T-budding tutorial

Live buds look like they did when inserted. Dead buds look dry or gray/brown. Sometimes you can make a little nick on the bark of the bud to check on it’s status. Dead buds also tend to be loose or exposed because that’s one cause. They weren’t wrapped up tight enough.

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My buds are tightly set into the stock but otherwise showing no signs of life

This is why I wondered earlier if all the setting work were done by the stock - if otherwise, it would be a sign that the bud had taken

[over-thinking things here]

In your location they should just set until next spring. If they look alive then, you can cut back to force the bud.

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My buds are tightly set into the stock but otherwise showing no signs of life

This is why I wondered earlier if all the setting work were done by the stock - if otherwise it would be a sign that the bud had taken

[over-thinking things here]

The trees took care of this question, all the buds had grown out 1/4’-1/2". We’ve had 2-3" of rain and a little more expected with temps in the mid 80’s. All the trees had 100% organic Critter fertilizer this spring and have new growth now. I guess they will get forced.

A good early sign of a successful graft union is abscission of the petiole stump attached to the scion bud piece. If it dries up, but remains attached to the bud, the graft has probably failed. Lab II. T-budding

Unfortunately, I had zero luck with getting the apricot you sent me to take on Alderman plum. I tried a half dozen buds. The buds are all blackish and appear to be separating from the stock. I am suspecting the scions baked in the mailbox the day they arrived, and budding them in the hottest part of the summer probably also didn’t help. Live an learn… I will be doing budding closer to Aug 15 in the future.

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Sorry to hear this

For whatever reason, it seems like I need <20F to finally put an end to apples in my yard. They are definitely hardy to a 28 F freeze.

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About bark slipping: We had another 1/3" of rain last night to go with 2-3" a few nights ago, I figured bark would be slipping on the whole tree but the closer you got to the trunk, the less the bark slipped so a few of my buds were farther from the trunk than I wanted. One 3/8" branch was so resistant to slipping, I went ahead and cleft grafted that. Should I wait another day or did I run into a normal situation?

A few days after rain isn’t enough to get the bark slipping. I figure a week or more.

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We have a drought here. I should have thought about watering my trees more regularly before budding last week.

Bark slip on peaches were OK, harder on E.plum. I gave up on A plum, their bark hardly slipped at all. A Lesson learned.

That explains it, Thanks.

I learned this lesson the hard way too- give the tree time to soak up all that water! But those hard-won lessons sure stick with you, don’t they?

:-)M

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Just mad at myself for the missed opportunity. The scionwood I got from a kind forum menber were what I really wanted. Always next year, I guess.

The ones you learn the best are the ones that hurt the most. Like the lesson you learn from the Opinel #8. Or the lesson the electrician teaches you about DIY wiring. Or all the other painful oop’s over the years. Guess that’s why old people have wisdom, it takes so long for the lessons to be learned. With fruit trees, not trying is the lesson. Thanks for FN’s patience with us newb’s

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Pictures of the fig tree that was budded in June. The bigger shoot going right is the scion. Smaller shoot going left is from the rootstock.

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Belated thanks for tutorial, I found your photos and instructions helpful to refresh my knowledge of the technique. The bark ramp is quite a nice detail and makes getting the scion bud under the stock bark much easier !

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Still wrapped, I see

@fruitnut - Is there a specific reason you’re letting the rootstock shoot grow out?

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Fruitnut,
I’m concerned about that new growth hardening off that my pears have. Is there anything I should do at this point? I have 2 months until winter.