Broke bud yesterday. Grainger Shagbark Hickory on Pecan. Grafted on May 18th.
Impressive hickory work.
I’ve not really paid much attention to my grafts the last month. But yesterday I noticed that most have really grown like gangbusters. Although I didn’t graft as much this spring it’s been a very successful grafting season.
Yes! In my mind hickory grafting = PhD in grafting.
I tried grafting a Harrow Sweet to an existing pear tree this spring. This is on a branch I just cut back but did not eliminate the shoots below the graft point. The graft looked like it was taking, but then we had our freak late snow storm. Since then the scion has pretty much been on hold, while the rest of the tree has been growing. The buds on the scion look alive just not doing anything.
Just wonder if cutting off the side shoots below the graft at this point might make it wake up. Any thoughts?
Cutting the side branches off might force the scion into growing. A less risky way would be to reduce the side branches to just a couple of buds. If your scion fails your stock can generate new grafting would for later attempts. When my grafts get 2-3" I cut everything off that is not wanted.
FINALLY I got a persimmon graft to take! Thanks to everyone for tips. Before this I was lifetime zero for about 19 tries over 20 years. So now I’m 1 for 20, batting .050.
Chocolate (Asian) on native rootstock. There are 20 year old roots under this rootstock so graft should take off like a rocket.
One take is all I need to build a new tree that will pollinate my old Giboshi and San Pedro and hopefully improve bearing and taste.
What did you do differently this time?
I grafted much later than ever before- end of May here in Maryland Zone 7B. And I left no nurse limbs. And I cut off the majority of the rootstock to get its attention and force it to make a vigorous response at the point of the graft. And I used aluminum heat shield. And am disbudding rootstock daily.
But still only got one take out of seven grafts. Have no idea how this one take is different than the others.
Yay! Keep at it. Watch it like a hawk. Keep well-watered. Keep the fert close at hand.
Last year I have 50% take rate and this year 0. I am not sure what’s wrong with this year. It coud be the warm winter disrupted my timing.
I checked grafts in the more isolated parts of the orchard today. It’s not unusual for larger things such as deer, bobcats, snakes, coyotes etc. to run away in those areas as I come through. I make plenty of noise so everything knows it’s me. As far as the grafts are concerned I win some i lose some. I’m very happy with what I have. Maybe someone could tell me what type of bird this is that loves my harrow delight so much it made it’s nest there.
Congrats!
I finally got my persimmons going this year in a late grafting round. I was late in the first round but I guess I needed to be even later!
On one stock it didn’t make it in the end, it kept sprouting from the roots and I couldn’t cut them off fast enough and the graft eventually died. I probably should have dug it up a bit and cut the sprouts off right at the base. On mature stocks watch out for rootstock sprouts showing up many feet away - they can also do in a graft.
Thanks Scott! I do see rootstock sprouts many feet distant from the rootstock. I better chop them off tomorrow. I saw them today and the thought crossed my mind about them aborting the grafts but I said Nah, too far away. Man, eternal vigilance is the name of the game.
I grafted about 30 trees mostly Apple some plum and pear as well…most took …I watched “kuffel creek” video and read here too learn…thank you all :-)!.. mostly whip and tongue and a few cleft grafts for the larger diameter rootstock…one tip that helps a Lot Is to soak the rootstock and scion in water for a hour or so before grafting…I used a manure tea but the point is to hydrate.
I’ll post pictures tomorrow in thee day
Most of my grafts are on existing trees. Only 6 are on rootstocks.
Apple. 42/0
Apricot. 4/3 (2 of the failed 3 were Amadiocot)
Cherry. 7/0 (5 died with the Black Srar that died)
E plum. 17/1
J plum. 5/0
Pluot. 3/2. ( the failed 2 were frozen scions)
Peach. 5/3 (the failed 2 were Galaxy, perfect scions but failed two years in a row)
A pear. 3/0
E pear 14/1
Paw paw. 1/0
Persimmon3/0
In my experience, the easiest to graft are apple and pear
Then, plum/ pluots
Then, cherry and apricot
Peach is challenging. ( So far nectarines has been easy for me)
Not sure about pawpaw but persimmon can be challenging.
Pears , Apples, Plums are very easy to graft here. Sour cherries are relatively easy. Peaches and Apricots are very difficult which is partially due to our roller coaster weather. It can at times dip to 20 and then go back up to 85 and rapidly go to temps in between. Some trees are picky about steady temps so 70’s for 2 weeks straight with 50 degree nights is some very good grafting weather.
Somehow, apricot has been easy for me, both last tear and this year.
Forgot to mention cherry as one tree died, taking 5 good looking grafts, all took with it.
Apples, pears, plums, pluots and sweet cherries were easy takes for me. Apricots and peaches were about 70 - 80% takes as I remember. Pawpaw grafts take well if they have an apical bud and not so good if they have undeveloped side buds. Sour cherries do not take good for me because Monilinia laxa kills the young shoots. Mulberries were 60% takes this year.