The secret is plant seeds, let them grow out, and graft.

:-)

Seriously, peaches are very hard to root. Some people have rooted them but it never worked for me. Root cuttings are supposed to work, but of course if your mother tree is grafted that will not be very helpful.

Scott

That was going to be my next step. I've tried sprouting some peach and nectarine seeds from my trees, but so far, no luck yet. Should I find some suitable root stock to graft onto? Or would you recommend I use some seeds from the mother tree, and then graft onto that seedling?

Getting some root stock material and or the seedlings should work.Also,I don't think it will matter if the seeds don't come from the parent tree. Brady

I agree, it doesn't matter what seedling peach you graft your cultivar to.

I've got lots of peach varieties grafted to random peach seedlings.

Some people on this forum have indicated poor success sprouting peach seedlings, but I believe that is related to the peach seed they are using.

I've read many varieties of peach seed will not sprout (supposedly the early varieties are the most problematic). I've not noticed that issue, but I haven't paid a lot of attention.

I just plant the peach pits (from drops) about an inch down and throw a bit of wood chips over them and they sprout. I don't let the pits dry, but plant them straight out of the peach.

I don't give them any water or special care other than trying not to mow them off or spray them when they sprout.

Nice job Alcedo.Thanks a lot. Brady

Thank you for sharing this information. I have been unsuccessful with grafting peaches. The only problem is that you will have to know someone that has the scion you want and have them prepare it this way before they ship it.

I will try this method with my own trees next year and see how it works.

The problem is probably humidity. Repeat the process with the cutting/pot placed in a mini-greenhouse. It will take about 3-4 months to root. That is what a successful cutting rooter told me and I am going to try it next summer or maybe this winter with hardy kiwis.

I just remembered a post from a few years back. Lucky said, "I've seen reports from 'oldtimers' that some pear varieties root easily by just sticking a cutting in the ground - but I never had any success doing that, even with 'juvenile' cuttings from clonally-produced(stooled) rootstocks.
One thing that *might* be successful is doing the 'toothpick' trick - around Aug 1, take your pocketknife and make a stab incision all the way through the stem, just above a point where the present year's growth commenced, and stick a wooden toothpick through, to hold the wound open. Callus tissue will form there, as the tree begins to 'heal' the wound. Around Nov 1, cut below the wound you made, dip in your choice of rooting hormone preparation, and stick in appropriate potting medium. Many plants will develop roots from that meristematic callus tissue over winter, and the cutting will take off in spring. It's worth a try..."

Alcedo, very impressive!! I didn't understand a few things from your explanation but the pictures you linked to make it all clear. I think your wire trick is the key. It seems like this would help on anything you wanted to root.

Scott

Alcedo, thank you for sharing your technique for rooting peach cuttings. I will follow your instructions next year and report my results.

Thank you Alcedo!

When girdling, do you let the wire cut into the bark, or just wrap it tightly?

If you look at the pictures none of the wires are cutting all the way around, but some cut partway.

Its too bad its late fall or I would be having fun with this idea now.

Scott

The images are very small for me, hard to see. When I click on the images it takes me to a tinypic website, not to the picture.

Yes, wrap it firmly!, after a week this is going to be tighter this is a good sign this section gathers Auxin.
(metal wire just visible)

{{gwi:125809}}

alcedo

This post was edited by alcedo on Fri, Nov 7, 14 at 16:57

Thank you very much Alcedo for taking time to share your knowledge. It's been more than 2 years later and still is helpful to many people. Thanks again.

Alcedo had vast and very interesting fruit growing techniques and experience. Unfortunately, he passed away in December last year. What a loss.

Oh NO! :(

I feel so thankful of his kindness after reading his information. What a loss! I am shocked. Thank you rphcfb14 for letting us know. RIP Alcedo.

I have learned a lot from him. He is very innovative. What a loss.

Hi rphcfb14, I'm relatively new to this passion and wish to learn more about propagation. If you could remember more info of what he wrote, pls let me know. Thanks in advance.

Ri am saddened by Alcedo's passing. I will try this on every plant in my farm in his memory. Girdling, here i come!

I was looking for information on apples and saw this post. I was interested because I actually saw my neighbor(from Guatamala) do this very thing. I noticed him digging a hole and asked what he was going to plant. He said" I'm going to start a new peach tree". They already have 4 in the backyard. He went to one of the trees and cut off a whip about 2.5 ft long. He took off all the leaves about a ft from the bottom and planted it. I thought to myself, that was a waste of time. The darn thing grew and this spring it is blooming. That all happened 2 years ago. I don't know what kind of peach trees they are, he said they came from Walmart. He did mention he always planted by the moon.

I want to share the following story ,hoping that it may be useful . I had planted peaches :Summergiant, Earlybelle & a Nectarine : Sunlight 20 feet apart, in this order after a year or so there were 7 seedlings up under Smgt. which I planted out .in their first fruiting I noticed that one's fruit was ripe on 31 oct. Next tree had small grassgreen fruit I checked the mother tree, finding that her fruit was even smaller yet. another two of the trees have been bearing Nectarines, moderately, the peaches heavy crops.I soon found that crosspollination had resulted in this: 1st tree 31 oct first fruit, then 2nd tree 1 Dec. then mothertree 28 Dec. giving a three month season overall . Stone fruit propagation :Pips have a brown kernel like an almond inside, remove this by scratching the side with a fingernail , removing the cover to the white inside carefully .you should see a thin clear skin or film. this usually stays in the covering, if you find it on the white pip remove it gently this removes the need for stratification ( Refrigerating etc ) .I planted pips once a couple years ago in march and picked the first peaches in November the same year, . East London. South Africa.

Does anyone have any example photos showing alcedo's wire girdling method to propagate? Trying to figure out how to do this method.