Gerry...the USDA as a rule only sends out material once every quarter so there is no way to know when or if their plants were in any kind of flush. They've always sent out good material. I've just never had any luck with them.

I believe lychee is going to be very difficult to graft in any manner other than an approach graft onto another tree. You could try it with your trees onto another and see how it goes.

Gerry, the secondary growth phase is where the plant increases its girth. You should collect the scion wood immediately after the new growth has matured and begins to thicken. Unfortunately, Jay is right (as usual); even if you collect the scion wood at the ideal time, the failure rate is going to be pretty high. Don't be discouraged, though - just collect an overabundance of scions and be prepared to lose the majority of them.

As an aside, remember that a multi-variety tree will probably result in reduced yields overall. This might be a concern for you, considering the limitations that container culture will already be placing on your yields. On the other hand, multi-variety trees are the only realistic option for subtropical variety completists who don't own several acres in favorable climates...

thanks eldys. i have a couple of smaller mauritius trees that are not doing a whole lot. may try and graft some no mai tze and a couple other rare varities on to them and see what happens

approach grafting for lychee trees sounds interesting

do you think if i approach graft a Brewster and a Mauritius i could get it to grow a single trunk with a variety on each side of its canopy? i would keep both root balls.

Mango kush, I don't see the point of doing a graft if I am reading what you are saying right. You can just plant both trees in one hole but leave them as seperate trees. That is how I currently have my Sweetheart and Mauritius and they are both doing great. I have a little over a foot between the 2 trees and I planted them so the majority of the growth was growing away from each other. It was pretty easy since lychee airlayers tend to be a bit off centered anyway. I just prune away any crossing branches as they grow. I am thinking of adding my Hak ip to the group as well since the inground trees seem to grow so much better than the potted ones.

I would second jsvand5's advice. Clearly a more effective method.

I would think that grafting them together in such a fashion would create a very weak point later on. That crotch that would result in this graft would be prone to split when the plants reached any size. Just my two cents.

1 foot apart, interesting.

the trunks of the trees will eventually coincide, no? i guess in that case they would pretty much bind together anyway.

I measured mine this afternoon. They are actually 18"s apart. I doubt the trunks will grow together. At least not in my lifetime.