Hi Andy. You can collect scions just about any time from now until they break dormancy. Store them as you described, in a ziplock bag .

I doubt the tree you ordered will have much room for another variety. It would be my guess -others will know to correct me if I am wrong- that it'll have each branch dedicated to a variety, with the central leader being one of the varieties. So it is not likely that there will be an extra established branch you can cut back and graft onto unless you have enough room on the central leader to bud to, or unless you choose to top-work (replace) the CL with a new variety with the hope it will sprout a good replacement below your graft as well taking the graft. You might well end up with a 5 in 1 either way. Or you might replace say, the Granny Smith, and still have a 4 in 1, without the GS.

If you like you could bud graft to the central leader this summer, or you could do a cleft, whip, bark, or whip and tongue to the leader this spring. The bud graft would become another branch next spring; the cleft, bark, whip, or W&T graft would become the new central leader and it would emerge within a couple of weeks of grafting.

Stayman Winesap is a fairly vigorous grafter in my very limited experience, taking off well and growing happily. I hope someone else will comment on the wisdom of having it at the top of the tree where it might tend to dominate other varieties below it too much. If that's a problem it might be better to bud it and keep it in a less dominant position. I'm just not experienced enough to speak to that, but I can imagine it happening and it might make pruning more of a challenge.

The time to do summer grafting is when the budding wood is ready. It varies a little from area to area, but will be sometime in late July or early August. It's a little hard to learn how to gather- you're looking for dormant buds on the current year's growth- but once you get past that it's very straightforward. There are great videos on it.

The time to do spring grafting on apples is when the tree is breaking dormancy and is filling with water and growth hormones. The leaves will be 'the size of a squirrel ear'.

There's great videos and some step by step tutorials on that, too.

My wife and I love Stayman's Winesaps too, but the season here is usually too short for them. You'll have better luck where you are.

Good luck,

Mark

Mark,

I believe I was pondering a bud graft (new branch).

Am I correct to assume that I should get the scion wood now and store in the fridge? Or do I cut wood in the summer from the tree of the type of apple I want to grow and then graft to my multi-tree?

Andrew

Andrew,

You'll need to cut your wood for budding this summer- it hasn't grown yet. Just look at the linked video- he says it much better than I.

Just be careful. Once you get one to take you'll start looking at every tree as a potential source or a potential target!

There are other good methods. You could easily do a bark graft (use Konrad's or Joe Read's techniques) above the bud graft. Both bud and bark graft could take. And, the linked video shows chipping and explains why that might be a choice.

I'd suggest getting your tools together and going out and finding a bunch of growing watersprouts on some trees. Take a few and practice. You'll be good at it by the time the tree is ready.

Good luck,

Mark

Here is a link that might be useful: Midfex bud grafting video

It appears that I want to do a 'chip budding". T-Budding appears to be used to create a new main stem. He doesn't say it explicitly, but I'm *guessing* that the chip budding creates a branch. He clearly says that the everything above the T-Bud gets cut away the next year.

What I don't really understand is why BOTH don't create a new branch - it's the same part of the donor plant being put in basically the same place.

So, given my general confusion, could someone state which graft I would use to create a new branch as an addition to a tree?

All the videos make it seem so easy - even the guys who say "I'm a beginner ...". Almost appears that a semi-trained monkey (me) can do it successfully.

Andrew

You can use either. The reason it appears that budding is used to make a new stem is because it often is- the new branch is trained vertically to replace the original after all the original above it is cut off. It could just as well have been trained as a horizontal branch. (Note that if the top of the stem is left the bud may remain dormant and not emerge- you'll have to manage growth above the bud to keep that growth from exhibiting apical dominance- you'll keep the tips nipped back, perhaps bend the top to the horizontal for a while- but the same is true of the chip.)

The bud and the chip are both straightforward; I find the bud a little easier to do if the bark is slipping. Chips often look stuck on whereas buds look natural. Both work.

Almost all purchased fruit trees are the result of budding to a rootstock that has been selected for some particular virtue. When you look at those trees you'll be able to see the graft a few inches above the ground, even after they mature fully.

Good luck,

Mark

Thanks again Mark.

Guess I'll order some tape and make sure I have a strong, sharp knife.

Andrew

How much did you pay for your 4 in one Apple? I picked up 4 in One dwarf Apple tree as well for $20 from Home Depot, Apples were Fuji, Golden, Anna, and Einshimer.

Beth,

The order was from Bay Laurel Nurseries in CA (I'm in NJ).

The 4-1 apple was $47.95
The 3-1 cherry was $36.95
The Stella cherry on Colt stock was $24.95 (Colt is $2 more than the other rootstock option).

Shipping was $21. The $21 applies to up to 10 trees. Multi trees (X-1) count as 2. So effectively I could have doubled my order without changing the shipping cost. Apparently to double the amount of land I have I would have required a change in my property cost (grin).

The trees are shipping now - I called and asked that they move me up to the front of the line before the ground freezes here. Their office just called back and said they will ship today. Otherwise I would have been deep in the line since they have been taking orders since September. Very friendly and professional service. Plus these are Dave Wilson trees (which meant little to me before I started doing the research).

Hope your HD tree does well. Let's trade scion wood in a year or two and do some more grafts (more grinning).

Andrew