[nafex] Report on Farkleberry grafting for 2,000

[PermacultureNo1@aol.com]

Presumably due to drought, we had a very poor percentage of takes in our 
farkleberry grafting this year.  I had better than 80 percent t in the small 
scale trials in 1999, but only 10 or so percent in 2000 which has been even 
drier (and involved stands remote from irrigation but in full sun.)  We plan 
to pot up some of the root suckers to see 1) if they survive that operation 
in practical numbers, and 2) if we can get plants to grafting size in pots 
where they can be concentrated in an irrigated area.

The farkleberry plants themselves put on considerable new growth as you would 
expect from vigorous plants cut back, and despite the lack of moisture.  
Those grafts that took also put on good growth and seem quite strong.  I am 
assuming therefore that the established rootstock was able to supply enough 
moisture once the union formed.  We grafted high, so we can regraft stems 
that did not take this year.  Some of the grafts from 1999 slowed growth this 
year.  Mostly these are in partial shade.

We will sheet mulch the biggest stand this winter to see if that helps 
conserve moisture for newly grafted scion wood.  We will gather scions again 
in February for grafting late in the month.  We would be happy to discuss 
purchasing scions (prunings) from anyone with southern blueberry varieties.  
We like to graft at least two mutual pollenating varieties on larger plants 
to ensure coverage as our pollenator population is not always reliable.  
Mostly these are carpenter bees which take hits whenever the woodpeckers and 
flickers find their nests.

Dan Hemenway

Barking Frogs Permaculture Center  
http://barkingfrogspc.tripod.com/frames.html
or
http://www.permaculture.net/~EPTA/Hemenway.htm
 
The protocol for our Annual Permaculture Design Course Online is at 
http://barkingfrogspc.tripod.com/protocol.html

For a copy of Barking Frogs Permaculture Center's annual letter, just issued, 
email us at BarkingFrogsPC@aol.com

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