Finally did some persimmon grafts today (May 22, 2024). The sun was hot today. It finally came out this week after hiding from Northeastern PA for seven months. All cleft grafts put on D.v. I hope these take:
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Fast forward one year: The Garretson and Sofie grafts took. The others did not. I’ll take it. All were clefts.
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See my post in the thread on the hot callus pipe. The pipe ensures that the graft enjoys a temperature ~80 F, which seems to encourage callus formation way better than lower temps. The sun may have been out in PA and the rootstock may be leafed out, but I’m sure it’s not 80 F.
Using W&T on bare root seedling DV rootstock, I’m 9 for 12 so far this year using the pipe for the first time. Still waiting on the other three. Most varieties are 100%.
Next time you might seriously improve your results.
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So far, when I graft persimmon at a time when it’s still variably cool-some 70’s highs, some 60’s, they don’t take well. If I graft late, say late May-70s and 80’s F, they take much better.
John S
PDX OR
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I do have to water them extra though, because they will heat up and dry out. One died that way.
JohNS
PDX OR
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Persimmons like warmth. I just started grafting persimmons & black walnuts this week. We’ve had an unseasonably cool spring, so I’ve had to make myself wait to graft those heat-lovers.
In my opinion, they are no harder to graft than anything else, but aftercare is essential. If you don’t revisit them at least once or twice a week for the first growing season and keep all rootstock shoots below the graft rubbed off, you’ll turn around to find a rootstock shoot outgrowing the graft, which will then decline and die out.
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