According to Jason Hupp at Western Evergreen it can be done. He told me to acclimate them in my basement for two weeks (cooler temps & in the dark) and then bring them into the greenhouse and business as usual.

I don't particularly care for the idea and won't be the guinea pig. I think the results will not be nearly as favorable, nor do I have the experience to know quite-frankly.

Dax

just to clarify ...

have you ever grown a tree indoors???

you are really pushing the envelope here ... and my only point.. which probably wont deter you .. is ...

do not let failure stop you from trying it the right way next time ...

i am wondering if your hot house.. is going to be too hot for your trees ... they are not jungle plants.. like your other stuff... i think i have previously mentioned that gee keeps his.. at about the temp of his well water... which i am thinking.. is not equivalent to your place ...

do you have a cold room???

as i understand it.. we want the roots pumping some water.. hence the white tips.. but want to hold that stage for as long as possible .. so the graft can knit ...

we do not want them to be forced into early lush growth ... which might happen in your hot house ...

for next year .... below is some ND info on plants in ND ...

my soil conservation district.. sells e.g. strobus.. 25 for $16 .. for delivery in april.. when they could be potted.. and most used the following winter [some are too small] ... musser forest would be a similar offering ...

dax.. dont you have any provider.. which might provide already band potted trees for immediate grafting ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: go to ordering info ....

This isn't the optimal way but is done when needed. Order the bare-root and specify 1/4"+ for grafting. Pot the understock and tent them with poly. Keep watered and under 85 degrees under the poly. Open every couple of days to vent stagnant air. Once you see white roots time to prune and then graft. Sucess is less but ok if you are desperate.

Yes, Western Evergreen (it's online) and I loathe Musser Forests. Musser sends with roots twisted up like a ball of string for a majority of what they sell as potted seedlings.

Spruce, ken et al. all, need to show growth- not bud swelling but growth. While you can still graft a spruce with white root tips or nicely-swollen buds & get them to graft successfully, you'll have more takes if you wait an extra week. Everything else, graft when the buds swell or you see white root tips. And of course eventually, everything is actively growing and as you cut scions or receive them you graft onto actively growing seedlings.. there is no harm at all in doing so. Sure eventually to answer the question on your mind now ken, the roots will be done pumping, but that is o.k. Continue to graft if need be. A scion knits in 7-10 days, probably something a lot of you weren't aware of. That doesn't mean it will begin growing, that simply means the work performed was done well. Where problems arrive is when it's too hot in yer greenhouse to tent the conifers for humidity- plus it's too hot in the greenhouse itself and it's heating up outdoors contributing to all combinations thereof (especially sunlight).

Bare-root seedlings are available everywhere. I know Ladylotus buys from Lawyer Nursery as one. Also, I do recall that her tropical greenhouse is heated in the 40's somewhere so she can save loot on her heating costs.

I keep my greenhouse at 55 most of the time until the sun arrives and it goes up to 75 and pretty much stays that way all day, at the moment. That's great.. when it becomes 85, that's when I go into extreme panic mode! Windows are flying open, doors, fans, shade cloth, blocking the windows with shiny aluminum insulation if necessary to keep the sunlight away, the list goes on.

Dax

Ok, well thanks a lot for your thoughts. I have my understock that I potted up in 2010. No problem this year. Honestly, I did not want to baby along a bunch of conifer understock again all summer again. aaahhh well. I placed an even larger order than last year and will pot them up when they get here in a couple weeks for next years grafting attempts.

Ken you are right, I can not leave my conifers in my gh over the summer it gets too hot. I move them all outdoors in a east facing area and tend to them every other day. That is what I was trying to eliminate. Too late as I made a decision to go ahead and make my purchase. I have no problems potting them up once I get them...That is enjoyable for me.

JTH - Have you had success grafting bareroot you get the same year? Heck, if my bareroot comes, I might just try a few of them to see if the grafts take.

There isn't any reason to get your understocks in two weeks. I order anytime now thru the end of Feb. (early is good, sometimes you find yourself scrounging them from all over the place) and ask that they be delivered as late as possible. A lot of the time I'm potting them up outside during April weather. All you need to do is ask they are sent as late as possible or call them if the weather seems favorable prior and say go ahead and send them.

Dax

Thanks Dax, I finally gave in and ordered some tree pots too. Heck, I will barely be able to move around in my greenhouse soon. At least these will take up a little less room. This hobby is a killer financially. Ugh!

Also, I got to thinking...I should invent a rubber tape. That would make wrapping the grafts with the bands much easier. No tie off...just tape. LOL

Each year, I use bare roots understock,but always poted in early fall (september)they are ready for grafting the following spring.For understock poted in spring and grafted the following spring it's neccesary you repote just after the graft union are ok, you start the growth.
Clement

There are times when parafilm tape comes in handy. Last winter I specifically recall a scion so teeny tiny I had no other choice but to use parafilm tape. Besides, you'll need parafilm tape anyway for spruce mainly and it doesn't hurt to use it on firs and hard pines, either. You'll find your best results will be with 5-needled pines. They graft very easily.

It's always 'your' call with the parafilm tape. I mostly use it when I have a stubborn/bent understock that requires wrapping the bud strip tighter to keep contact. I'll add parafilm to tighten that bond even more tight. And when I have very special scions I get paranoid and tape them!

I don't know but I put the stuff on spruce and firs and hard pines. Not always, I guess when I feel I have a bud strip wrapped perfectly I don't worry -- but that's just me.

Don't forget to get yerself: New-Skin Liquid Bandage. You're going to have calloused dried out fingers and splitting skin before you know it. That stuff's a miracle product. Sent you an email.

Dax

Here is a link that might be useful: 1

Well, I better order myself some parafilm tape. I think I will feel so much better my first year of grafting ensuring that I have extra protection.

I will go out and look for that before I start grafting. Things are looking pretty good and I think I might be able to start this weekend. Time will tell.

Tomorrow I will plant up my 1000's of Ponderosa seeds. I have a hard time knowing when enough is enough...eh?

Thanks for all the information all of you have given me. Clement, the next time I order my understock I will order for late fall delivery. That sure will take a LOAD of work off my plant. Thank you for that information.

did you go to the ordering page link.. and see that that ND place offers species conifers in one gals for 5 bucks ....

its pricey.. but it might be a way to get some immediate gratification ...

ken

Ken, the ordering page link? Where is that? I've not seen anything like that.

Lady, pot them up in Spring, Fall isn't going to give them the long-term root growth they need. Clement lives in a much warmer zone than you or I and also, he grafts in Spring, not winter.

Dax

you posted.. dax answered.. then i answered.. and at the bottom of my answer was a link that said: go to ordering info ...

which i have linked below ...

hit the button for ND ORDER FORM ... which is a pdf ... wherein it says:

it wont let me copy/paste

you will have to find out if you can get your hands on them in time ....

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Oh, ok Ken. I see the form now. I don't think I need 1 gallon trees right now. I ordered quite a lot of understock that will be arriving in bare root form which will tie me over. for next year.

I understand if your graft does not take that you can use that same understock again the next year. Year 3 I will analyze how much I have left and work from there. At least I will have enough understock again for next year.

Also, I received information on how to make my life much easier from a friend by watering my understock with sprinklers set on a timer. That will be heaven for me and alleviate my concerns if I go out of town.

I think I may be able to begin grafting some of my trees this weekend. I am so excited and will report back on my success.

Gawd lotus .... lol

if you could get your hands on plants already in a one gallon.. you could GRAFT THEM NOW ....

of course you would not need them that big for next year ...

ken

LOL Ken, I know but at $5 per plant not worth it. I do know a guy that works out there...I should give him a call and visit with him. They may have misfits that they want to give away fairly cheap.

I have quite a bit of understock for this year. I was just being a little lazy about growing on stock all summer long for next year.

hey lotus.. where you been/???

any updates??

ken

{{gwi:633924}}
Sometimes, understock are difficult to find, like this spring with cedrus. I grafted before poted some understock with some succes.But only when you have a understock of good quality.
Clement