I noticed yesterday while in town some callery sprouting root suckers . Landscape trees at business . So if they are using Harbin as rootstock that is probably what they are . So I did more research . I did find mention of delayed incompatibility with European pear . 10 plus years out . So we will see as I have bearing age trees on these now . No problems yet .
1 Like
Hereās an update on my grafts. I had two Moonglows on the bark graft and both seem to have taken. I had one of my Ayers grafts take, and the only Korean giant that I did on the bark graft is also leaving out. The only one that has not leafed out is an Orient but it doesnāt look shriveled and I think the buds may have swelled a bit so weāll seeā¦ I took a fiberglass post and stuck it next to the tree. Iām not sure if this is going to be sufficient to protect the graphs from birds Landing on them. Should I put a fiberglass post at each graph that is leafing out? A chicken wire cage around them?
6 Likes
ClothAnnie,
Looks very promising. You do want to have a higher perch for the birds everywhere you grafted. Itās to early to say yet on the grafts but so far so good. You will know shortly if they took or not.
1 Like
You never really know what a bird will do but it looks sufficient to me. When the scions are longer and it is tape removal time I would secure them to the stake for a little extra security. I have what I think is the fiberglass poles you have and I use them for many things. They are so handy to have around.
1 Like
Update on my grafts- lots of leaves! I keep rubbing off the rootstock growth from the trunk and the stumps of the branches at the ground. Should I cut off the ānurse branchā? Iād read about that before I hacked the thing down to a 3ā high trunk and left that little branch. Iām also wondering about the redness Iām seeing. The close up of the leaf w the redness is on an Ayers scion. @Auburn gave me Ayers, Korean Giant, Moonglow, and Orient. All but the Orient are leafing out and the orient looks like it mightā¦
5 Likes
Ok - itās hard to contain my enthusiasm. Are folks gonna tire of pic updates? (I love pics but donāt want to overload the thread!) I have growth on all four scion varieties!! I wasnāt sure about the Orient but it definitely has leaves coming out! One more scion is a possibility. If that one takes i probably have just over a 50% take rate which Iām excited about!!
8 Likes
I had a much bigger rootstock but it pushed a ton of growth on the scions the first summer. Some of them grew six feet. Yours look like they are going to take off, as they add growth be sure to have sufficient supports. I had to keep upsizing my supports and lost a couple because the support was sturdy enough for the weight of all the mass the scion put on. It really stinks to have a pretty graft with a ton of growth blow off the tree. The grafts look great , maybe the Asian pears will bloom next year
2 Likes
Iāve trimmed back new grafts like that when they get over 3ā and gave them more time so the union would heal better. Those grafts do look nice. I agree with Derby support is an excellent idea and those grafts will be bolting anytime now. Hard to slow them down once they get started.
2 Likes
Good point Clark, I was greedy and wanted it to push all the growth it could.
1 Like
Derby,
I would be the same way but it cost the hole branch to many times and I learned the hard way. We have a lot of wind here so I learned quickly.
2 Likes
You are so right, it cost me too,
1 Like
Thank you! OK - support needs noted. Yes, most of these are really taking off! I didnāt think they wouldā¦ Not sure what a tree would be like with five branches all emerging from the trunk at this one spot? I know Iāve got time on that assuming they all keep growing but thought the leaves all against each other might not be good for air flow or photosynthesis.
Iām also wondering about when I should remove the electrical tape. Does it harm the grafts if I just leave it on? Iāve seen rootstock leaves poking out from under.
1 Like
The rootstock sprouts that will grow from the trunk need removed so all the energy goes into your grafts. The electric tape I would leave on maybe even until next spring if it does not split off sooner. The grafts will grow lopsided and more so when the tape is removed. Later on trim all the branches down to one per trunk ( or branch ) instead of the 2 you have for a cleft graft. One graft scion on each branch will prove dominant in the long run so wait for now and the other scion helps the tree heal over faster.
1 Like
Thank you!! Yesterday I was showing my friend how I trimmed the scions. I pulled out a dead one from a cleft graft where Iād stuck two on a side branch- the other one is leafing out but I pulled out the black one. 
Oops. It came out quite easily but hopefully the remaining one can still heal thereā¦
Most of mine are bark grafts on the top of the trunk so I guess Iāll just see how they do.
Good to know about leaving on the electric tape until possibly next spring. I will wipe / break off all rootstock growth. I was amazed that it could push out from under the electric tape like that.
So for now, Iāll let the five top-of-the-trunk scions keep growing up and support them so they donāt get too heavy and blow/ break off, then prune them if they get past three feet (hard to imagine but it sounds possible) to promote healing at the graft.
Thanks again!!
1 Like
2 Likes
Those deer are awful!
1 Like
Yes. If I can get up the nerve I will learn to hunt!! We have SO MANY deer around here.
2 Likes
They donāt taste real great in my opinion but itās meat to feed your family. The fruit is something we need and unfortunately things like deer work against us at times. You might try to fence them out using two fences in a row because they donāt like that. Jumping one is not a problem for them but if you put up 2 when they jump the first one they run into the second fence. A friend here has his setup like that.
1 Like
That has to be disappointing but at least they appear to be alive.
2 Likes
I can guess these wild pear trees are Callery rootstocks growing up around my pond. I wish someone would come dig these things up and take them away. These are THE worst things to try and control in the wild!
2 Likes