bummer… any ideas why they might have failed?
how was your success on the june grafts? Any details about how you did that 4/4 success grafting? They look nice, are they still happy and healthy?
Yes my grafts are still doing good. My multi grafted black walnut tree from last year got potted up this winter because I needed to move it. I’ll probably plant it at a new location this winter. I had to trim it back a bit so it didn’t grow as much. It’s healthy though. I used the scions from it to make grafts on several seedlings. I had good takes as well (maybe 4/5).
My goal with black walnuts has been temps around 80 high/50 lows or warmer. For my climate, June has been a good time. But very small number of grafts. I’d like to try grafting “black on green” in the future to avoid sap flow.
Last years grafts
This year’s graft.
4 Likes
very nice, I planted about 40 black walnut seeds last spring on my land, about 30 came up. It will probably be a few years before they are ready to graft but Im hoping I can have as much success as you when the time comes! I will replant the ones that didnt grow this spring and hope they come in next year. Im zone 4a, in central ND, so Ill have to research what named selections can work here and find sources for those. This method looks kinda interesting also…
2 Likes
Would I have to worry have to worry about the graft drowning if I whip and tongue grafted to a rootstock with a identical diameter of the scion?
You can have sap flow any time soil moisture is high, the tree is in active growth, and the top is completely cut off. IMO, an inlay side graft is more likely to succeed under these conditions. Look at SteadyStan’s grafts above and you will see most are inlay grafts. Walnut is very amenable to inlay side grafts.
2 Likes
So just inlay graft into the tree of the same diameter as the scion?
1 Like
Yes, leaving the actively growing top to help heal the graft. After 10 days, cut off the top and the graft should start growing.
2 Likes
Thank you. Do you do the same thing for pecan trees too?
I get better results using standard bark grafts with pecan. In other words, cut off the top of a tree and apply a bark graft to the stub. I also use whip & tongue grafts with good success on pecan.
4 Likes
Timing for those W&T pecan grafts?
I think I’ve done 2 that took. Seems like I saw an OK State U. publication, years ago, that advocated doing them in March - with both scion and rootstock still dormant.
1 Like
I’ve been doing W&T pecan grafts when the rootstock is just waking up (2 to 4 inches of growth) with fully dormant scions. It is more weather dependent IMO with success depending on temperature during the day of at least 70 and high soil moisture.
2 Likes
How about timing for the walnut grafts? Should those be done at budbreak too?
2 Likes
Yes, but with walnut I sometimes graft later when they have up to 8 inches of top growth. It depends on soil moisture. I don’t graft until there is abundant soil moisture.
3 Likes
@Fusion_power you ever try 3 flap grafting?
If I get spunky in a few years I’ll try grafting some of my seedling walnuts to improved varieties. I’ve had great success on pears, apples, and persimmons but nut trees make me nervous, lol.
3 Likes
Done tons of grafting myself. Last year was my first time trying walnut and pecan. Out of 9 grafts I got 3 to take.
3 Likes
bummer, better than 0 though
Thanks!!
Ahouse, 3 flap grafts in my experience are not as successful as other methods. Huge caveat it is temperature related as my summer temps get very high very fast. I’ve seen 3 flap and 4 flap done very successfully in Kentucky.
2 Likes