I found a very tasty apple I’m going to graft but it has really skinny scions. Would it be better to cut the branch back to thicker 2nd year growth that has fruit spures to graft with trying to leave a couple growth buds on the scion?
Or just use the skinny 1st year growth an cleft graft on the rootstocks.
I think the rootstocks are 1/4"
either can be ok
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Skinny scionwood? I would think bark graft would be a way to go.
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I’d suggest the modified cleft graft. Another member just posted a video about it in 2023 grafting thread. Its worked well for me.
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Skinny scions is typical of many of the red fleshed apples. But,creative grafting and they take in almost a high a % as much bigger scions.
I’ll make a cleft cut and drop one sharpened skinny scion into either side of the cleft, lining up the cambium as much as possible on just the outside. Then remove one of the grafts in 6 to 30 months, depending on vigor.
Red Devil is one variety I’ve not yet gotten a big enough scion to do a traditional splice graft.
I’ve tried a small saddle graft, and I’ve used tiny scions for bark grafts. Those all do ok.
If I have tiny rootstocks, to match a tiny scion, then a ‘saddle graft’ is my first choice.