I am planning on bench grafting apples this year with dormant scions and rootstock and am looking for some advice. I am seeing some conflicting information online about the process. Some people say they do their grafts and then place the trees directly back into cold storage until they can be planted outdoors, while other people give a warm period immediately following the grafting process. I am seeing some leave them in 70+ degrees for 2 weeks until the graft calluses and then the trees are moved back to cold storage. How necessary is this warm period? Could placing them back in cold storage after 2 weeks cause damage? Thanks.
2 Likes
From my limited experience. All that matters is keeping the graft from drying out, getting the graft union wet, and freezing temperatures. I’ve had the best luck grafting apples just after the buds on the rootstock start growing.
1 Like
theres nothing about apples that is specific bench grafting, correct? its just done to get a jump on the season?
Do you think they would be fine if I graft and pot, then just keep them in my garage that stays above freezing but below 45 degrees for the next couple months? Or should I just keep the scions in the refrigerator and wait until March/April to graft anything?
I’m honestly not 100% sure, I’m very new to grafting. I have dormant scions and rootstock and it is my understanding that bench grafting is very commonly done and is successful so I want to try it. I’m just having a hard time finding someone that can explain why they do it a certain way or why/if one method is better than others. I’m getting the impression that there are several ways to successfully do it and people just have their preferred method.
if its just about freeing up time later in spring when things start taking off because you have tons of grafts to do then it seems like you would be making it unnecessarily complex if you only have a “small” amount to graft. if youre just looking to learn and experiment then onward and ill be following along!
1 Like
Welcome to the forum.
I have limited experience in grafting. What I’ve been taught is at temperature between 35f and 55f the graft will heal and callouse, but at a much slower rate. Between 60f and 70f is better, but the buds on the scion will break very soon.
I prefer to graft when the outside temperature is best for callouse formation for that particular kind of tree.
I have less problems of the scion drying out wrapped up in the fridge than I do with it already in place on the rootstock waiting for a couple months to callouse.
My understanding of bench grafting is: doing the grafting with the convenience and comfort of sitting at a bench. Whether you are using “bareroot” rootstock or using potted rootstock. For most years that I only graft a few trees, I will have my rootstock already potted up. For the times that I use barefoot, I will wait for outside temperatures to warm to proper temperatures for best callousing.
4 Likes
Here I do not start grafting until freezes have went away. Typically by mid March my last scions arrive and I order in rootstock.
I put grafts in bags / pots.
Read the threads on “hot callus pipe”
Pretty sweet concept, keeping the graft area warm for fast callus and keeping the rest of the scion and rootstock cold to keep it dormant.
Apples are very forgiving.. I’ve often grafted and potted them, placing the pots in the edge of my yard, all in the same day.
A “hot callus pipe” is absolutely not necessary.. For some other more finicky things sure, but not for apples…
3 Likes
With apples I don’t think it matters much how you do it. They take very readily. Last year was my first time grafting. I did bench grafting, field grafting to dormant bare root rootstock and top working established trees to make them franken trees. All in the last week of March when there was some intermittently cool weather (though no hard freezes as last spring was mild)
Other than some of the top worked apples, almost all of them took. Apples are very forgiving as are pears (and IME plums too)
If it’s your first time try a variety of techniques, to get the experience
3 Likes
I don’t see why it would be a problem to plant them in the nursery bed right after grafting, other than that the handling may loosen the graft Union, or birds sit on them. You could probably also plant them straight out into their spot. Just make sure you have a stick next to it that is higher, the birds will prefer that for sitting on. I think that the general guidelines are focusing on making the process most efficient for commercial nurseries, that aim to handle a lot of trees and ship them after the first season.
1 Like