Fruit Trees

[Black Krim]

Originally Posted by bower

BK, Schumacher's sells Antonovka seed if you want to do some inexpensive grafting by growing your own.

Here's something I bumped into this morning, about using kestrels instead of pesticides in orchards.
https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2018/n...onment-impact/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_kestrel

My chickens will scream"HAWK" at full force then dive for cover....not one chicken in sight! lol " Hawk " and "Coyote" are the same word. LOLOLOL

Others without free rainge chickens will benefit for sure.

The Ant. stock is very good for full sized trees. A much longer life span than the other grafted rootstock. Still unclear on if it lasts as long as a seedling.

[walt456]

I was fairly confident that was the variety.

I haven't tried my hand at brandy making yet. That may be a project for this fall.

[walt456]

I haven't tried any of the ciders you mentioned. Something new for the bucket list.

This variety was known as a yellow flat to my grandmother and the tannins in it will certainly pucker your mouth. A granny smith is sweet in comparison.

[NewWestGardener]

I have a 3 or 4 year-old Whitney crab apple tree, but thought I made a mistake planting it as I did not expect the fruit to turn mushy later in the season, not the crisp tart fruit I expected.

Now, can I graft some interesting apples to it to change its fortune?

Originally Posted by mensplace

Black Krim

Many overlook grafting to the limbs of older existing trees..regular or crabapple

[mensplace]

Easily. Graft before spring sap begins to rise, or bud later

[Black Krim]

Originally Posted by NewWestGardener

I have a 3 or 4 year-old Whitney crab apple tree, but thought I made a mistake planting it as I did not expect the fruit to turn mushy later in the season, not the crisp tart fruit I expected.

Now, can I graft some interesting apples to it to change its fortune?

YES!

Which ones interest you?? Remember to buy from a clean source if possible.

Hundreds to choose from...."choose wisely"....

[Black Krim]

Time is running out for this year in ZOne 6.....you might have a bit of time. BUT sources harvest before they prune, AND NOW is the time to prune.

[mensplace]

You can take cuttings of several varieties, but the cuttings should be taken before buds start to swell on both the recipient tree and the scion wood. Otherwise, you have to bud later. I always clean the scion wood and the recipient branch with a disinfectant...as well as the pruners before each cut. I simply use narrow strips of good duct tape for grafting. Are you familiar with types of grafts. A long cambium to cambium graft is best. Here, with everything is in bloom, so it is too late this year.

[Patapsco Mike]

http://growingfruit.org/t/scionwood-sources/3346

This is a link that is kept very updated as to sources of scionwood for fruit growers. Growingfruit is to fruit growing what Tomatoville is to tomatoes. Great, informative, well moderated, popular forum.

[Black Krim]

Originally Posted by mensplace

You can take cuttings of several varieties, but the cuttings should be taken before buds start to swell on both the recipient tree and the scion wood. Otherwise, you have to bud later. I always clean the scion wood and the recipient branch with a disinfectant...as well as the pruners before each cut. I simply use narrow strips of good duct tape for grafting. Are you familiar with types of grafts. A long cambium to cambium graft is best. Here, with everything is in bloom, so it is too late this year.

My trees are still dormant, the peaches and the pears. The buds are starting to swell. But flowering is typically a month away.

I took several cuttings from Peach No.2. Tag long gone. Watched a ton of utube videos to find people in the know..... one person held the bud to graft IN HIS MOUTH. OMG. ANd too many people just had to touch the newly cut stump with their FINGERS or hand, but disinfected their tools...

I cannot find any support for adding a bud into a branch (close to stump) to start another branch. In every case, after the bud graft takes off, the upper branch is removed.

My peaches are 20-some years old. ANd reflect how little I knew about tree care. Only one or two branches of 4-5 left on each, and leaning.

These are on their way out and need replacing. If I can learn on them, and keep them going until new trees are flowering that would be good.

I have pears that I tried g rafting 2 years ago. No graft took but I got smart and stopped cutting the sisde shoot of the rootstock ( below the graft). On to do list today ---see if any plants survived another year in grow bags.

Boys home soon!!!! Hope they are ready to dig!

[NewWestGardener]

This thread is a real eye-opener, I think I will dive right in to learn how. I haven't found a source in Canada that sells apple tree scions yet. I read that Medlars can be grafted to crab apples too.

There is a workshop on grafting by a home orchard association next weekend in Seattle that I'm tempted to go but can't, but it also tells me this is about the right time to try things in my area. My own records says my crab apple/apple plum trees bloomed April 1-15th last year.

I was told that the area I live now used to be orchards by Japanese families, my neighbors existing old apple and cherry trees further prove that. So maybe I am in fruit growing heaven.

[mensplace]

1. Graft trees that are in the same family. apple to apple
2. Graft just before the sap rises.
3. keep all parts sanitary...especially the pruners and knife
4. Use a razor sharp knife ..preferably with a straight blade like on a stockman's knife
5. Decide between a cleft graft and whip and tongue
6. make your cut smooth and straight
7. identify the light green cambium layer between outer bark and inner wood
8. make a cut long enough to perfectly match the cambium regardless of graft type.
9. wrap securely to seal out air and insects..but do not affect the cambium to cambium match

It really is simple, but just sounds complicated. People have been grafting for eons

You can graft multiple scions to a thicker branch or trunk. Use about a six inch scion with multiple buds, Do NOT let them fruit for the first year or so. After they have attached at the end of the year, slice through the tope to avoid constriction, but do not unwrap. I have done thousands

[mensplace]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=885VGccSrvs

IT is best to find a stem of the same thickness of the scion; it will double your chances of it taking. He shows the simplicity of the cleft graft. You could also use whip and tongue. Practice with any clippings first. Gloves save bloodshed.

[Black Krim]

Originally Posted by NewWestGardener

This thread is a real eye-opener, I think I will dive right in to learn how. I haven't found a source in Canada that sells apple tree scions yet. I read that Medlars can be grafted to crab apples too.

There is a workshop on grafting by a home orchard association next weekend in Seattle that I'm tempted to go but can't, but it also tells me this is about the right time to try things in my area. My own records says my crab apple/apple plum trees bloomed April 1-15th last year.

I was told that the area I live now used to be orchards by Japanese families, my neighbors existing old apple and cherry trees further prove that. So maybe I am in fruit growing heaven.

Call them and ask for members in your area. Many people are happy to help others get started. I did not have any luck with grafting 25 pear rootstock. I followed a utube video. Somewhere I went wrong. Im sure the surviving 3-4 trees will be enough pear trees but I do like to have many kinds in the face of the changing climate and disease pressure.

[Black Krim]

Originally Posted by mensplace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=885VGccSrvs

IT is best to find a stem of the same thickness of the scion; it will double your chances of it taking. He shows the simplicity of the cleft graft. You could also use whip and tongue. Practice with any clippings first. Gloves save bloodshed.

Nice video. How did I miss this one??

When using the knife, ROCK the knive rather than slice directly thru the cut branch on the tree.

I did 25 rootstock with two teen boys and they did not cut themselves. Rock the knife to make the cut.

Off to get the pear scions.