First Time Grafting Report - Oh My

[wbpdeer]

This is the first update of my first time grafting experience. I owe a huge thanks to Native Hunter, DogDoc, Turkey Creek and Neahawg.

1. From Turkey Creek I purchased 12 rootstock for pears. Got them potting with 12 hours of when the arrived.

2. Got pear scions from Native Hunter - a great selection for hunting purposes.

3. Got persimmon scions and a couple of Olympia Pears Scions from DogDoc

4. Got helpful advice from Neahawg.

The pears have been grafted about 3 weeks and are in the basement with limited window light. The pear stock is putting on great growth below the graft - nothing above the graft.

Today I got stuff collected and went to the farm to graft a bunch of persimmons. Things didn't work out as I had hoped.

I had labeled a bunch of native persimmon that grew from seeds spread by wildlife. When I got there the blue flaggin used didn't survive the fall and winter very well. Bummer - as Brushpile knows I am not very good at tree ID.

I did graph 7 persimmons with 8 grafts - one has two good leaders so I graft with sides. I now understand the expression - bark slipping.

I was shocked to see so many persimmon that have no active bud. Many are weeks behind the others. I marked the potential ones with orange flaggin with hopes that in 10 days to 2 weeks I can graft those with Okie Scions from DogDoc.

I used commode wax bowl on the grafts. I didn't have a lighter or a match but the hood of the truck and sunlight softened it up just fine.

Did I get better after the first two trees - Yes I did. I used flaggin tape on the graft union. I watched Dudley from NativNursery on YouTube and then went to the farm and got busy.

I sure hope my pear trees wake up soon. If anyone thinks I should move them out the basement please tell me why. It is 62 to 63 degrees down there.

Thank you Native Hunter for your great selections on pear scions. Thanks DogDoc for the Okie Scions. Turkey Creek thanks - I am looking forward to next year so I can improve my farm with your resources.

Thanks Neahawg - I know Chestnuts but need the type of guidance you provided.

Am I nervous? Yes I am and I am hopeful too.

Wayne

 

[lakngolf]

Without picture it didn't happen

 

[wbpdeer]

Lak - you sound like some wreck chasin lawyer. Ha Ha

Wayne

 

[dogdoc]

Those pear scions are Orient not Olympia that I sent you. I have no experience with bench grafting. I wait until the seedling or rootstock has leafed out and then graft. Have no idea when to expect to see top growth on the scions with bench grafting.

good luck with the grafts.
todd

 

[Native Hunter]

Best wishes Wayne. Hopefully you will see something soon. I'm like doc - I've not done bench grafting, but on my trees I topworked recently the scions are taking off growing now.

 

[Merle Hawggard]

3 weeks? Just me, but I'd either pot them up or plant them where you'd planned.
I have some I top worked a little less than 2 weeks ago that have pushed leaves.
I'm thinking by 3 on my bench grafts I had growth.
Even if they fail come back and t bud them in Aug or retry them next spring.


Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

 

[Neahawg]

Wayne did you cleft graft or w&t? I know mine started to break bud after around two weeks and by three weeks looked pretty good though I only did about 15 apples this year all the pear Merle did.

Doesn't mean they won't take as of yet I do know on another forum it took one guys 4 weeks he also kept his inside. If it were me I'd move everything outside to warm up and keep them well watered

I would remove everything but one branch from below the graft and keep it pulled down at an angle so it tries to send all the sap up toward the Scion.

If they don't take still no worries let the rootstock grow and if you have access to pears you can tbud them in August which I think is easier.

 

[wbpdeer]

Those pear scions are Orient not Olympia that I sent you. I have no experience with bench grafting. I wait until the seedling or rootstock has leafed out and then graft. Have no idea when to expect to see top growth on the scions with bench grafting.

good luck with the grafts.
todd

I labeled every one of the pear grafts - as you can tell I am not good with the names. All of the pear stock had green leaves when I worked them. At least I got that right.

The native persimmon in the bottom field today surprised me that most had not leafed out yet. So I grafted the ones that had green growth.

Thanks
Wayne

 

[wbpdeer]

Wayne did you cleft graft or w&t? I know mine started to break bud after around two weeks and by three weeks looked pretty good though I only did about 15 apples this year all the pear Merle did.

Doesn't mean they won't take as of yet I do know on another forum it took one guys 4 weeks he also kept his inside. If it were me I'd move everything outside to warm up and keep them well watered

I would remove everything but one branch from below the graft and keep it pulled down at an angle so it tries to send all the sap up toward the Scion.

If they don't take still no worries let the rootstock grow and if you have access to pears you can tbud them in August which I think is easier.

I bark grafted them. I can move them to the greenhouse. I have watered them fairly regular - they have not lacked for water. The temps in the basement have not been above 65 degrees. In the greenhouse they will see 80 to low 90s with the cover still on.

I have some scions left over and they went back into the crisper in the fridge.

I will move them to the greenhouse either tomorrow or Saturday depending on the weather.

Thanks for the help - I am short on experience.

Wayne

 

[Turkey Creek]

How do the scions look? Buds swelled at all? Nick a bud or two and see if they are still green. I wouldnt be overly concerned with bench grafted pears at 3 weeks. Another week I would say your odds will drop in terms of success.

 

[wbpdeer]

Turkey Creek,

If they don't make it - can I try some of the scions in the fridge in May?

Wayne

 

[wbpdeer]

I went back and checked a conversation I sent regarding my pear grafts. I grafted them on March 27th. So that is start date.

I get late next week I will begin to get real concerned. Hopefully, something breaks in my favor.

Wayne

 

[Neahawg]

Did you say you bark grafted them onto the rootstocks? I'm not saying it won't work but I've never heard of that for bench grafting.

 

[wbpdeer]

Neahawg - yes that is what I did. If you have not heard of that I would assume that is a bad sign for me. I am in the position of I don't know what I don't know.

Assuming they fail, the left over scions still in the fridge properly stored, can I graft them to the root stock now with a different method.

If you were graphing to rootstock, what method of grafting would you have done. It is a given they are in 2 gallons pots.

This reminds me of when I first started with rootmaker 18s and growing for the first time - steep learning curve.

Wayne

 

[dogdoc]

I give the scions 4 weeks. If I don't have any growth on the scions I then just regraft a little lower. Most of my grafts on seedling rootstock is either a whip and tongue or a cleft. However, I have 4 rootstocks that were pretty good size and grafted some small scions on them using a bark graft. So yes, if you haven't had any growth in 4 weeks then I would graft again with the scions you have saved. Still have plant of time. I also would get then outside in the greenhouse.

 

[Turkey Creek]

I would have cleft grafted those. I would say your success rate with a bark graft is going to be very poor. I would got ahead and regraft a few now to give yourself a head start. For bark grafts the scion needs to be considerably smaller than whatever you are grafting onto to have good success. Yes you could try and regraft them, if the scion in your fridge has not broken dormancy.

 

[Neahawg]

If it was me I agree I would have done either a w&t or a cleft graft. The w&t is my graft of choice I've never had a failed w&t graft. Cleft is probably easier to do. I know some use a saddle graft as well though I've never used that one.

 

[wbpdeer]

Thanks DogDoc, Turkey Creek and Neahawg.

Three things:
1) I will regraft them now.
2) I will move the 12 pots to the greenhouse today
3) I will get on YouTube and get wised up on the finer points of a "Cleft" graft.

Thanks so much. I wish I comprehended better but my first time and I am definitely slow off the starting line.

Of by the way, in honor of Lakngulf, I will try to post some photos.

Wayne

 

[dogdoc]

Wayne, go cut some branches off of a junk tree and practice some grafting. I practiced for hours and hours with branches off of a maple tree. The cleft graft is a very easy graft and also very successful. I use electrical tape as my grafting tape. Sticks great and you can get some good tight pressure to line up the cambium.

todd

 

[Turkey Creek]

The thing with pears is the root stock and some varieties (the scion portion) tend to very knobby and the wood tends to be more "brittle" so it is more difficult to get that nice smooth cut that you can with say apples. Bind those graft unions tight to make sure you have good cambium contact.