I have my apple rootstock G.202. Its in the ground. I have a grafting knife and tape. My plan is to order 4 budwood from USDA. The stock is all but dorment but I see all the nice healty green though the skin. I have never done this before and I am eager to get started but if its absolutly crazy to try to bud root stock with out even a year in the ground let me know and I will hold off for scions next year. Does it sound crazy to make the order and see what sort of leftover trees HomeDepot has when it ships.
Do it!!!
kiwi,
given my druthers (and since its my garden, I can have them) I would absolutely whip-and-tongue, cleft, or bark graft before budding. In that order.
That said, I did have some apples and plums I considered rare enough that I put both whips and chip buds on the same rootstock, with the buds being a quasi-insurance policy against a failed whip. The whips all took but the buds healed also, so it does support that there’s no reason you can’t bud on new rootstock at least…
If I were dead set on preserving a variety I would rind graft in a heartbeat if I had a big enough rootstock . In the long term rind graft may not be the best but it is a sure take if you have a nice fat rootstock.
Budding is simple and easy. Do it!!
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I am going to make the space for this tree some how. but I don’t have at all the space for 4 or 5.
Ok I pulled the trigger. I am doing this. I am not sure what I am going to receive if anything, budwood or scions next year. the GRIN search listed each entry as budwood but clicking the actual link list the disturbtion type as Scion.
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I say go for it, of course, but I don’t know when the repository ships. It seems likely to me that it may be too late for this year, so be prepared for that option!
I think grafting is easier than people think it should be, especially with parafilm. It seems like the people like me who do their best, and just wrap up potential mistakes without trying to fix them do somewhat statistically better than the people who really futz with the wood trying to make it perfect. I personally think that since the whole purpose of callousing and sap is to heal small wounds, small gaps between your wood can’t possibly be a big deal as long as it’s tightly wrapped. To me it stands to reason a tight seal is more critical than a perfect fit.
Parafilm is just a must have product for beginners, at least. In my climate, it’s like grafting on easy mode. Apple + Parafilm + Electric tape = extremely high takes
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Scion wood deadline is Jan 15th. Budwood is typically shipped in August. Scion wood (Feb -March).
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I think this is a great program, and if you’re getting varieties that aren’t (easily) available elsewhere and you’re going to try your best to get takes, I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t?
I mean, yes, part of this program is to preserve these varieties for academic and commercial research but I think another part of it is to preserve these trees period, and the more people who do that, the greater the chance that these special trees do not go extinct.
I would say the only reason not to go for it would be if you would ask for common-ish apples that are widely available through mail order, like Rubinette or Roxbury Russett or something. And that’s not because these aren’t great apples, but I just personally feel that since this program is funded by taxpayers, it should only be used if you’re going after varieties that the USDA is one of the few (or only) source to get them. (Just my opinion, of course.). If you’re ordering Schoener von Herrnhut or something else equally obscure, I say go for it! 
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