Grafting Pears supply source?

[ts_13]

Hey guys, I am wanting to graft an old pear tree I have on my farm. It is the biggest pear I have seen, every bit 24"+ dia. The earliest it could have been planted was in the 60's. It holds fruit until NOV-DEC.

Anyway its old, has a hole in the middle and time is not on its side. I really want to keep it going. Where should I get stock, and what rootstock should i use? What is the best graft technique to use?

Thanks for any help!

 

[chickenlittle]

I would use OHxF97 rootstocks. A number of nurseries sell retail. Buy 4 or 6 rootstocks. bench graft half and plant the rest to bud graft later. Collect some scionwood in February, this year's growth that could be hard to find on a mature tree that does not get pruned. Prune it some to get more new growth. Use a cleft or whip and tongue graft. In late July or August, collect some new growth and bud graft the rootstock you did not bench graft and any failed bench grafts. YouTube videos show how to do each graft.

 

[Native Hunter]

Great advice from chickenlittle.

Also, that sounds like a pear that a company like Wildlife Group (or others) would love to sell. You could contact some of them as ask. They might give you some free trees in exchange for scion wood. Just a thought...................

 

[ts_13]

Fantastic!!! Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you both. I have bark grafted a few persimmons, and have wanted to try my hand at other techniques. If either of you want any scion wood let me know.

You are right chicken, I have looked it over and this years growth is very very little. I will try to trim some this year.

Great point native, I might ask Allen if he in interested in it. It is a great tree, always produces a lot and hold super late. I think its a canning pear. The pears are hard until it freezes then they are delicious.

 

[Native Hunter]

Fantastic!!! Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you both. I have bark grafted a few persimmons, and have wanted to try my hand at other techniques. If either of you want any scion wood let me know.

You are right chicken, I have looked it over and this years growth is very very little. I will try to trim some this year.

Great point native, I might ask Allen if he in interested in it. It is a great tree, always produces a lot and hold super late. I think its a canning pear. The pears are hard until it freezes then they are delicious.

Allen may be very interested. I noticed in their new 2017 catalogue that they have added two more virtually unknown late dropping pears. One of them was a pear that someone just noticed in a yard that still holds lots of fruit at Thanksgiving. If you have any history on good fireblight resistance of your pear, that might help to seal the deal. It doesn't have to be perfect for them to want it. They sell some that aren't completely resistant and others that are. From what I've seen so far, their resistance ratings on pears are pretty much spot on. Even if it shows some signs but tolerates it well, they could want it. Just from the information you have provided so far - it appears to be a heavy and reliable producer.

Good Luck

 

[ts_13]

Thanks! Yeah I have never seen fireblight or spots on this tree. Like I said the earliest it could have been planted was the early 60's. It is the largest diameter pear I have ever seen. I will give them a shout.

I have been looking up rootstocks and grafting techniques. Hopefully I can get this to work.

 

[ts_13]

One question is, do I cleft graft when I receive the root stock? Then pot it for the summer?

 

[chickenlittle]

People do bench grafting a lot of ways with success. If you would have trouble providing some care to the bench graft over the first summer, then you might want to pot it. Otherwise, I'd plant the bench graft where you want the tree to be. If you are going to plant out, you want to plant after the last chance of frost. You want to bench graft 2-4 weeks before you plant out. That gives some time for the graft to callus over indoors before going outside. Ideally your retailer (cummins, fedco, grandpas, raintree, etc.) will ship to you rootstock about when you want to graft. You collect your scionwood while the tree is dormant and store in the refrigerator in a ziplock to prevent it from drying out or sprouting, probably like you did with persimmon scions.

 

[Redneck]

I would love some scion wood if you don't have any takers. I live in south ms and pears grow well here. I have an order for some pears from the wildlife group for spring of 2017 and would love to try and graft one of your pears

 

[ts_13]

Yeah just remind me!!!

 

[Redneck]

Yeah just remind me!!!

Alright