For sure, I have some pruning videos in the works!
Thanks for subscribing
1 Like
Still no signâŚbut little leaves coming up below the graft on the rootstockâŚfffff
anyone tested summer pruning while theres still time for growth and hardening off?
In a wayâŚbig tree limb fell in my patch the other day. Im sure you could, it might help with cultivars that have too much growth. I think for most people winter is the best time.
1 Like
If its any consolation I havent had a ton of luck grafting potted rootstock. To me its a waste of time unless you need to have those trees in a pot for some other reason.
Go head and get your rootstock established then graft it.
Thatâs a 15 y/o tree here. 
Kidding asideâŚ.looks like a few years old if Iâm judging my 1st year and 2nd year wood right.
Have you had your soil tested? Because I need to get my numbers in line with what you have there.
4 Likes
Hahaha I probably should test it. I planted seed there June of 2025, so just over a year old(second growing season). I really used to take my climate and soil for grantedâŚthen I started planting in poor soil other placesâŚnot nearly as good of growth.
I think it helps that I get so much heat and humidity too. Planted about 20 seeds there and I have two giants and several late bloomers popping up now.
4 Likes
Sad because I had a ton of luck last year with grafted when @weatherandtrees did it later in the cycle. All my pears look fine, so idk if I did something wrong or if the unions just baked in the sun when I put them straight out in direct sun during the heat wave (Wasnât thinking about heat on unions under black tape).
1 Like
Same. Iâm happy with my KY Legend down here in Boston area, but up north in the poor fill soil Iâve been trying to add mulch and compost to, I have nothing that looks remotely close to that.
1 Like
Could I get some feedback on this one year old seedling? I germinated it in a container one year ago and then planted it out around 6 weeks later when the root made it to the bottom. The one above it has the same conditions as far as I know. I did mix a little compost in the hole when I planted them. The planting holes sunk a little over time, but Iâve kept an eye on them and made sure the mulch hasnât piled up against their trunks.
2 Likes
One of my last 2 quiet grafts is just starting to break bud nowâŚalmost 2 months later.
I still wouldnât give up on them yetâŚespecially if the buds still look healthy.
1 Like
Ground looks a little dry, but thats not bad for that age. I have some trees in bad soil that are only knee high at 4 years old
2 Likes
What about the brown and yellow leaves? Sunburn? Or something soil related? Weâve had a fairly wet summer so far. If it looks dry itâs because I raked some of the mulch away to let it dry out a bit. I was concerned about it being too wet.
1 Like
So they were planted there last year?
It does look a little sun burnt. Did you fertilize with anything?
It could just be genetics too. Those last couple of leaves look healthy. I wouldnât sweat it too much. It looks like it may be done for the season as well based on that terminal bud.
I have some seedlings put on 3ft in a couple years and some that canât get past 2â in 3 yearsâŚall with the same soil mix.
3 Likes
Yes, planted in the ground last year.
I gave them extremely meager servings of organic 5-5-5 pellets this spring.
Iâll go ahead and put up a shade cloth to make sure it gets through the rest of summer.
Thanks for the help!
2 Likes
Not going to toss them or anythingâŚjust anxiously awaiting. Still working on things I canât control. Maybe this is a good therapy for that, if I can learn to take the lesson.
Worst case the rootstock definitely still alive so I should be able to try again.
2 Likes
Iâd say 4-5 years from a strong transplant. Shoots are very strong and growing more than 1 ft per year. Looks good!
3 Likes
Like @treefrogtim I have also found you really have to have good growth and roots with pawpaw before you can graft them with good success rates. Iâve got a bunch that are in pots and small and grafted, but they were also in the pot for a year before I grafted them. The pots are larger size 1-5 gallon. I also have had more luck when I donât totally strip the rootstock of leaves with pawpaw.
Also, I donât know if youâre comparing grafting pears to grafting pawpaw, but pears are so much easier to graft. I have near 100% takes on apple and pear, 75+% on peach and apricot, and no where near that on pawpaws. This year, I had only 40% of my grafts to potted pawpaw take while 75% of the ones in ground took.
To me, pawpaw are much harder to graft and maybe I donât have the timing right yet. I started grafting in early April this year and a bunch of them had started to get some tiny green leaves. Iâm wondering now if that was too early - it took them a very long time to leaf out.
Now, Iâm planning on budding in early sept with green budwood for the rootstock with the failed grafts.
2 Likes
Lots of good points. I think of it like water flow, its easier to get more flow from a larger pipe. Its incredible to watch a field graft really take off.
Take rates are near 100% when the conditions are rightâŚ.the trick is having the right conditions. Warm enough to push growth and heal, but not so hot that buds fry before healing. Also having good healthy buds, and rootstock ready to grow. 75-85 daytime 50+ at night.
@Blake have you ever had a direct seeded tree take off like that? Second growing season Prima seed, direct sown. I have never seen growth like this.
3 Likes