Process? Grafting when scionwood and rootstock arrive at the same time

I suspect that it is normal for rootstock and scionwood to arrive at the same time, but due poor life planning, I have never grafted this way. Always, my dwarf rootstock grew up in a pot for a year or two before I finally had time to graft. I’ve grafted early April for apples and had 100% take.

So now I have plum and apple rootstock and scionwood that has arrived at the same time. What do I do??? Do I plant the rootstock and set it outside to acclimate first? Do I graft at the same time as potting up and then place outside? Leave inside for a bit?

I know it is a bit of a ridiculous question, but I’ve never done this the normal way!

I would graft while they are still bare root , then pot up / plant .

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That makes a lot of sense, yet I never considered making the graft before they were potted up. I suspect it is a lot easier that way, yes?

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Yes , much easier to do bareroot .

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Wax them like this, Kathy:

One bud per graft, or 2. Allow the most vigorous to grow and the second bud let it grow to 2-3" and then pinch it off and continue thru the year if it tries taking off and growing again. It’s your back-up bud for next-season, Kathy. Stake them. Tie weekly growth to the stake, and rub off anything that shows up that’s alive on a rootstock. That’s the whole grafting situation, completely. Get them to above deer browse height (grow a tall single trunk). And then, and only then, allow them to branch. That’s at 5-6 feet off the ground until branching. If you’re in the city (someone) probably doesn’t care.

Find a little 1 liter deep fryer. They’re great.

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I’ve no idea on the plum…but any of the above is OK on the apples. I grafted mid March outdoors…and potted up the fresh grafts immediately. Yesterday, I did it indoors (37 degrees…too cold for me not the grafts) and have them ‘healing’ in a large black garbage bag in a closet. Obviously potting up roots and letting alone for a year is fine…but not if you must keep your scions a year!

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