Clarification about timing stone fruit grafts

[PlantingOaks]

So, I have some peach rootstock growing that I want to graft to, and have been doing research on it, mainly from here & Bob Purvis’ site. I tried a few chip bud grafts last June, with middling success, and better success re-chip-budding from the sprouts of those buds later in august.

My understanding is that later summer is the best time to graft stone fruit, using next year’s dormant buds exposed when pulling a leaf off of new growth. This seems borne out with my experience.

However, my understanding is ALSO that scionwood is generally available for sale fully dormant, in midwinter. How does this square? Is it even possible to hold the scionwood 9 months in the fridge? (what I ordered this winter is already looking pretty dodgy now) Are there sources of summer budwood other than your own or your neighbors’ trees? Do you just accept the lower success rate of spring grafting as part of the cost of acquiring novel, mail-order varieties?

Finally, if someone could double check that I’m using terms (scionwood vs. budwood, budding vs. grafting) appropriately, it would be appreciated. My understanding is that they are mostly interchangeable in this context, but I’m not terribly confident in that.

Apple grafting is so much easier! (other than the numb fingers, that is)

[Zone9Gardening]

What I do is use active growth (this years’s scion wood), works better than dormant scionwood for June grafting.

[boylan]

So, in June, I should go out and cut off 3" of new wood from my existing contender tree and regraft my failed contender graft?

[marknmt]

This post got a discussion going that you might find useful:

Basic Tips For New Grafters #2: Different Grafts (Discussion Needed)

I’m really hoping that others here will tear into this stuff and fix it fill it out as they see the need. Please do! Please!! When I started grafting I didn’t know the difference between grafts, so I thought it might be useful to lay out a few points. A lot of people graft in the spring as the destination tree is getting ready to take off. Typically grafters like to wait until the tree has small leaves on it, and the grafts generally used are splice (also known as whip), or cleft, or a splice …

[PlantingOaks]

@Zone9Gardening

What I do is use active growth (this years’s scion wood)

You can only do this if it’s something you’re already growing though, right? Or are there places that will ship scion wood in summer? I think that’s the crux of my question.

Good thread @marknmt, I could have used the advice about the hand protection methods a couple months ago

[Zone9Gardening]

True, I don’t think they can be shipped, they get spoiled quick.

[fruitnut]

@PlantingOaks

Is it even possible to hold the scionwood 9 months in the fridge?

You don’t hold it 9 months. Dormant scion obtained in winter are grafted as soon as it warms up enough in spring.

I do that in spring. Also, T budding in May/June and possibly chip budding in late summer. The T budding requires fresh budwood that grew that spring.

[scottfsmith]

Summer budding is usually done by pros who have the mother tree on their property already. But FedEx also works.

[PlantingOaks]

Thanks so much for clarifying. Sometimes it’s the most obvious information that’s the hardest to find spelled out.