IME at least, apple rootstocks have ample energy to both grow roots, and heal the union with the scion. At the end of the first year you have a complete tree, with a reasonable root system and perhaps multiple feet of growth. One less year to fruiting…
Coincidentally I was reading Eve’s cidery website and that’s how they do it:
I have had significant differences in the vigor of rootstocks from different suppliers and different years. Heat callus would probably improve your success rate if you decide to bench graft. If they do not look very vigorous, I would put them in the ground and graft in late Summer or next Spring.
I have the most success grafting right away, moving to pots for the summer and planting early fall. I do not plant out right after grafting as I like to keep them all close to the house and close to each other as it makes it easier to care for them their first year. In my experience it’s unusual to plant rootstock then graft later. I would not do that. It seems like it would cost you a year.
I have a Pixie Crunch on G890, but I just planted it last year, so we’ll see.
I ordered by accident, I was supposed to choose a semi-dwarf G series, but somehow ordered the 890 & didn’t notice.
It all depends on the difference in vigor of the rootstock vs scion.
I love the obscure Star Wars reference…
It lets you know you are in the presence of another nerd.
Slightly less obvious than ‘Red 5’.
Just started trial G890 here in Alaska. There are little to no clonal rootstocks hardy enough to grow here. G890 has made it 2 winters now (currently 3rd winter) Most growers use M baccata but used to use M ranetka but the source dried up. Tried the budagovski rootstock all died. G969 died. currently trialing other Geneva root (1st winter this year) G 890 does show promise not expecting issues of a trellis as with our cold soils trees grow slower here. Time will tell.
Welcome to the “Growing Fruit” site. I hope you enjoy the site and the information exchanges offered here.
Interesting information about the G890’s doing well in Alaska. Good luck with the G890’s and I hope you get some good fruit production.
thanks for the link, helpful information there
Ive done this both ways, or I should say all three ways, grafting in place, grafting in the nursery and bench grafting.
To your point of planting ahead of time, like a year or even more if you were able, this would produce a faster growth rate from the graft. This falls into the same area as top working trees. Care must be taken to make sure the sap of the rootstock is flowing. Bark grafts are excellent for this and work on any size tree.
Bench grafting is the most comfortable if you have a lot to do. Sitting down, under cover, well lit area. In planting these out in the nursery this will produce the least amount of new growth the first year but if you transplant after the second year, as I do then you will have much more growth.
Personally, Im mostly increasing numbers of varieties that I already have so I prefer to chip bud everything. I get to order smaller caliper rootstock, which are cheaper, let them grow for the season and bud them in the early fall.
I have very low animal pressure, thats primarily why Id like to put them in their permanent location right away. I dont see any benefit in moving them really and people say that dwarf rootstock can outgrow their roots and need support, so an extra year of root establishment might be good also.Last year is the first year ive tried chip budding and I had some success, but maybe 1/3 of mine turned black and died, not sure why.
Your correct, all dwarf rootstock require support.
Keep trying with budding, its a different learning curve than dormant grafting. Working with active, growing tissue is more critical and prone to failure. The sealing stage, wrapping with budding tape is most important here.
And then do make sure your removing the tape after 3-4 weeks, depends on your weather.
I never have 100% success with my propagation but im happy with a 80-90 % range. Last years were 98 takes out of 110 trys.
One thing you can do to help your odds is to double bud each tree.
Ill leave you with one final budding tip. Moisture is the most critical factor so making sure that your bud wood (scion trees) are well watered and your rootstock is well watered prior to budding day.
appreciate the tips, is budding tape different than parafilm significantly? I wrapped my grafts in parafilm and then I wrapped with high quality electrical tape leaving just the bud itself exposed, fairly tightly to maintain pressure. I might have left them wrapped longer than a few weeks, I didnt really set a reminder when to check them. I also had a few that pushed buds, which I wasnt expecting and is probably not good.
I use parafilm on my t buds and bench grafts. I never remove it. UV will deteriorate it soon enough, buds swell easily underneath. No need for electrical tape! my t buds are done mid August here in AK any later the bark doesn’t slip easily to insert the bud won’t be time to callus over, timing is essential. Then they sit in GH through the winter with no snow cover and usually start swelling end of March.
Old timers (and probly some still do as they still sold) used budding bands essentially a rubber band and those need to be removed as it takes longer for UV to break down.
Yes, Parafilm is a great tape. I was trained on regular budding tape and i think that if your not doing thousands of buds at a time then Parafilm is the choice. Regular tape is significantly cheaper and available in many widths and thicknesses. Parafilm definitely has a sealing advantage with its waxy consistency and in theory you shouldnt have to remove it as it does breakdown fast. The rate of breakdown is based on your environmental factors and how many wraps you put on. A little experience with it, along these lines, will go a long way.
I still use clear tape, not really budding tape at this size, thats 1" wide and thicker, sorry I dont know how thick off hand, but very stretchy, to bind my top worked trees. I wrap the bark graft then staple the end. Works great.
When I was first trained on grafting the use of electrical tape was the status quo and can still be found in many guides. I think that it has become much more popular now to use clear tape not only to get rid of the stickiness problems but also to take advantage of the greenhouse effect of clear tape. I still have an old roll of elec tape in my grafting box but cant remember the last time i used it.
Never had an issue with parafilm breaking down no matter the number of wraps. I think the break down is enhanced by the amount and speed of bud swell to break through the parafilm. Been using parafilm for at least 25 years. But I will let the scientists decide the breakdown factors… I just know it works without ever having to remove it.
You might give b.10 a try. It was breed with winter hardiness one of its objectives. g.935 size and good branch angles supposedly.
Mine are 1st year grafts so I have no real experience.