I’ve finished all my grafting two weeks ago. Most have pushed leaves and growing well.
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i will.
Where did you buy the tags from?
Amazon, was like $11 for 50 tags with metal wire to attach them. They are called Emboss-o-tags.
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You have to keep an eye on them. Deer like to chew on them and pull them off as well as the wire that comes with them deteriorates with time. When you attach them make sure the critters can’t get to them… I think crows like them too… Don’t rely on them 100% … you might want to keep a record of what is what in case they go missing…
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I seconded @BobC about this kind of tags and its wimpy wires that come with them. The wires get rusty quickly and broke off easily.
Even the tags, I bought them from Amazon as well. There are several levels of quality and prices. Some of them are from the same company but has different quality leves.
This label thing has been talked about in several thread. I’ve found this one more detailed with lot of pictures on things members use for labels. If you are new members, you may want to check out the thread.
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Similar experience to me. A year ago I was given some apricot pits from a Tibetan edible kernel variety. I cold stratified them, planted them and water for months, no signs of life. I left their pots in the GH planning on cleaning them up this spring. When I was starting the cleanup just recently there was one growing!!! Amazing, guess they needed some neglect.
I’ll be waiting to see if any others come to life.
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New nectarine just arrived, not dormant, too cold to plant
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I bought copper tags to begin with from eBay. They are on my trees 11 years later. Went to the hardware store for copper wire to hang them with. You get what you pay for. They really work, unless you want to pay for engraved plastic tags, like Arboreums.
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Happy to report Kuganskaya Quince and Autumn Olive survived -30.
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Checked on my 3 apple grafts today. I did them about 10 days ago. To my surprise the Enterprise graft has sprouted buds already. The Honeycrisp and Mollie’s Delicious look a little plump but no green yet.
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Just returned from a grafting seminar and scion exchange hosted this Saturday by @wildforager at a nearby highschool. There were eight participants, not counting yours truly. No transfusions were needed this time.
Paying attendees received two rootstocks and all the scions they could eat individually. Box cutters and parafilm were provided. Little John gave a brief exposition with visual aids, and then students began grafting their own trees.
This year John brought two varieties of cherry rootstocks and three of apple rootstocks plus pear and plum.
I am perpetually surprised at the enthusiasm of students for trying this prehistoric art. They seem to enjoy themselves, and all are involved, including those reluctant to jump in at first. It’s the notion of growing out-of-the-ordinary fruit that draws them. John provides scions for dozens of varieties.
Students take their bare-root grafts home and pot them to await the thaw we hope is coming before setting them out. Additional rootstocks are available for purchase.
He’s presenting the grafting seminar and scion exchange in Madison, WI, at Olbrich Gardens this coming Saturday, too. Come one, come all. Reservations requested.
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It was a fun day! Thankfully the guys from last year were not back for more. haha! Too bad there were no pictures this year. IMG_20180319_195230063_HDR|690x388
Oh, I wish you would offer that class somewhere up here in the northern end of the state! I would love to take it. My grafts I did last year for the first time following a video mostly failed. If you ever offer it or hear of someone else holding such a class, please let me know.
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It’s warming up - and stone fruit trees are waking up . . . here in southeastern VA.
I pruned the height out of some of my peaches and plums - planted last spring. This is what I like to do with the ‘leftovers’. I ‘force them’. We enjoy them, as they bloom indoors . . . and they make very cooperative ‘models’ for my oil paintings, as well! I’ll post a painting when complete. Happy Spring, everyone!
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@Katie_didnt_Z4b
Katie, does your quince get gorgeous bright red blooms in late winter? Mine does - and nothing matches it! I prune it and bring the branches inside. I never get fruit. I don’t know why . . . but don’t really care. I grow it for the beautiful color.
@CRhode
Chuck - I participated in my first grafting workshop (and experience) last spring. Apples. Workshop was hosted by a reputable orchard in Charlottesville VA.
My fingers survived. My grafts did not. 
I think I will stick to the ‘basics’ from now on. OR - wait until I see how my existing trees do . . . and then try to graft to them, in the future.
I am trying to put all of my replies in one post . . . as the forum suggests. Is there a way to post a reply to someone else’s reply - same as when you want to post a comment under someone else’s comment, in facebook? My replies always end up at the bottom of the list - sometimes miles away from the comment I am responding to. ???
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Well, there are a number of things that can go wrong and a number of factors to get right. You have to hand it to the wood cutter in central Asia and the merchant traveling up and down the Silk Road who first got their heads together and decided they could market not only fruit but also the trees that grew it. There’s been nothing much new since then. People who give these grafting presentations cover these basics and hope everyone has at least enough success to stay interested.
Here’s a checklist:
Compatibility. Apple scions on apple roots. Pear on pear. Stone fruit is a little more complicated.
Timing. Keep scionwood dormant. Use dormant root for bench grafting or wait until outdoor trees are just leafing out for branch grafting. Do bud grafting while the bark slips in the spring.
Utensils. These must be sharp and clean. Don’t bruise the plant tissue and don’t touch the cut surfaces.
Union. Cambium tissues of scion and root must come together. Scions and roots are rarely exactly the same diameter. Scion should be the smaller and offset to one or the other edge of the root. Don’t get hung up about exactly what kind of joint to use. I expect the old guys along the Silk Road tried a lot of different things. Use a joint that maximizes the length of the tissue that touches.
Seal. Hold the wound in position and protect the scion from drying out until the graft fuses. Keep the scion to a respectable size (two to four buds), and seal the cut end, too.
Nursery. Bench grafts are tender and need tender attention. Pot indoors during the winter and set out after weather improves. As soon as the scion leafs out, rub out all the buds on the root.
… and, if at first you don’t succeed, don’t destroy the living rootstock. Let it grow a year, and try grafting a new dormant scion after the root leafs out the next spring.
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Yesterday I finally was able to prune - peach, grapes, currants, blueberries, quince, gooseberries. It was a first full day in the garden since December - feels good! Today is windy and colder, so only going to pick up pruned branches. Can’t wait till next weekend - looks like it will finally start the spring…
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Time to get out the soil thermometer
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I felt that yesterday was colder than today because of the wind gust. I did not last too many minutes outside yesterday. Also, the yard is so wet and mushy. I have not pruned anything yet. Hopefully, I could start later this week.