After care for newly grafted apple

General Fruit Growing
1

I budded to EMLA 106 I got from 39th parallel last autumn and kept them in pots. The buds are growing out now and I’m not sure what to do.

Could someone point me in the right direction, please? Thanks.

2

Prune off the top “above” the bud you want to keep and rub off the buds below it. Leave a good half inch above your bud.

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3

Thanks Andy. I did cut off above the buds as you say but I’m wondering how much growth to allow below the bud and how to fertilize too. I know I’ve read it here repeatedly but I can’t find it now.

4

Hi Mark
Remove any rootstock buds below your grafts during the growing season to focus all energy of your grafts. Later you can determine pruning to select your central leader once the stronger growth emerges, then prune off all others to focus energy on the central leader during this growing season. Once it’s about 8’ tall I top mine to force lateral development.
I use 3-10 fertilizer around the drip line but none close to the trunk. A couple of handsful, per tree is all you need this season. I mulch all of mine out beyond the drip line.
Dennis
Kent, Wa

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5

Thanks Dennis. I have leafed-out branches below the bud which I assume I should leave to contribute to the tree’s growth until the bud grows enough to start branching on its own. Is that right? It seems like it’s asking an awful lot of the bud to keep the roots going otherwise!

6

I’d love to know if there is any systematic research on this topic.

My SOP with newly grafted apples has been to (1) immediately remove ALL growth from the rootstock tree as soon as it appears, (2) gradually remove all but one shoot on the scion, promoting the one remaining shoot as central leader; and (3) removing shoots emerging from this central leader. The produces a tall, thick, unbranched whip. In the second season, I head this whip and grow scaffold branches.

This seems effective. Is there any good research supporting a different approach?

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7

I like to grow them in pots all summer and plant in the ground in the fall.

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8

Hi Mark,
The more you leave below the graft, the slower your graft will grow. That’s why once I am certain the graft has taken, I prune off all competition. If you are not yet confident in this approach, then gradually prune back the limbs below for a week or so, until you are 100% certain the graft is strong, then prune off everything below. The sooner you do this during the growing season, the sooner you will get a strong central leader. Don’t forget to protect the graft from bird landings! I like JRD’s response
Best wishes
Dennis

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