For the last two years I’ve been trying to graft Apricots,but with with no success,both bench and on a tree.Whip and tongue and cleft have been my approaches.
Most of the Pears and Plums do fine.I’ve read that Peach is difficult,but haven’t tried that one yet.
Will it help to wrap the whole scion in parafilm?
I’ve been getting scions from Robert Purvis and on the ordering page,he suggests using a side graft,which I’m beginning to try.Hopefully growth will come. Brady
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Give june budding a try. Bill
I do not know the answer to your question. However, as a data point, I have had luck grafting them a little later in the year, when the understock is actively making growth, using otherwise ordinary technique (cleft graft with just the graft union wrapped).
Apricots are easier than peaches but harder than plums. Like peaches you need the temps to be 70s-80s highs or callousing can be difficult. These higher temps come later than normal apple grafting time so as @Vohd mentions the window is later. You also want a complete seal on the scion, they take longer to callous and can dry out. I don’t think the type of graft matters much as does the temps and after care. If its too hot, put aluminum foil around the graft and scion. I tend to do that for all my peach and apricot grafts because they are later and it helps even out the temps on them.
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Absolutely Yes! it will help to wrap the whole scion in parafilm, it prevents dehydration.
Dehydration is the main cause of failure.
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Okay thanks,I will wrap more and bring them into the greenhouse to get more heat.That’s very good to know about the temperature.I’m not sure if it will help this year,but from now on,grafting these will be done later. Brady
Bumping this back up.
Do folks think it is too late to graft apricots this time of year? Would chip buds work? Or should I stick with cleft grafts? We are gonna have some milder weather this week-- a break from the summer heat. Is there a chance of success if I wrap them tight with electrician’s tape and tin foil? Or is this a fool’s errand?
This is a great time to do bud grafts, its the perfect time. I should do a few myself, I have some variety shuffling around to do. Don’t push the grafts until next spring, and don’t let it get too cool - mid 80s highs is perfect.
I’m going to do some cots tonite…i’ll try to take some pictures. Trying to finish up. I don’t like to go too late but i think i have done budding right into early Sept…although i can’t remember if the buds ever did end up taking…you can usually tell after a few weeks if it was a success or not…but not always.
I get my scion, remove my chip, remove a chip on the tree i want to graft too…place my chip…wrap with parafilm and then finish with a rubber band… shouldn’t take more then a few minutes after you’ve done a few of them. Biggest issue being getting things to line up…i’d rather work fast, place several buds and just hope one takes 
Not the best budwood here, but all i could find on my cot i wanted to graft to my in ground cot with multiple varieties…
cut wood
remove chips (the wood was a little tougher then i like, but i still got enough of a chip (i hope)
find a spot and then remove wood to place chips (not to thin/not to thick…watch the depth)…
wrap and then rubber band…get it tight
sharp knife, have your tape ready to go (i cut strips of parafilm now since i don’t like it too wide)…rubber bands i get 2 strips from one band. I leave everything go now unless i can see it didn’t take then i’ll remove…in spring i’ll come back and cut everything out and cut back any new growth around the bud.
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Thanks to @Matt_in_Maryland for pointing me in this direction. So if the Apricot understock needs to be actively growing, how is the scion supposed to be? Dormant in the refrigerator or actively growing too? I’m specifically talking about W/T and cleft grafting, not budding.
Active root, dormant scion. The union needs time to heal before the scion starts to grow. A growing scion transpires water and to transport that water from the root there needs to be a union…
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I couldn’t resist but peek. This cleft graft was done about 2 weeks ago. Is it callousing?
P.S. I tied it back!
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Hey no peeking!
Too early to tell anything about that graft. Can never tell until it starts leafing out and growing. That’s the downside of grafting prior to the understock actively growing. I’d wrap that sucker back up and leave it alone. You need to keep it from drying out.
leave it alone. patient is the gold!
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I have other grafts. I just want to document how the graft comes along.
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I when I blow that up it sure looks something is happening there, maybe the first stage of a callous??
Why would you mount one bud just above the other on the same side of the “trunk?”
So if the lower one doesn’t take/grow out…then i hope the next one does. If i have space/buds i do it sometimes. I like to increase my odds when i can.
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bleedingdirt,
It looks like there is callus forming on the scion on the upper right, working its way towards the host. I’m glad this is an expendable graft, because opening up now is not good (to say the least) for its chances of success.
Apples are among the most forgiving at least.
I would have done a whip and tongue since the scion and host are equal in diameter. It would have made a more intimate and clean contact.
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