How We Prepare Scionwood For Storage

I switched to using copper as I noticed that some that were slightly moldy and cleaned and shrubbed with bleach a month later had mold again. The copper stays on them. I even use a sticker. Also i do worry if in bleach too long it might damage the bark. You can use bleach to scarify seeds so it appears to be corrosive.

I can’t say it’s working better, I just started doing it. I need to store scion a long time. I already have scion that will not be grafted till May.
I leave them in the copper a few minutes, I don’t think it matters how long. I use Kocide too, not the weak liquid copper mixtures. I use the same dose for dormant spray (strong!).

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Maybe a little obsessive, Dax. But enjoyed your thread… Fortunately, most of the time the scions take some abuse and even some mold on them from excess dampness doesn’t seem to ruin them…they are pretty forgiving except when they dry out too much.

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Jolene, your scionwood arrived perfect shape last year. I wouldn’t fix what isn’t broken. :slight_smile:

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I am obsessive, truthfully.

Dax

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When I store chestnut, which is a bit resistant to mould anyway, I just wrap them in damp paper towel and a baggie and pop in the fridge. The secret is in the ‘damp’ part, and that takes experience. I have scions that were gathered after a big wind, with leaves still on them, Oct 20th. They look fine and have dropped the leaf petioles.
When somone says 10 percent bleach, they mean one spoon of bleach and nine spoons of water…so zero point five percent sodium hypochlorite. Help any?

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As scion cherry buds are somewhat swollen, would that affect grafting?

It’s not ideal but you graft them anyways. You certainly can have success.

Dax

Yah know, just saying, if you are patient, you can use a bottle graft on those scions that are too far along, and some will take. You do an X graft with the free end in a small bottle of water and hope for warm weather to speed up the union. You can change out the bottle for a clean one once a week, if things knit up slow.
I don’t have any pictures, but I do have some trees :slight_smile:

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I have found with cherries that if the bud is showing any green at all that the success rate goes down dramatically for us.

@jocelyn
What is " x" graft ~ bottle of water ?
Please explain

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The scion is given a slight scoop cut on the side. The stock the same. On skinny scions you can’t make a tongue, but it is taped like a whip and tongue. The graft is done high up the scion with the free end in a small bottle of water, and the stock is not cut free above the graft. I used to rest the bottle on the ground and cover it with foil to slow down algae growth. Once the new growth started, the rabbits were delighted!!! Now, I tie the bottle higher up the tree, grin.
While this graft took, the rabbits ate it.

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@jocelyn
So to be clear,…
You are putting the bottom of the scion in a bottle of water…?
And…
Doing a approach graft to the rootstock…?
Such that the two are just touching on the sides,… Forming a “x” shape ? ? ?

Yes, that’s it. You got it. If a scion is already started green tip when you get it in the mail, you can still use it by doing the bottle graft. It’s good to do it higher up the tree than the photo shows though. You can always hang the bottle with a mesh bag or something. You could even drive a stake beside a tiny tree and hang the bottle on a stake.

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Interesting ,
Thanks

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Here’s a link from the FAO, they describe it with a good picture. Scroll down till you get the the bottle graft.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/ad224e/AD224E19.htm

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I will have to try that .

Must say …
When I first read that I though it to be a joke…
Something too complicated to be real…
But you made it sound so simple
Kind of like …
Get a bottle of beer… And “Y” …( why ?) … Graft… :thinking:
I was having a beer when I read that…
Now it makes pefect sense
Will try…
Thanks

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images

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Sorry to revive an old topic but curious what month everyone deems as ideal to graft what in their area. Last year I did my first grafts and being new to it I think they arrived in December or January and I slapped them on the same day I got them (all stone fruit) because I didn’t know I could store them at the time haha but all the grafts took, but I now know I should have waited. Just curious when everyone does their grafts, thanks

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