Grafting apple trees
 

I want to propogate our apple tree as we're moving house. I've bought 5
rootstocks which are currently in a plastic bag in a cool outbuilding.
Could someone please tell me how I should go about this? Do I need to cut
the scions and keep them somewhere cool first or if I did the grafting in
the next couple of weeks would everything be suitably dormant? Should I put
the rootstocks in pots of compost now or should I keep them as they are to
keep them dormant until I do the grafting?

I've never done any grafting before and I need to get some grafting wax by
mail order so I won't be ready for a couple of days or so but if anyone
could clarify the process I'd be really grateful.

Andrea

Grafting apple trees
 

In article , Andrea
Jones writes
I want to propogate our apple tree as we're moving house. I've bought
5 rootstocks which are currently in a plastic bag in a cool
outbuilding. Could someone please tell me how I should go about this?
Do I need to cut the scions and keep them somewhere cool first or if I
did the grafting in the next couple of weeks would everything be
suitably dormant?
The latter should be OK.

Should I put the rootstocks in pots of compost now or should I keep
them as they are to keep them dormant until I do the grafting?

If they have some soil around the roots and are moist, then again they
should be fine.

I've never done any grafting before and I need to get some grafting wax
by mail order so I won't be ready for a couple of days or so but if
anyone could clarify the process I'd be really grateful.

Grafting is not something that can be easily explained in writing; you
need to see it demonstrated. I don't know where you are located, but if
you are within striking distance of me I would be happy to do the
grafting for you, as I shall be doing a couple of dozen of my own soon.
I have a supply of grafting wax.

Alternatively, Stephen Hayes has a very good website demonstrating the
process at http://www.fruitwise.net/grafting.html. In the last year he
has posted a couple of dozen demonstration videos on Youtube as well. If
you go to YouTube and search on Fruitwise or apple tree grafting and
pruning you will find them.

Roy.
--
Roy Bailey
West Berkshire.

Grafting apple trees
 

The message
from "Andrea Jones" contains these words:

I want to propogate our apple tree as we're moving house. I've bought 5
rootstocks which are currently in a plastic bag in a cool outbuilding.
Could someone please tell me how I should go about this? Do I need to cut
the scions and keep them somewhere cool first or if I did the grafting in
the next couple of weeks would everything be suitably dormant? Should
I put
the rootstocks in pots of compost now or should I keep them as they are to
keep them dormant until I do the grafting?

Since no-one else has answered, I would recommend planting the
rootstocks immediately, and waiting till autumn to graft or bud. While
your graftings or buddings might take, they run the risk of being weak,
since your rootstock will need six months at least to establish
themselves.

I've never done any grafting before and I need to get some grafting wax by
mail order so I won't be ready for a couple of days or so but if anyone
could clarify the process I'd be really grateful.

Most garden centres and/or florists/hardware shops/etc will have that,
or just buy a little beeswax and melt it 50/50 with paraffin wax. Don't
put it on too hot...

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

Grafting apple trees
 

"Rusty_Hinge" wrote in message
. uk...

Since no-one else has answered, I would recommend planting the
rootstocks immediately, and waiting till autumn to graft or bud. While
your graftings or buddings might take, they run the risk of being weak,
since your rootstock will need six months at least to establish
themselves.

I've never done any grafting before and I need to get some grafting wax
by
mail order so I won't be ready for a couple of days or so but if anyone
could clarify the process I'd be really grateful.

Most garden centres and/or florists/hardware shops/etc will have that,
or just buy a little beeswax and melt it 50/50 with paraffin wax. Don't
put it on too hot...

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig
Thanks for your replies. I'm too far away from Berkshire for a demo, I
think I'll just have a go anyway. Dad's posting me his big RHS book so I
can read up on it. In the end I decided to heel-in the rootstocks and
scions and I thought I'd try to do the grafting in a fortnight or so. I'll
have to see whether the grafts take as I can't wait a year for the
rootstocks to establish.

Andrea

Grafting apple trees
 

In article ,
Rusty_Hinge writes
The message
from "Andrea Jones" contains these words:

I want to propogate our apple tree as we're moving house. I've bought 5
rootstocks which are currently in a plastic bag in a cool outbuilding.
Could someone please tell me how I should go about this? Do I need to cut
the scions and keep them somewhere cool first or if I did the grafting in
the next couple of weeks would everything be suitably dormant? Should
I put
the rootstocks in pots of compost now or should I keep them as they are to
keep them dormant until I do the grafting?

Since no-one else has answered, I would recommend planting the
rootstocks immediately, and waiting till autumn to graft or bud. While
your graftings or buddings might take, they run the risk of being weak,
since your rootstock will need six months at least to establish
themselves.

No, no! Grafting is done in the early spring before the new season's
growth begins, using scions from last year's growth. Budding is done in
late summer.

There is no reason why the rootstocks should be weak. Normally one uses
one- or two-year-old rootstock so that they are not too much bigger in
diameter than the scion.

Roy.
--
Roy Bailey
West Berkshire.

Grafting apple trees
 

For all of my grafting I use Parafilm grafting tape, Arbex Seal and
Heal (as its a liquid) and a very very sharp knife.

Some words of advice. On these dark and frosty snowy evenings, get
yourself some Willow branches 10mm dia, and try practice grafting
willow onto willow. Then progress up to some wood that is a bit harder
like hazel, before trying the real thing. It is easy, but its like
everything its got its knack.

I only ever use the following type of grafts
1 - Whip and tongue
2 - Saddle
3 - Chip Budding

All of which can be done in very late winter to spring, dependant on
type of plant.

In fact I have just done some Saddle grafting of Indian Chestnut onto
Horse Chestnut. But I then keep them potted up warm at 20 deg C till
it takes, then in the greenhouse at 5 - 10 deg C

Check out

General grafting -
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...ruit_trees.asp

Whip & Tongue
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Learning/Publi...1199_graft.htm

Saddle -
For some reason rhs does not list it
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/grafting.html

Chip Budding -
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...ip_budding.asp

Just for interest - it seems tomato plants are being grafted onto
potatoes to get a dual greenhouse crop.


No, no! Grafting is done in the early spring before the new season's
growth begins, using scions from last year's growth. Budding is done in
late summer.

There is no reason why the rootstocks should be weak. Normally one uses
one- or two-year-old rootstock so that they are not too much bigger in
diameter than the scion.

Roy.