This is very unrelated to growing fruit, but has anyone here ever tried grafting mock orange, Philadelphus? For years I’ve been growing mock orange in our landscaping, because I love the smell. I have 6 mature bushes now, and I am devastated to learn that there is a scentless variety of mock orange, and that appears to be what we have - mislabeled from the nursery. Grafting on the desired type is probably a fool’s errand, especially with it’s growth habit. But I’m grasping for ideas to take advantage of the years or root growth before pulling them and replacing them.
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If you can locate the scented variety you desire, buy only one or two now for gathering scions this winter once dormant. Then I would keep what you have planted until next spring and attempt to top work them with your desired scented variety. The best time for grafting them would likely be just when the rootstock plant buds are swelling and after danger of morning frost has passed.
Meanwhile use this year to refine your grafting skills on other plants.
Maybe other members here will have better ideas, but try to make lemonade!
Dennis
Kent, wa
Fragrant plants tend to be most noticeable at certain times of day. Have you checked morning, mid-day and evening?
Which variety do you have which has no scent? I have a Mexican Mock Orange which wouldn’t be suitable for grafting, it has so many stems and you prune by cutting old stems to the ground. You might be better off buying a new plant and propagating new plants off that, although that still means digging up your current plants.
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