Top working peach tree

General Fruit Growing
1

Hi,

I’m in NJ and was wondering if now (3/25) would be a good time to top work a peach tree with a Hybrid American plum? I have some Toka plum scions that are dormant.

Thanks!

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2

You’re going to want to wait until the tree starts swelling buds (a sign that the sap is moving and the tree is awake).

I’m planning on top-working a plum this spring myself and I likely won’t be attempting to graft until mid to late April at the earliest.

Scott

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3

Hi, my peach tree is starting to flower and some green leaves are starting to push out. Is it too late to top-work now? I’ve never grafted a fruit tree this late in the spring. Some resources online do recommended grafting peach trees later than I’d do with a plum tree.

4

I decided to bark graft Toka plum onto Redhaven peach. Even though the peach has broken dormancy I figured better late than never. I have never had luck grafting onto peach so hopefully this works.

5

I just tried three cleft grafts on Reliance. Most of the flower buds have opened but the leaves have not opened. They are ~ 3/4" long green spearheads. I have no idea whether or not it is too late to graft.

6

That should be fine.

7

I guess we are in this together! Hopefully they live.

8

I let you know how it goes. I would not read too much into it if mine fail however. This is the first year I have tried grafting.

9

I have done well grafting American plums and hybrid plums, but peaches seem to be much harder than other stone fruit.

I also grafted Waneta plum onto a Prunus serotina volunteer that I’d otherwise have removed. I expect failure as Prunus serotina isn’t compatible with most stone fruits.

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10

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I was rushed grafting the peach tree. I didn’t make the cut as clean. You can see the depression in the foreground. Should I remove graft along the edge and smooth it out with a file?

Thanks!

11

I’d leave it.

12

I imagine in the long-run you don’t believe it will affect the graft.

13

I would leave it too

14

I look at the picture and don’t see anything really wrong.
A question to ask might be,do we need to be more perfect than nature, which isn’t that way either?

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15

I normally leave a nurse branch to help out, just in case those don’t make it.

16

That wasn’t an option on this tree because it was damaged. So I top-worked the tree without a nurse branch. I’d rather risk the tree dying and replace with another one in the fall.