Grafting apple trees?

[Albert T]

Hi to you all.
I'm far to lazy and tight to buy food these days in South London, so try to grow my own.
Of late I've been investigating tree grafting with a maximum result in spectacular failure.
Just to be certain; there's no such thing as a silly question here?
Cheers.
Albert.

 

[Albert T]

Should I wait for the apples to finish on the donor tree before I take some budwood for T-grafting?

 

[C_Claycomb]

Copied from Albert’s intro thread. Thought this might get more traction than having this rather specific question in another intro thread titled “Hello”

 

[Robson Valley]

I did some post-graduate degree research into apple tree grafting. The anatomy of the graft interface was the primary interest. Several practical things emerged.

1. No matter which style (twig, bud, etc.) of graft is done, it is best done in the spring when the sap flows and the bark slips easily on the cambium secondary meristem.
2. The wound has to be covered to prevent dehydration and the entry of potential pathogens such as bacteria and fungal spores.
3. Gentle pressure needs to be applied to the fresh joint to prevent the growth of a mass of non-woody cells to weaken the connection. This accounted for most mechanical failures.
4. Do your best to match the cambium growth layers.
= =
So how to do these things? We used "grafting rubbers." They were simple strips of latex rubber, about 7mm wide by 12 cm in length. Several wrappings and a finish similar to a half hitch. Inherently, just about every thing gets done with a single effort. Being latex, the material oxidizes from oxygen and UV, goes brittle and outdoors, falls off in a couple of years.

I've seen much more modern plastic strips but I'm not impressed with the lack of elasticity. I suppose that horticulture supply houses are the first places to look.

 

[British Red]

Should I wait for the apples to finish on the donor tree before I take some budwood for T-grafting?

I have a YouTube series on grafting that may help you.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDluIIoNPslfdXULsaB3rvyR2t9HW1_Xm

The best time to cut scion wood is when the sap begins rising in Spring - around March

 

[Albert T]

I have a YouTube series on grafting that may help you.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDluIIoNPslfdXULsaB3rvyR2t9HW1_Xm

The best time to cut scion wood is when the sap begins rising in Spring - around March

Cheers.
My question is about bud/T-grafting though.
I'm looking at a dwindling window this next month concerning bud collection rather than scion collection.
Best wishes.
Albert.

 

[Robson Valley]

Buds are scions. Like twigs, they are not something to be harvested and saved in a glass of water. Cut them NOW and do the grafting NOW. There's plenty of peer-reviewed advice in any reputable Plant Propagation textbook.

Just today, I ran across a squib from the BBC about heritage apples in the UK and the people who search for the vintage stragglers in forgotten corners. There are some 2,200 apple varieties in the UK and maybe 6 in your local grocery store. Even then, a couple are probably imports.

Since citrus species are apomictic, grafting is about the only sure way (short of tissue culture) of proliferation. Funny but the cut scion buds do OK until you have a mouthful then spit them out one at a time for grafts.

 

[Albert T]

Oh dear.
Apologies if I misrepresented myself.
I'd best leave the forum then.

 

[Robson Valley]

Not at all. I want to read more of your experience of grafting.

 

[Albert T]

Please forgive my tantrum.
I had a French mentor as a student Nurse.
She explained a French phrase to me which translates loosley as:
"If you don't get the answer you need then you need to ask the question in a different way"
Basically I have grafts that failed this spring and am led to understand that I have a second chance to try T/Bud grafting this summer.
I can collect and graft within the hour. I really NEED to know if I should wait until the donor tree has shed it's fruit or not.
Once again forgive me for repeatedly asking what I originaly considered a stupid question.
I have watched your U-tubes and am waiting for the RHS book to arrive.
With best wishes.
Albert

 

[Stew]

Thanks for asking this Albert. I have an apple tree in the garden of this house I moved into a year ago. I should have thought about grafting already but hadn’t - this thread has me thinking on it now!

 

[Albert T]

Thanks for asking this Albert. I have an apple tree in the garden of this house I moved into a year ago. I should have thought about grafting already but hadn’t - this thread has me thinking on it now!

Cool.
I hope you get the best advice from here.

 

[Broch]

I'm going to show my total ignorance here .... I get the advice on taking the 'bud' etc. but where do you get the root stock from?

 

[Albert T]

I buy my rootstock from Ashbridges trees.
Usually about £4-5 each.
They have good guidance as to what you want until you ask them a question they may not feel able to answer.
Have fun.

 

[slowworm]

Quite a few places sell rootstocks. You can grow your own by planting a rootstock plant, letting it grow, then cutting it down and earthing up the plant. It'll coppice and then each new shoot should produce roots. That's a very simple summary, plenty of more detailed and accurate how-tos about.

 

[Robson Valley]

By the time that the fruit is ripe and/or has dropped off the stock tree, the rest of the tree is beginning to mature the new wood and get ready for the upcoming winter dormancy. Apple trees must have that prolonged cold spell or they will not flower and set fruit. That's why apples don't grow in the tropics.

As a percentage of the overall biomass of the tree, a few buds will be an insignificant addition. The cuts that you make really aren't much of an insult to the whole tree and not worthy of a significant wound response.

What's required for establishment of the scion is very vigorous growth conditions such as you will expect in the spring. My rule of thumb was to get it all done before the flower buds reached pink stage.

 

[swyn]

Living in East Anglia we went here for advice. We now have a fab and productive orchard on dwarf root stock.

Apples & Orchards Project – Local heritage fruit varieties in the East of England

S

 

[British Red]

I'm going to show my total ignorance here .... I get the advice on taking the 'bud' etc. but where do you get the root stock from?

You can buy them, but they are easy to propagate through layering

 

[Robson Valley]

Speaking of stock apple trees, do you folks suffer from Apple Replant Disease? Huge problem to rejuvenate old orchards here with modern popular varieties.