February grafting…and six or 7 dozen in March. Most have taken.
Still a bit of grafting to do…everything early this year in KY.
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I put in a few more pear grafts yesterday and doing more today. Will start pecan grafts Monday of next week when temperatures are finally favorable for callusing.
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I did 2 pear grafts and 2 nectarine grafts yesterday.
Jujube Massandra, this is my second graft
I finally got a Black Sea
Orange Beauty
Bok Jo
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A strange phenomenon with Gold Rush, it took me 3 scionwoods with different grafting techniques to get 5 successful takes. My most successful rates came from chip budding.
Lastly, one of my Gold Rush chip bud grafts seems to be the most vigorous grower this year. Even out performing other grafts with a 2 months head start.
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It looks like I might have a Good Rush apple in the future, lol.
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Hey all, had a question.
Initially when I was learning how to graft, i heard people kept the scionwood moist so it doesn’t dry out after cutting the tongue on it by keeping it in their mouth while they are working on the corresponding cut on the rootstock. I used to do this maybe the 1st year or 2, but then I heard you don’t know what people are spraying on their orchard so just keep it in small jar of water instead while you are working on the rootstock. When doing the rubberband and parafilm steps, I would also dip the rubber band in water and add a bit of water to the ‘joined’ grafted section before wrapping it with parafilm. I thought keeping moisture inside would be good so it definitely doesn’t dry out, but watching a JSacadura Youtube video the other day, I think i heard him say you won’t want moisture in there (but also still use parafilm so it doesn’t dry out).
Whats your opinions, anyone like to ‘keep’ some moisture in there by adding water (or spit as I used to do heh) before wrapping the parafilm? My success ratio with apples last year was very high so wondering if anyone else would still discourage this practice.
Rather than throw away the pruned cuttings from my espaliered pears I thought I’d try some grafting. These are Comice and Josephine pears onto Hawthorn bushes (Crataegus monogyna).
!
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I had to laugh when I read your comment. I found myself putting the scion in my mouth. I figured out that when it’s cut it’s almost identical in size to my clarinet reeds I used to keep in my mouth to wet them and soften them up. Very common for a clarinet player to do that.
I tend to only do that when they wood looks dry. I don’t know the effect of enzymes in saliva, but I can’t see why getting it damp is a bad thing. Lots of folks soak scions before grafting if they look dry. When I see some condensation inside parafilm on a hot day I know the graft is not desicated
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I do that - I either hold it in my mouth or wet it with my tongue. I don’t remember where and when that instruction came from. I cannot confirm or cite a source about the positive effects of saliva content (enzymes?) on graft union, apart from its wetting effect.
As for the remark “you won’t want moisture in there” - wetting with the mouth or tongue is localized and temporary, similar to placing it in a container of water, the graft union will not be submerged in moisture or flooded, which would be harmful.
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I do that when bud grafting. I read one instance somewhere that said it wasn’t a good idea, but it wasn’t from an authofitative source. Until I read some really damning evidence, (or I grow a third arm) I will likely continue putting buds for grafting in my mouth.
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I grafted my Fuji and HoneyCrisp apple scions to my Golden Dorsett, maybe this way I will get an apple from these varieties eventually.
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How much DNA is in saliva? We could really be making the trees our own. 
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I only do it because I don’t have three hands, glad to know it is ok
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My first graft using Templex 2155 where I wrapped like a thick croissant for Shanxi Li jujube took. I thought it was a goner.
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The first of my late winter greenhouse citrus grafts to push is Kishu:
No sign of life (or death) from the various others grafted at the same time (Giant Key Lime, VI-396, and Prague citsuma).
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Hey all…
I transplanted this wild callery pear into my field Jan 26.
Grafted it Feb 23 … modified cleft.
April 6… looks like this.
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Be prepared to remove the tape soon. I usually loosen the tape when growth is about where yours is now.
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