I would love trade with you or buy some scions. I’d much rather have scion wood from trees grown here in the PNW. If you’re into Figs I grow 35 varieties, but I have other things like Pawpaws, Feijoas, (a Chilean Guava that’s actually survived a few years… I’ve killed my fair share), fun grapes… the list goes on. I’ve been reading through the thread the last couple hours, thank you for all the amazing info!! I’ve been waiting for OGW to carry a certain variety for years. Then today I decided no time like the present, just get a 1gal seedling in the ground & graft it… if only I made that decision years ago lol. I’m also curious about your Aromatnaya grafted Loquat, I’m assuming you top worked it? Or did you keep some of your Quince? I have a well established Aromatnaya that’s about 9ft tall, it’s honestly in an ideal location, but I’d want to interwork my Loquats with the Quince, do you think that’s viable? Also, if you can do a bridge graft, it may help your damaged trees that were girdled by rabbits.
It was the first one this year, in February. They seemed to plan to do it annually. Hopefully they considered it a success. I certainly thought it was worthwhile!
Oh I certainly hope they did too!! What I wouldn’t give to get my hands on scion wood from so many things from there lol.
I think I posted a picture. It is a relatively small number of varieties, although plenty that you wouldn’t find most places. It was a good excuse to go to the nursery in person and, as they likely hoped, I bought several things while there.
And they offered loquat?
Yes they have several varieties, I was there yesterday. They had a few grafted that are not up on the website yet like Oliver.
Hey any excuse to go, is a good excuse for me lol, I’m bummed I missed it. However, score for you!! Did you graft yours to a Loquat or a Quince? Although I purchase a seedling from OGW yesterday, I know where to find 6ft Quince for $20 & I’m considering putting in a 2nd Quince to sacrifice & graft my Loquats to it.
For those who have grafted, are there special considerations I should take into account like sap flow? Or are they easy like Figs (my only grafts that have ever failed were Asian Persimmon, my goodness those are difficult)
That’s good to know. Next year I’ll get some other varieties.
If it’s helpful I spotted a tree with about 15+ marked grafts of names I’ve never seen mentioned before. So it looks like they’re trialing quite a few other varieties for our area as well.
Yep, I’ve seen them. I’m trialing them here too. Someone I know in Virginia has the peluche. That’s highest on my wish list.
Peluche is the largest loquat. And has the least flavor or sweetness out of many dozens I’ve tasted. Close to dead last. I got rid of mine.
Loquats get much larger in the PNW due to self thinning from cold weather. So large size isn’t a problem.
On the subject of grafting - loquats are relatively easy. Not easy like apples but maybe one rung more difficult. Quince makes great rootstock.
I have an 8 foot tall loquat seedling with several side branches. Do you think the tree would accept a graft on each of the side branches? Someone told me that loquat don’t like that many grafts at once. I don’t know if that’s true. What do you think?
Yes.
You can graft on every single branch
Great! This one is in the ground in a greenhouse, so I can graft it now.
I need to learn how to best prune for greenhouse production. It grows amazingly fast, but my clearance in there is only 10 feet. Do you think that’s talll enough for good yields?
When do you prune your loquat, right after you harvest the fruit?
Yeah that’s when I do, after all fruit is gone.
I’m wondering for the one in the greenhouse. Loquat fruits on new wood correct? So would it be possible for me to hack it back like a fig after the fruit is done, and get enough growth by the end of summer for fruiting wood next year?
Yeah, 4 or 5 varieties I think.
Loquats fruit on old wood. IOW branches grow throughout summer and flower in fall/winter/spring on wood that grew the past summer.
New wood will also grow simultaneously.
They are not like figs at all.
They’re a pome, or pome-adjacent, so I was guessing they fruit like peaches? Just once on the previous year’s wood? Or do they form spurs? I haven’t seen too much about their growth and pruning compared to other trees.
