My compost pile JT02 graft… it has 2 shoots (52 and 54 inches) now. It has one smaller shoot about half that size that a caterpillar or something ate the growing tip of. That slowed it down some and probably pushed the other two more.
Question…
I would like to eventually have fruit up out of deer range but not so high that I could not reach it with a 4-6 ft ladder.
I am 6 ft… and can reach 8 ft easily. Having fruit hanging in the 8 - 12 ft range seems like it would be ideal.
Do I need to cut the growing tips off these monster shoots to get this JT02 under control ?
Perhaps make it branch out more rather than shoot up taller ?
What do you all recommend ? What has worked for you ?
Dont have a direct answer but I’m amazed at how fast your JT02 is growing.
I have one tree that grows like that – Chuchupaka – just keeps growing and growing – already 8 feet tall and no flowers.
Meanwhile another potted chuchupaka is less vigorous but absolutely loaded with flower buds.
Based on my observations, I would seriously look into cutting down the amount of Nitrogen/nutrition in the soil so it grows slower. I think pruning it will only cause it to grow more with a vengeance.
I have not fertilized it at all… but it is located about 3 ft from my compost pile… just down hill from it a bit. It may get some nutrient run off from that.
I have only piled some old rotten hay and leaves around it for mulch… but yes it is growing very strong.
I would guess it will dwarf itself once it starts fruiting, but idk. You could pinch the tip if you want to further promote branching although whippyness in the wind will still be an issue no matter what. I usually wait until winter since extra length maybe helps me when winter injury happens. Just depends on how tall you want to go with any bracing. Even small diameter grafts can shoot up to 8-10’+ in the first year of grafting. I end up trying to support those in case I get a 100 mph storm, which happens too much. For me, it’s easier to support one main leader the first year rather than a branched out top. With the astringency, the deer might not grab the fruit off the tree unless they are dead ripe, so maybe height isn’t as much of a concern (like apples or pears), as long as they aren’t raking their horns. Others might have some experience with that.
My CDR and Nakittas Gift grafts were both sort of struggling for a while there… including psyllium attack… but looks like they have both recovered and are growing better now.
Looks like I will have Kassandra and Nakittas Gift growing side by side. That may be interesting.
WS8-10 looking very healthy… has two shoots battling it out for tallest. I will let them get a little taller then pick one for central leader… and the other i will cut off the tip… it can be used for scionwood this winter.
This is one of the wild DV I selected for grafting next spring. A stake and flagging so my bushhog guy does not take it out… and this evening I cut a weedeater space around it so the bushhog guy can see it better and does not feel like he has to mow so close to it.
I piled all the grass and weed clippings up around it for mulch… will add mushroom compost and wood chips soon. It will be 5 ft or more and half inch diameter by fall.
I am saving 4 like this… one will be for Journey hybrid… another H63A… the other two… i will decide later.
I didn’t have any dormant scions long enough to bridge the gap. So I used some fresh ones harvested from a Rosseyanka that had been freed (then grafted) from the steps of same said deck two year’s earlier.
TNHunter. What phenomenal growth! Can you walk me through your site prep? I am lucky to get a few inches growth, while there are 40-50 ft mature trees all around - ?
@ansayre … the thing is… there has been no site prep. Well other than 22 years ago i had 3 acres cleared and we built a home in the middle of that clearing. It was early fall when the clearing was done and i disked it all up… tossed and carried a million rocks off… and planted it in a mix of winter wheat, fescue and clover.
We have about 1 acre with home and yard on it… and a couole more acres that are orchard and field area and the field area… i simply have bushhogged 2x a year… usually late June… and early October.
Where all those wild persimmons are poping up in my fields… i did not plant them… i suppose coons and possum helped with that.
Many of those little wild persimmons have been trying to grow there for years ?? and getting whacked off 4-6 Inches above ground… 2x a year… and then sprouting out again and growing more.
The one above (last pic) was bushhogged whacked last October and this spring and season so far has grown to 3.5 ft with lots of lumbs… quite bushy.
By October it will be 5 ft or so… and half inch diameter.
I think the reason these grow so much in one season is… they have established root systems which really push the tops.
@ansayre … i cut some 4-6 inch trees off about 5 ft high and did bark grafts… it took them a while to take… but they did. I did not check them for 3 or 4 weeks and when i did they had some nice growth from the scions… and from the root stock.
It was 4 1/4" We had a three week drought when I grafted which I thought was ideal. Now there is a chance of rain every day for the next 10 days. My food plot and apple/pears need the rain
