grafting and budding apples

15 years ago

I need to topwork a 4 year apple tree. My "v" grafts have succeeded 1/3 of the time, t buds about 1/4 and that is my favorite way of doing anything and I

now also have an omega cutter but the graft I made dried out and didn't take

and was very unstable to tape together at 3/8" diameter. How do y'all keep

the scion from drying out? Is there a simple cheap way to do it. I read about

the "paint" but it said it got in the graft and wrecked it and parafilm is how easy to use? I use 1/2" green grafting tape now. I think if I tried to wrap the scion

with an omega cut I'd have a heck of a time keeping it in line till done. Help! :)

OH, and I need to graft seedlings onto understock as well. Mostly I fail with

bud grafts and really need to get my new apple crosses on dwarf stock to bear early.

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Comments (6)

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
15 years ago
Apples are easy to graft and I think you are probably blaming your failures too much on the mechanical joint. With an omega cut properly done(centered)you should have no trouble taping with parafilm and I paint with Doc Farwells as well. Look as well to the other possibilities of graft failure. Scion not fresh or properly stored, grafting too early in the season. The fact you have poor results regardless of the type graft says a basic fault is involved. Al
Scott F Smith
15 years ago
To avoid getting paint in the graft I first wrap with parafilm then paint. I think Al has a point that there could be something you are doing wrong that you are not aware of. Another example is the matching of the stock and scion - you need a good cambium match for an inch or so on at least one of the two sides. If your cuts are too uneven or the alignment is not exact on one of the two sides it will cause failures.

Scott
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sautesmom Sacramento
15 years ago
My graft takes increased incredibly when I started using parafilm--my apples are now almost 100% takes. That should make a huge difference for you.

Carla in Sac
bennylafleur
15 years ago
You asked about keeping the scion from drying out. On whip and tongue or bark grafts, after wrapping the joint with a rubber band, I coat the entire scion and the rubber band with amber shellac. I have never done a trial to compare with and without the shellac, but I believe it helps the scion from drying out. It is probably not necessary on easy grafts like apple and pear, but I believe it helps on persimmon and Pawpaw which are sometimes very slow to heal and sprout, depending on the health of the rootstock. I have had some grafts that seem to take a month or more to sprout, and believe that the shellac coating kept the scion from drying out during this time. When the bud is ready, it pops right through the shellac, and the shellac also keeps the rubber band from dry rotting so fast.

Benny
Konrad___far_north
15 years ago
Check this out, you might get some ideas here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Barkgrafting...
mrtexas
15 years ago
IMHO, throw away the omega tool, wax, what a mess. rubber bands not necessary. Get some vinyl grafting tape and cover the whole graft. I use parafilm to keep the scion from drying out. When the buds start to force remove the grafting tape. Leave the parafilm on.

Try my method and match up the scion size for a whip, whip/tongue, t-buds and you should get 80% on the first try. Apples are very easy.

Here is a link that might be useful: mrtexas