Last year’s first attempt to grafts apple scions to my venerable crab apple were quite successful.
Most of the scions that took (started with 12, 8 took, just busted one off in a tragic collision with my head, lol) are now >=2 feet long and I can even see a couple of fruit buds. Do I tip these? Do I leave them alone for another year (or more)? A couple branched out too. Is that good or bad?
Long term plan is to leave at least half the tree to crab apple fruit, as I have a pal who makes the best tasting jelly from them, plus I can use the pollination help for other trees elsewhere in the yard.
Thanks for your wisdom on what to do with “toddler” grafts.
Don’t let them bear fruit. It would likely stunt future growth of that particular branch. Tempting though, ain’t it!?
It’s OK if they branch, but if the emerging branches get too enthusiastic they will compete with the main branch. Keep 'em in their place by heading back as necessary.
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Actually, one of them had a cluster of 4 decent sized apples even last year! I was stunned. I think I might have managed to graft some 2 yr old wood by accident. 
I was naughty and let them stay on the branch (they were very tight to the stem and near the graft union, which I had splinted), but it was not to be. Just as they started ripening, some kind of varmint made away with all of them.
When you say to cut the enthusiastic branched back, like, take a third off, to an outward and upward facing bud? Or just nip the tip off? Thanks!
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I would take them back pretty severely to an outward facing bud, but not necessarily upward. Depends on where things are going.
Disclaimer: I’m not really much good at pruning -still feel like I’m just starting to get it working for me after 25 years as a hobbyist.
Gotcha, thanks. That’s about 20 more years of fruit pruning than I have, so I’m glad for your input.
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