j-bird
Well-Known Member
Well we have had about a week of solid rain but the weather changed sunday and I decided to take advantage. The ground was real soggy so I couldn't do any tractor work so I decided to to try to do some things I had never done before.....
A week a go or so I pruned my apple trees and kept some of the ends.....scions as the apple folks call them. So I decided to give grafting a whirl. Now, first of all it may be too early for trying this. As such I retained plenty of scions for later attempts if needed. Secondly I have no real idea of what I am doing. But they say the longest journey starts with the first step, and you can't succeed if you never try!
So - I have no ides what apple types I added to a small section of this ornamental crab I have. I really don't care as this is simply an experiment and a learning experience. Now some will tell me I used all the wrong tools and the like but I used what I had. I used a box cutter with new razor blades, electrical tape and some pruning/tree wound healing stuff - sort of like tar!
I tried 2 different graft types and whip graft and a cleft graft. The razor blades made it pretty easy to cut the soft wood of the scions.
I tried to match the branch sizes as much as I could on the whip grafts and many of the cleft grafts I put two smaller scions into those. On the cleft grafts I use a pocket knife and a small hammer to split the cut end. On both grafts I tried to line up the bark and the like as much as I could. I experimented a little bit with the use of the prune tar stuff some I used and then wrapped, some I wrapped and then applied the stuff others I just used the tape. Again, I have plenty to play with so I am just trying to see what will work. Oh, and I properly broke in the new box cutter! Nothing serious, just enough to make a mess and get in the way!
After I did roughly 8 different grafts I decided I was done for the day with that, as I plan to try other areas of the tree later in the spring to see what sort of affect timing has on the grafting success.
So then I remembered I have a large elderberry plant in an area where I essentially have no deer, because of it's location. So again I decided to try to experiment some. First thing I did was give it a significant hair cut. I have other elderberries that need to be cut way back, but I want to see how this one responds before I attack my other bushes. I them tried to save many of the ends sort of like cuttings. Some I simply stuck straight into the ground. If they grow great if not, big deal. No protection, no nothing, I simply moved to some soft soil and stuck as much into the soft ground as I could.....good luck little buddies! Others I cut to about 8" long or so and decided to stick in water and see what happens. You will see I think I am screwed because the bush had already started showing signs of the buds opening, but again.....I am out nothing more than my time.
I will try to follow up on how things go and post up any positive results. There is a chance all I did was waste my time.....but it beat sitting on the couch!
A week a go or so I pruned my apple trees and kept some of the ends.....scions as the apple folks call them. So I decided to give grafting a whirl. Now, first of all it may be too early for trying this. As such I retained plenty of scions for later attempts if needed. Secondly I have no real idea of what I am doing. But they say the longest journey starts with the first step, and you can't succeed if you never try!
So - I have no ides what apple types I added to a small section of this ornamental crab I have. I really don't care as this is simply an experiment and a learning experience. Now some will tell me I used all the wrong tools and the like but I used what I had. I used a box cutter with new razor blades, electrical tape and some pruning/tree wound healing stuff - sort of like tar!
I tried 2 different graft types and whip graft and a cleft graft. The razor blades made it pretty easy to cut the soft wood of the scions.
I tried to match the branch sizes as much as I could on the whip grafts and many of the cleft grafts I put two smaller scions into those. On the cleft grafts I use a pocket knife and a small hammer to split the cut end. On both grafts I tried to line up the bark and the like as much as I could. I experimented a little bit with the use of the prune tar stuff some I used and then wrapped, some I wrapped and then applied the stuff others I just used the tape. Again, I have plenty to play with so I am just trying to see what will work. Oh, and I properly broke in the new box cutter! Nothing serious, just enough to make a mess and get in the way!
After I did roughly 8 different grafts I decided I was done for the day with that, as I plan to try other areas of the tree later in the spring to see what sort of affect timing has on the grafting success.
So then I remembered I have a large elderberry plant in an area where I essentially have no deer, because of it's location. So again I decided to try to experiment some. First thing I did was give it a significant hair cut. I have other elderberries that need to be cut way back, but I want to see how this one responds before I attack my other bushes. I them tried to save many of the ends sort of like cuttings. Some I simply stuck straight into the ground. If they grow great if not, big deal. No protection, no nothing, I simply moved to some soft soil and stuck as much into the soft ground as I could.....good luck little buddies! Others I cut to about 8" long or so and decided to stick in water and see what happens. You will see I think I am screwed because the bush had already started showing signs of the buds opening, but again.....I am out nothing more than my time.
I will try to follow up on how things go and post up any positive results. There is a chance all I did was waste my time.....but it beat sitting on the couch!
