Looking for some expertise here: I have a 5 year old loquat tree, and last year I was given scions from two additional varieties, of which only one graft took from each variety onto my tree. I anticipate moving this year. Last year I tried to take an air layer of the main tree which I started in June. By October, it had very weak rooting but I took it anyway and it didn’t really survive the winter (in hindsight I should have brought it inside). This year, I air layered two additional branches early on in the season and I’m seeing signs of success and can hopefully cut them off in a month or so.
So it’s great that I can take a copy of the main tree assuming my two air layers continue to succeed, but I’m wondering how I can take the two other varieties along as well, which have only really started taking off this season as single branches from last year’s graft.
I’ve thought about air layering below the graft to just take the grafted branches in their entirety, but I’m concerned because the branches they are grafted on are more mature and I wonder if my window of opportunity is closing due to last year’s failure - and I don’t know how long I’ll be living here to wait for root formation if I start an air layer today.
Assuming I have at least 2 more months in this house, I’m wondering if I have another option in letting the two grafted branches grow out a bit, and then maybe doing a bud graft from those branches onto my successful air layers? Is that a possible solution? Or do I just need to try for air layers on the other varieties? I’ve never performed a successful bud graft and not sure what time of year I could do that with loquats or how mature branches should be for success.
For context, I’m in the maritime Pacific Northwest, on the Canadian side of the border where loquat varieties are not easy to come by, and summers are short.
Pics of the grafted branches below for reference. TIA!
Air layering is very iffy - it takes a long time and we don’t have enough warm season for it to succeed.
Don’t waste your time trying to root. Only possible if you’re an expert with mist propagation.
Loquats are easy to graft. Now is a good time.
Also I wonder if the varieties you have are sentimental favorites or named varieties. If the latter, you can always replace them.
Here is my sign of success so far. It could always just pivot and start rotting out or something but I started these in April and they’re looking much better so far than my attempt from last June. I don’t have any rootstock to graft onto now, and last year I did try grafting the other scions I had from those two varieties onto quince rootstock and they all failed.
Assuming my air layers will be successful, should I just do bud grafts onto them now? Or will it be ok to do that in a month or two once I’ve taken them off the tree?
To answer your question about the varieties, the tree I have and one of my grafts are apparently from proven fruiting trees here in BC (one produces an orange fruit, the other more a yellow/white), and the other variety is one called Jazzy, which I can’t find much info about but figured it was worth trialing. Sources for other varieties up here or more cuttings of what I have will be hard to come by.
Jazzy is pretty easy to find in the US. I used to have it but it died.
As far as the fruiting varieties go, it’s because of size and the microclimate they make for themselves as well as favored microclimate around them. It isn’t a genetic trait that allows them to fruit this far north.
Even our local Chinatown tree did not consistently hold fruit to ripeness in its first 20 years.
I recommend grafting onto a seedling. Or use quince rootstock.
We’ve lived in this house 5 years and I’ve spent thousands of dollars on fruit trees/bushes/vines/etc. My spouse is not stoked by the prospect of me spending that amount again at a new house (where I of course want more than we even have here)… so the goal is cloning as much as I have for free (although the amount of money spent on potting soil is starting to add up). I’m already having to spend money on ones I simply can’t clone due to rootstock availability where I live, etc., so was hoping loquat wasn’t one of them.
Grafting onto air layers might work. But when you remove them, you will prune leaves to reduce stress. I’ve seen air layers die over winter due to inadequate root development. Adding more buds adds more stress.
Ask yourself the question- what do you want more? Those varieties? Or save about forty bucks on rootstock?
I second @Melon get seedlings for little to nothing and graft those. But I assume you don’t want 6 loquat trees, so they could just be placeholders until your in ground tree is scaffolded enough to graft them all on; then sell the potted ones or give away. I have a ton of seedling loquats now that are almost perfect grafting size. But I’m sure there are plenty closer to you also.
Edit just realized you’re in Canada, so it may be tougher than I thought. As I doubt loquats are super readily available without driving. Does customs stop plant material on the border ever? Not sure how land crossings go as I’ve never crossed a border like that.
Yeah they’ll ask you. I’ve driven from Canada to Washington a few times for funsies. They’ll ask if you have any food or agricultural products. It’s the same almost as traveling on airplane with customs. They won’t allow you to bring any plant material or fruits across the border. Only unopened packaged commercial things, no fresh fruits or plants or you can get in trouble. If it’s in the car, they’ll ask that you eat it at the border and throw away the seeds/plant material or you’ll have to throw it away.
I found out about fruits through experience… i stuffed myself full of dragon fruit and lychee within a few minutes and they let me go
Welp, success on the air layer so far! Will be potting this in the next few days and should be plenty of summer left for it to stabilize… For the other two varieties on the mother tree I may just ask the buyers of the house if I can come by and take cuttings in winter and hope they’re chill about it! I spoke with our local fruit guru Bob Duncan about it, and he suggested taking well lignified wood, which does not exist yet on those grafts.
