Can anyone answer some questions I have about grafting please,
-
Is there such a thing as dwarf root stocks for mulberries?
-
If I graft a Pakistani or illinois ever bearing to a dwarf variety (Charlotte Russe or Girardi) will that dwarf them?
Read this thread:
One option is keeping the roots restricted by keeping in an above ground or in ground container. I’m one year into that with an IE. This summer it was in a 5 gal pot. It produced some fruit.
1 Like
Thanks, I read that post, very interesting. Pots are definitely an option. How old is your IE?
I might just experiment with grafting to a dwarf variety and see what happens!!
I rooted an IE cutting in the summer of 2016. It only grew to about 15 inches in 2017. This year it was about 2 ft with leaves about half normal size. I have another rooted cutting in the ground and that one is 5 ft tall with 5 trunks. I’m forcing it into a bush form as an experiment. Next year I’ll have a better idea if keeping the IE potted is worth while.
You might find this article of interest.
2 Likes
I am getting ready to graft some mulberries.
last year I only had about 50% take.
Which is low.
Anybody have any tips ,any good success methods.
Should I be doing anything different than normal grafts on a mulberry?
Any tips specifically for mulberries
2 Likes
outside or bench?
what caliper?
potted? bareroot? what caliper? from where?
what are your scion caliper ranges? is everything waking up or is it dormant? what else? … I do not know???
These are potted outside breaking buds.
Going to bring some inside where reliably warmer .
Whip /tongue , chip bud.
I get good takes on most other grafts.
Mulberries seem to be a challenge for me.
Just looking for tips specific to mulberries, not grafting in general
1 Like
I was going to suggest something new I’m trying that’s not necessarily new but that others in my groups I talk with whom are nut folks are using, 2-flap.
Cut yer rootstock across from each other vertically about 2 or 3" long or 1.5" and remove pith and two cuts on scion to slip in. that’s it.
Has this proven to increase grafting success with mulberries?
there’s maximum (forever foreward no matter what “magician”) tells you what… if you hear me.
??? Don’t follow
i’ll explain … briefly.
3/8th is best no matter what I graft
if you’re grafting 3/8th you 3-flap. that simple…
if not, you’re grafting pencil or there to 3/8ths. that’s the two-flap.
here’s the example of maximum cambial activity: When pith is removed, all 100% remains is cambium. now scion is inserted next to 100% cambium contact, available, possible… do you understand now? ONCE the pith is removed, all that remains is cambial-tissue. You see … ???
1 Like
I have trouble with mulberry sap gumming up the graft union. I make cuts below the graft to bleed off some of the sap. I also leave some rootstock growth to take up some of it. I still don’t get great percentages all the time. But that’s the issue I have with grafting them.
4 Likes
I haven’t grafted many
Yah the white sap !
2yrs ago I did a normal whip / tongue
Just before bud break , only about 10% takes . Disappointing.
Last year I scored with a knife below graft site , cut top off .two days before grafting to let them bleed the white sap ( may be from your advice @k8tpayaso , thanks )
Got ~50 % takes about 40 trees took . So a lot better.
Thats enough trees for here ,really .
But I still have about 40 rootstocks .
So just trying to up my game a little.
1 Like
Only time I had success with mulberry was with fully dormant rootstock. Otherwise they have bled too much.
Even side veneer grafts and chip buds have failed for me.
I imagine they will be easier to graft on green wood after they have fully flushed out. But I haven’t tried it yet.
4 Likes
I did graft in June once. My very first graft. I did two and one of them took. Still just 50%. 
2 Likes
I usually graft mulberry very late , leafs are already big. My take rate is high. Never thought of mulberry is difficult to graft
4 Likes
I’m going to try that this year. I just think it’s gonna be too hot for them here by that time. My other grafts were on potted rootstock and I kept them in shade after grafting.