Grafting onto year old apple trees

General Fruit Growing
22

Mike,
Branches from a two year old tree is not too small to graft. In the pic I posted, those two grafts were done on a two-year old tree.

If you check the beginning of this thread, @Matt_in_Maryland grafted on a one year old apple trees. Just look up good grafting videos and practice, you can graft your trees this spring.

23

You are probably right. I will order some scion wood and see what I can do. I have a rootstock coming as well so I might as well use that too. I was going to just plant it this year and wait until it got bigger but maybe I will do my experiments this year. TY
Your grafts look great btw. Nice job.

24

Thank you.

For newbies, I think you have a better chance to have your graft take on an existing tree than on a rootstock.

If I were you, I would plant rootstocks and let it grow. Then, I would watch a lot of grafting videos by Stephen Hayes and Kuffel Creek nusery on Youtube. Before you actually graft on your apple trees, just trim some wood and use it to practice grafting.

In your zone, you donā€™t need to graft until April. You have plenty of time to watch videos and practice. Good luck.

1 Like
25

Thank you.

My GR looks like the tree in your third picture. You have nice laterals. When is the grafting time in Australia? Opposite to us, right?

26

They cut the scion wood in late June, package it in sealed plastic and post in July, recommending that it is used straight away. Officially our spring starts in September but our early peaches are well under way by then and setting fruit. I will probably refrigerate until I see the buds moving before grafting but who knows, both trees were late in starting last season.

Mick

27

I was thinking the same thing as your advice. I want my trees I have planted to get bigger then I will try and graft some scions onto them. If they donā€™t take I havenā€™t lost a tree and a space unnecessarily. I will plant the rootstock and keep it under control then try some grafts onto that. I had a order I placed with a nursery and they had some rootstocks as a reminder to buy them as you checked out. I figured why not? For $3 what do I have to lose? Only $3, Iā€™ve spent a lot more more less over my lifetime.
Great advice. TY