Thanks, Dan! I will take a look at those vids when we get home, out running around right now.
I am also considering doing the same to some old apple trees, that is, lopping off a trunk and grafting something new. Does that issue apply to any fruit tree? The tree I’m considering has three such trunks. If I have to do all three, would that be too much of a shock for the tree? And when would the best time be for a cleft or bark cleft, when the bark is slipping, as in May here, or before that when everything is still asleep?
I took a look at the vids that Ken Coates did. It’s funny because when I was looking for a vid on bridge grafting last week to repair a rabbit girdled apple of mine, I came across his version, but it was from another YT source.
I think I found his vid you were talking about regarding wedge grafts, was it day 26?
Day 26 was mostly about bark grafting apples the previous spring because he didn’t have much video footage for that day. He only topworks cherries when the trees are still dormant, beginning end of February through March.
As far as I remember he never explains why you should graft cherries early. I watched all of his videos and was particularly interested in this but got no answer. And if I remember correctly he did a late grafting job on cherries in a later video. His main concern then was to get enough grafting wood in ok condition, not so much the activity of the rootstock. He even used scions with buds already swollen. He mentions though thats not a good thing to do.
So I am in doubt his statement has anything to do with the activity of the rootstock and/or temperature but with quality and availability of grafting wood. Thats the impression I got from watching his videos. There is a lot of really good information in there.
He mentioned a problem with sap flooding the graft wound and “souring” when topworking cherry trees. Grafting during dormancy allows the scions some time to heal into the understock before the sap flow is in full force.
Good info above, I like to graft my cherries in their later dormat stage till right as the buds start swelling. Cherries are relatively easy to graft and the wood is not really hard like peaches and apricots. Here are some grafts that I did in late February, right as the buds started to swell.
I have a Black Tartarion and Lapin tree. This year I successfully grafted Van, White Gold, St. Francis, Bing, Sweet Treat Plueery and and several Plucots on them. I harvest all my own scions in late March and had luck with Omega, Cleft and splice grafts. Did the grafting when leaves started growing. Had about a 60% success rate. Getting a good match between the scion and the limb is the critical factor. I use a caliber to measure the scion and limb diameter to try and get an exact fit.
Both will work done properly. The W&T is better, but do what you are most comfortable with. Whatever graft you do, make sure the green cambium, just under bark is matched on at least one side.
You can still do a Whip and tongue if scion is smaller, called modified whip and tongue and is probably the most useful graft there is because of its diversity. Here are a few pictures…
The way I think about grafting is two components - only.
It’s simple:
Anytime (for anything: nuts, fruit, sorry no experience with citrus but I wouldn’t change anything @anon47724557 I defer to)
temps are midst 70 for two weeks in advance. I don’t care if it’s cloudy or going to rain or is sunny or dry. It’s all about temperature. 70+ Fahrenheit or 18 - 21 C
next is root power. You can graft when it’s cool outside early on if you have a lot of roots. A 3-4 year old tree or older. Grafting above deer browse height so grafting at 5 Feet above ground or more. +/1 two-meters. swollen buds to unfurling leaves +; I personally like to see green in the scales as they swell and split “they show green”. That’s my favorite time to bark graft or flap graft an older tree that’s 2-meters tall or taller.
It’s really that simple to me. And the trick is don’t stop grafting. Graft far into June or July if necessary. If the bark isn’t slipping then ‘know your rootstock’ and if it’ll accept chips / chip buds. Nut trees won’t… I’ll tell you that much.
My advice and should always be if you’re a grafter and don’t plan to purchase grafted trees: 1) plant 1/4" rootstock, put a cage or tree guard on it to 5’ or taller and keep it watered/weeded and wait for it to reach 2-meters to graft it. That’s it. It’s the quickest establishment and the strongest. Better yet, plant a seed in place. Come July if you watered until then, you may stop watering completely after year one. A tap-root will have established and if rabbit protected can be left on its’ own. Of course you’d be better off continuing with water for at least 2-years.
Hi Scott,
I have not had any success trying to graft plum onto sweet cherry. I have Bing and Queen Ann and have tried both. Nothing seems to callus or grow. Your note in this older thread got my attention. Can you give me more details on your success as to what varieties you used?
Dennis
Kent, wa
I have always thought that grafting plums on cherry rootstocks won’t work.
Yes, there is Nadia cherry plum but that is hybridization. I’d like to see an example of long term compatibility of grafting plum scion on a cherry tree or vice versa.
