Two days ago, in my first attempt at grafting I constructed 9 “grafts” of apple scions to rootstocks. The rootstocks we MM111 an B9 and some interstems. I must say that they were considerably uglier than I was hoping for. My biggest problem was in making clean straight cuts with my little felco grafting knife. The best I could do for whip and tongue grafts was get a long scalloped cut but more often I needed multiple cuts to do the trick. The made for ugly grafts and in my untrained estimation poor likelihood for good inter-cambium contact, As a result I stopped trying the W/T and went to small cleft grafts for the last handful. In terms of looks these are much better but I am hoping for a more potential for inter-cambium contact. I don’t have any photos of this likely botched job because I was too preoccupied to remember to take photos.
The next I went to a somewhat more familiar system and pulled out my kitchen knife and cutting board an did a couple more in the style of cutting carrots. with this method I made single straight cuts but I am a bit worried that the compressive stresses of the knife on cutting board action crushes and thus damages some of the tender cambium tissue that I need to heal and grow. In any case I did manage to get some photos of these in process. Next time if I remember I may take a peek under a magnifier.
I have seen a lot of parafilm breakdown in the area of my rubber band ties. I used some regular rubber bands but also silicon for better resistance to sun. I’m going back and recovering that portion. I tied off the graft so I could get a good tight fit, then para filmed over it. Should I have put the ties on the outside instead?
A tight fit, keeping air and water out----however you do it, there’s more than one way to skin that cat.
I’ve done more bark grafts than normal this year…since still grafting after rootstocks and ‘frankentrees’ are in leaf.
I am so tickled that my very first grafts haven’t done so badly, after all. (Of course, the ‘show’ ain’t over just yet . . . things could still go south!) But - some of them are really taking off. Some varieties more than others.
Keepsake and Enterprise Apples. (thanks to @AndySmith!) These 2 varieties are extremely lively!
Both of those pear trees have been completely ‘grafted over’ to other varieties. Only one branch left - on each original tree. Two True Frankenpears! Thank you, Regina @Rosdonald, Steve @hambone and Brady @Bradyb.
Thanks everybody who traded scions with me. This was the most fun I’ve had in a long time!
Good sucses to. congratulations !! especialy for a first time
Just a warning, now you’f discoverd grafting is not that inposibly hard. It can get real addicting. Especialy if you read about varieties other people love and you don’t have (yet)
Uh . . . . . . Oh, Oscar.
Warning came a little too late. I have to count . . . but I think I have done over 40 grafts!
My husband comes looking for me as the sun is setting . . .
There I am, teeth chattering, fingers blue, knife in hand . . . scion between my lips, ready to attach . . . tape and liners everywhere . . . and I say, “Just one more to do . . . and then I’ll be in!”
I know that I have made some dumb choices. And I know that I’ve ‘overthought’ a lot of it, too. But that’s one of the coolest thing about this ‘obsession’ . . . you can always chop a boo-boo off, if you want to - next year . . . and change the plan! Right???
I’m sure that I have grafted some varieties that will not do well where I live. (Cortland, for one.) And I’m sure that I put many of them too far out on a branch. But, it’s just a MIRACLE to see them sprout!
I finished up this morning . . .
This evening we will walk around and check them all out. Nightly Routine. So much fun.
If you had told me that I’d be grafting fruit trees one day . . . . 'never would have believed you!
i know the feeling. Stil amazes me we can just stick plants together and have it survive.
It amazes me even more. Seemingly completly different plants can graft together. (quince, mespilus germanica, pear, asian pear, loquat, apple) Still wanna make a single tree with all of those on it. Although im afraid the asian pear might not like the vigor from the quince rootstock im planning on using. Will also have to interstem a bit. And it might be a pain to manage alle the different vigors. Still gonna try though.
Can’t wait to get my hands on adara, and start planning a similar tree for the prunus family.
If your already feeling the addiction. I can advise you. if you order rootstocks. Order 1-3 extra. Plant them to layer them (stool bed) so you can grow your own rootstocks. I planted a few last year. planting more this year. When i finnaly did it i immediatly though. “should have done this years ago” Even if you don’t have space for more tree’s yourself. Growing it from cutting to graft to then give away to family. It’s something that makes me really happy.
I would not worry to much about “ugly” grafts. Although the % take might be a little lower. You can be amazed at how many ugly grafts just grow fine. Or at least i was my first time grafting.
It looks like you have wrapped the graft in parafilm. you can also wrap the whole scion. Might increase your sucses rate a little.
They look wonderful!!! My walkaround is an early morning routine. Its an important part of my day. I love it.
I especially appreciate that you gave a nod to those who provided the scions. Also good for the giver to hear that their scions were successful. Thanks!
I’m terrible. With grafts or seeds, I may start checking for progress within an hour, and check periodically throughout the day. Working from home has only exacerbated this habit.
Thanks for the kind words of support. I think you are right, I should have waxed otherwise covered the whole scion do try to prevent it from drying out. Now I am a bit afraid to move them so I will probably just leave them be and hope for the best. It is not so hot here yet so I am hoping that they are not loosing too much moisture.
I have to count . . . but I think I have done over 40 grafts!