I’m pruning my peaches and nectarines in the high tunnel. Some of the wood is green. Is that also OK to use as scion wood or will that not ‘take’?
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That’s the best type the new growth that’s dormant. Not soft wood during the growing season.
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usually the size/ how well developed the vegetative buds is, is a good indicator how suitable a scion is for grafting.
But if also grafted tiny buds, or just internodes without a visible bud. If you “force” them long enough (brake off new growth of rootstock). they can also work
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As long as it’s not this season’s growth.
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even if it’s this year growth. if the buds are well developed you can use it for summer chip budding
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Good point. I was thinking of “spring” grafting, i.e. cleft, whip, etc., for which I understand you need more lignified scions. But now that I think of it I’m not even sure about that.
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I have scions that are now beginning to break bud and grow. Scions that I grafted late July 2021 after trimming off the leaves leaving only the petioles; ie green wood at that time. I completely sealed each scion with parafilm and to keep them from breaking bud last summer-fall, I shielded each graft and scion from direct sunlight. Probably I have about 50% success. Most of these were either double tongue or whip & tongue grafts.
So it can be done!
Dennis
Kent, wa
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when summer grafting. i usually chip bud. And leaver the shoot above the chip bud uncut. The apical dominance of that shoot’s tip will prevent your graft from growing end of summer.
Than during dormant season (few months later) you prune just above the chip bud, to force it in the spring.
If you leave on the petiole (like you did) but cut off the leaf. And wrap around the base of the petiole, so it can freely fall off. You can see if your graft took or not. As soon as the grafts vascualr connection is made. Hormones from the stock will abort the petiole without a leaf. And thus the petiole will fall off/shrivel on it’s own. (or when you lightly touch it)
this summer budding is especially useful for things that need higher temps while grafting (most prunus species).
The downside is however that sending green freshly cut wood in the summer is a lot harder. So mostly useful if you have a source of fresh scion wood nearby. (ideal if you already have the variety, not so when trying to collect new varieties)
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Thats what I’m using it for. Whip & tongue.
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Thanks for this description. Good to know!
i have to come back from my previous post.
With apples and pears just forcing a grafted internode usually works. With peaches and nectarines, they tend to have more “bare” wood. I would be carful grafting those without visible healthy buds.
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