New to grafting

[moose71]

hey folks. been trying to graft some wood on my apple trees. of far none has taken. I’ve read everything i can on the subject. is there any special tips to doing it? I’ve tried different cuts and still not taking. it it really that hard?

[fruitnut]

This time for you is prime for T budding, not grafting. T budding uses green current seasons growth. With apples it’s not that difficult.

Here’s a tutorial I did for figs. Apples are essentially identical.

T-budding tutorial

I’m new to T budding figs. They seem easy so far and the wood is big enough to show well in pictures. Too close on some so not focused but still visible I think. First a couple of key points. Don’t even try if the bark isn’t slipping well on the rootstock. If not slipping it’s hard or impossible to insert the bud cleanly under both flaps of the T. Not cleanly under and success falls thru the floor. Get bark slipping by watering at least a week ahead of budding. Also cut back the rootstock in w…

[moose71]

thanks! we’ve been getting a lot of rain so now is probably a good time to try.

[danzeb]

What type of graft are you doing? Clef graft in spring should work for you. Make sure you wrap tight and cambium layers touch. If you want to do it now follow Fruitnut’s advice.

[moose71]

yes i used the cleft graft. tried last spring and this spring before bud break. wrapped tight with strips of bread bag and sealed with soy wax. i bought a knife with the shape of a grafting knife blade. works well but i find the blade kind of wide. what do you guys use for a grafting knife? i have shaky hands due to a med. I’m on. makes it hard to be very precise. what is the most important aspect i should concentrate on?

[mamuang]

Are you grafting on existing trees or rootstocks.

If on existing trees, for apple. People wait until a tree leaf out to about a mouse’s ear size. Since you are new to grafting. This is a stage of a tree when you should graft on. Also, your scionwood should be completely dormant.

[moose71]

both the tree and new wood were dormant in early spring. grafting to a lodi and early fuji planted apple trees.

[mamuang]

Were your trees was just planted when you grafted on to it? If so, that could be why.

[moose71]

been in the ground 3 years.

[mamuang]

A question re. Grafting on an existing tree, how well you think you matching cambium of the scionwood to the tree’s cambium.

Also, next spring, I’d wait for bud break and leaf out a bit before grafting.

[Johnnysapples]

You can watch videos on you tube too.

[mamuang]

I assume you watched Youtube videos already. If not, check videos of Kufflecreek or Stephen Hayes on grafting.

[moose71]

I’ve watched many vids on it last year. guess ill go watch them again. thanks guys!

[mamuang]

I don’t want to make you feel worse. Apple grafting is usually easy. When your grafts did not take, we just want to find out what went wrong so you can correct it.

Most mistakes for spring grafting are:

• techniques ( cambium not align, does not wrap graft union tightly, leaving cutting wood area exposed)
• scoinwood ( not dormant, dry out, too old wood),
• timing ( grafting too early or too late).

There may be other things but I can’t think of right now.
It may sound complicating but it is not. Hopefully, you will figure out what went wrong, be able correct it and be successful.

[moose71]

i know it should be easy. only thing i think i did wrong was grafting to dormant tree. ill have to try again at bud next spring. thanks for the help.

[mamuang]

A bit after bud break is better. I have grafted on apple trees that fully leaf out with no issue.

[tjasko]

Are you also wrapping the rest of the scion in parafilm? Failure to do so was my major mistake.

[moose71]

i was wrapping the graft from 2in. above to 2in.below it. then sealing with melted soy wax.

[tjasko]

Wrap the whole scion. It can protect against desiccation.