[nafex] grafting success/failure

["dwalsh/wchase" <wchase@interchange.ubc.ca>]

John,

A couple of points from my experience:

You'll have better luck with stone fruits if you bud them in late July, August...
two reasons: stone fruits seem to survive better when budded and by August your
shipped rootstocks have had time to acclimatize and grow and sap is in motion when
you attach the new bud.

If I am grafting stone fruits, I like to collect my scionwood in January or early
February. I'm in south coastal B.C. and some of the early plums have 'bud swell'
if we have a few warm days in January and scionwood should be dormant.

You don't mention which rootstock you are using, but if it is quince for the
pears, some European pears and all Asian pears are not compatible with quince and
you need an interstem (Old Home or something).
Those two hot days probably were a factor in the pear failures especially if they
were in the hot sun.

I've found the best success by picking up from the grower the bare root roostocks
in mid Feb, storing them in damp sawdust until I find time to graft, grafting in
March and early April, leaving them in sawdust in a carport or somewhere out of
the rain and cold and sun, and planting up in one gallon pots in May.  Once in
pots I put them in blocks with an irrigation system so I can counteract the
weather (water if there is no rain or if it is very hot).  Sometime in June or
even July when I get time, I remove the tape.  In October I plant them into the
ground.

I prefer the whip and tongue method, but often my scion is much smaller than my
rootstock so I do a cleft or a side graft.

Any weak rootstocks are planted in ground in May and will be budded in late July
or August.   Tape will be removed from the budded stocks after one month, NOT left
on any longer or bud will rot in our pacific downpours.

I prefer the rolls of plastic budding tape.  I use Doc Farwells to seal any open
wood around the graft and the tip of the scion

It is very very important when grafting to match up at least one side of the
cambiums (?cambia) of rootstock and scion.

I think that most people make a good graft with a good match and then the
aftercare is a failure ... i.e. too hot or too cold or no water.  The grafts do
have to be treated with TLC for the first month or two.

Don't give up ... in a couple of years you will be responding to another Nafexer
who has not had success ... with your suggestions for grafting.

Steady pouring rain here today and 10°C ... great for newly grafted trees.

Cheers,

Derry

Derry Walsh & Bill Chase  email:wchase@interchange.ubc.ca
Aldergrove,  B. C.,  Canada
phone/fax (604) 856-9316
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----- Original Message -----
From: john van hazinga <vanhaz@gsinet.net>
To: <nafex@egroups.com>
Cc: doug clayton <dnclayton@monad.net>
Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2000 4:19 AM
Subject: [nafex] grafting trials


In late March I journeyed 30 miles south  and spent  a couple
: enjoyable hours  labeling and bagging  as long time NAFEX member Doug
: Clayton  pruned his cherries,plums and asian pears  and discoursed on their
: merits.
.  The following 2
: weekends I grafted my  hybrid and european plums.
.  I n general I had
: very good sucesss with those potted or in the ground   and less with  the
: store bought rootstocks which I either potted or put in garden rows.  The
: least sucess was with European pears which I happened to graft and set out
: before 2 surprising 90 deg days (probably the only we have had above 75 this
: spring.
.    vann     south central NH



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