Got scionwood, now what?

Tippy, thanks a lot, I would love it! I think cleft should be good. Keeping in mind current unpredictable weather, can you send me an email about a week or two before the right time, so we can set a date?

A week notice is poosible. I can’t give a notice longer than that as my plan often changes due to work and personal matters. I work in your city so I know the weather.

I admit I have never grafted on a newly planted trees. If experts here think I can graft new varieties on your newly arrived trees at planting or a week or two after planting, I will do it.

All my grafts have been done on existing trees.

Oh, yes, I forgot that my trees have to arrive before grafting :grin::grin:. I will send you an email, when I get them and we will go from there… Only question I have to the experts - should I plant the trees first, or graft then plant?

NOT an expert- but it will work both ways. It kind of depends on what your rootstock looks like when you get it. If you have a simple 3/8" whip with barely any established branches then you’d have to just graft to the leader. But if you get a four or five foot tall tree with decent branches you have more choices. Either way you can graft before, after, or even during planting!

Thanks again, Mark!

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Galina,
Go shopping :grin: You need at least a sharp knife for grafting, parafilm and labels/ tags.

These things have been asked and answered many times. Use the search funtion (a magnifying glass symbol) on top right of the page and search for grafting knife, tree tags, etc.

In addition to Kufflecreek/Applenut videoson grafting, I like watching grafting videos by Stephen Hayes, too. You can check him out on Youtube.

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OK, parafilm ordered, will utility knife with new blade( as in @applenut video) work? Will order some labels too!.

As long as a knife is sharp and can cut straight, it will work. Use what feels comfortable in your hand. When I show you, I will use my own grafting knife.

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Is that an order from Cummins (all Geneva rootstock makes me think Cummins). If so, you could tack some rootstock onto your order? Two years ago you could not order less than a bundle of 10 rootstock, but now the website makes it look like you can get them by the each.

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Before you start, practice multiple times on disposable ones with the same caliper. Good luck!

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Yes and no. It is order form Cummins, and I probably can add a rootstock. But the problem is, I have no space in my yard for one more tree unless I give up my veggie garden, and I am not ready to that, at least yet. :laughing: . I already gave up my decorative garden by moving it to my neighbor’s side :grinning:.Even four trees I ordered is a stretch. I have to plant fourth one too close to the only path from my front orchard to back yard garden and I predict my hubby complaining few years from now, that this branch is always on his way :grin:.

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yes, I was actually so exited to do this, that I want to start today on some cuttings from my neighbor tree :slight_smile:

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Guess what :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:. I had a walk in my garden, and looks like I FOUND ANOTHER SPACE, I can use :slight_smile:

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I brought some wood from my neighbor’s wild apple today and practiced some grafting. My main issue is, I can’t get connection between two pieces 100% tight. It looks tight, but when I look trough it on the light, I see light coming throw the connection line doesn’t matter how hard I squeeze two parts together . Is it normal or I just can’t make a cut strait enough to match?

That union looks pretty good. Wrap it up tight and it will probably work. Cutting by hand it’s never perfect and doesn’t need to be esp for apple and pear.

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Thanks! I will try to practice full procedure when I receive my parafilm wrap. By the way, do I need wax? I found three different ideas on wax, when looked online. 1) Not to use it, just use parafilm. 2) Use it to cover top(cut) portion of rootstock and possible gaps, then use parafilm. 3) And another person suggested first wrapping it with rubber bands and then wax on top. I kind of feel more comfortable with second approach. What do you recommend?

That looks like a good fit from here- I think that when you wrap that tightly with temflex or a wide rubber band (or electrician’s tape or paper masking tape or lots of other things) you’ll get good cambium contact.

I especially like how nicely you’ve cut in the shoulders on the “scion” (right-hand) piece. Your split is right down the middle, too. If I were to take it apart and look very closely I would look for a little crown on the scion cuts- sometimes in whittling the taper I get the edges better than I get the center, and that leaves a little ridge down the middle of the taper. I think that a sharp, sharp knife gets around that. A very sharp knife helps get around that little bit of bark peeling down at the bottom of the taper too, but I don’t think you’ll ever avoid that completely.

But really, if I had cut those and put them together I’d expect the graft to take.

Also, I see that Steve (fruitnut) posted that he likes it, and that’s good enough for me.

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I think wax is redundant and can even cause problems if it gets into the joint. But I use it a little.

Here’s one approach I like:

Make a good fit like the one you show above.
Wrap it snug with a rubber band or temflex.
Overwrap it with parafilm.
Touch up the exposed cut end with wax. Wax the whole thing if you want to, but don’t worry about it.
Hang a label on it and call it good.

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Thanks! Temflex is electrical tape, right?

Temflex 2155 is a cheap, stretchable rubbery tape readily available at Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and so on. It’s kind of sticky but not truly adhesive- sticks to itself. So you can cut off 6 inches or so, stick it to the rootstock into which the scion is placed, and then hold the scion in place with one hand and easily wrap a couple of turns of tape with the other, and so on. In a few seconds it’s all snug, and ready for whatever final strokes you care to add. I wrap it all with parafilm. You could wax it. But either way it’ll work!

http://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-3-4-in-x-22-ft-Temflex-Splicing-Tape-2155/202195401