Graft Took 70 Days To Pop! Lessons Learned

General Fruit Growing
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Here’s a lesson in patience- not my strong suit.

April 1 I put a one bud cleft graft of rare Kittageskee apple on a Goldrush branch. Yesterday June 12 it showed the first sign of bud pop. Roughly 70 days.

I decided to do single bud grafts from the extremely thin, non-vigorous scion stick in order to spread the variety farther, as it’s so rare. Bad idea, at least for cleft grafts of this weak scion. Four other cleft grafts failed to pop. But all three bark grafts took- grafted on to top of main leaders, more oomph, more cambium contact.

So my takeaway (for me anyway): don’t try single bud cleft grafts of weak scions- only do bark grafts on verticals.

Hoping in a year or two to have scions to spread around to anyone interested. My failed grafts set back this plan a bit.

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This year I had an apple clef graft done in early April take 60 days to show green.
Also I had a short very thin apple scion that I did a very simple bark graft and it is growing. One slice to lift the bark on the branch, one slice on the thin scion, insert and wrap.

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My bark grafts took nicely, but a couple of my clefts are taking their own sweet time. I may have been a little sloppy this year, too, grafting in hard-to-reach spots in my frankenapple. But in my case it has only be 40 days. Still a long time.

One year I had a couple of grafts that healed nicely but didn’t pop until the following year, after I notched above them.

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That’s good to remember. I had a pawpaw graft callus but just sit there for months (last year) and I gave up on it.

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I may have given up too quick on a pear graft to a callery pear …. but apples I have 3 no-takes on a ‘frankentree’ that I don’t believe are going to pop at all, but I’ll let them remain all summer probably, as they are doing no harm.

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Hello. I was curious if your single bud grafts were standard cleft grafts?

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Yes they were. The rootstock was so much thicker than the scions that was my only option- at least that I know. Cleft is my least favorite graft.

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Thanks Hambone. I had a similar experience with single bud grafts this season. I did some tiny bark grafts that worked that I was not expecting. I had several failed single bud clefts. I also had several successful single bud grafts using what I know as a modified cleft graft. Healed up real nice too. Just thought I would share. New here. I think your right about bark being the way to go though on single bud grafts…at least with my limited experience.

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Can I bud graft apples right now here in Zone 7A northern VA?