Callery Pear Grafting

KSQ2

Well-Known Member
I just found a callery pear on the edge of our property yesterday. It’s about 3.5” in diameter. This caught me off guard, so I don’t have any scions ready. Our keifer pears haven’t broke into leaves yet, but they’re close. Buds are visible. Is it too late to harvest scion wood? I might have to get scions from a later budding tree like a moon glow. One more question, is bark grafting pears the same as persimmons? I’ve only done persimmons in the past.
 
The bark grafting is done the same way, except pear grafting will be earlier.

With buds visible, I think it is too late to get scion wood. I would recommend those later budding scions. Good luck.
 
Try both. You really don't have anything to lose. Graft two moon glow scions and one Kieffer. Note where you graft them and see which one or ones take. You can always prune back later. If none of them take, you can prepare earlier and try again next year or just go ahead and kill the callery. There is nothing but upside to your experiment.
 
Try both. You really don't have anything to lose. Graft two moon glow scions and one Kieffer. Note where you graft them and see which one or ones take. You can always prune back later. If none of them take, you can prepare earlier and try again next year or just go ahead and kill the callery. There is nothing but upside to your experiment.
That’s what I was thinking, if doesn’t work, try again.
 
Very new to grafting here- as in getting a grafting kit for my birthday this week kind of new (LOL).

Our Ohio piece has a few of these darn CPs. Ironically theyre in good locations for fruit trees. Is it also worth trying to graft on to cut stumps or just get actual fruit trees in the area?
 
That might be a question for some of the other fellas on here better qualified; but I'd say both have advantages. The main advantage of callery pear grafting is their nearly indestructible roots, which make great root stock basically. Native has had persimmons grafts bear fruit within a couple years I believe; SIGNIFICANT production.
 
Very new to grafting here- as in getting a grafting kit for my birthday this week kind of new (LOL).

Our Ohio piece has a few of these darn CPs. Ironically theyre in good locations for fruit trees. Is it also worth trying to graft on to cut stumps or just get actual fruit trees in the area?

If they are in a location you want trees, it is worth the effort:

1. The roots are already established, and you can get fruit in a much faster time.
2. You don't have to nurse a new tree through its first two years - especially watering in a drought year.
3. Considering the cost of buying trees these days, you will save lots of money.
4. If you can get the scions, you can graft varieties that may not be available from bought trees.
 
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I have orient ,Anjou ,moon glow, and kieffer scion on the way

And where did I get them?! E bay.......Duhhhhh😆

bill
 
How long does it usually take to know if a grafting was a pass/fail? It was a long shot anyway for me, harvesting a couple scions so late, but 8 days after the graft, the scions look to be "drying out" some. They just don't look quite a viable in their coloring. I should have taken a pic, but I didn't think it would show enough detail in the coloring to bother with.
 
How long does it usually take to know if a grafting was a pass/fail? It was a long shot anyway for me, harvesting a couple scions so late, but 8 days after the graft, the scions look to be "drying out" some. They just don't look quite a viable in their coloring. I should have taken a pic, but I didn't think it would show enough detail in the coloring to bother with.
Two weeks is typical for seeing something on pears. But as long as they are green, don't give up.
 
how early can you graft callery pear?

How soon after bud break?

bill
Bill, I like to let the leaves get about 2/3 of the way out before I do the topworking. You will see flowers long before you see the leaves coming out. You want the tree to be actively growing but not wait until it starts getting into the summer heat. I do the same with apples and persimmons. Apples are slower than pears to come out of dormancy in the spring, and persimmons are much later than apples.
 
This is a Callery Pear that I topworked two years ago. It is back to the same size it was before I cut the top out. As you can see, it has a few flowers this year.

PS - the scions were from an old time pear that was going to be destroyed. A friend of mine called my attention to it and we saved the tree. It may just be another Kieffer. Time will tell if that’s the case or if we have another variety. The owner said it was a great, late pear.

IMG_3918.jpeg
 
Gave my hand at it x5. Fingers crossed. Asian pear scions on 4of the many CP I am an proud owner of
 
Does this look like another callery pear?
IMG_0015.jpeg
Sucker got me on the palm pretty good while I was looking it over, it has pretty nasty thorns for sure.
Also, if it is a pear, can I graft two different kinds of pears to it next year, if they grow, will they pollinate each other?
 
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