2017 Spring topworked trees flowering this spring

[Native Hunter]

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Now we wait and see if it worked. Callery going to Gate The bark is definitely slipping I had no issues pulling it back. The first one I did felt awkward and wasn’t clean but by the time I got to number 3 it was very smooth. I didn’t have any grafting tape so I was using plumbers tape but didn’t love the holding power. So I used a combination of plumbers tape and electrical tape. Is there a typical time frame when these things will start to grow? It’s 70 today but will dip back into the 40s. I have 20 more trees to go.

I like electrical tape, because the bond needs to be tight. You should see something in less than 2 week - depending on the weather. Good luck.

 

[Rit]

I like electrical tape, because the bond needs to be tight. You should see something in less than 2 week - depending on the weather. Good luck.

I am starting to panic a wee bit. 19 days and no signs of life. Maybe I didn’t do as good of a job as I thought.

 

[Native Hunter]

I am starting to panic a wee bit. 19 days and no signs of life. Maybe I didn’t do as good of a job as I thought.

The late freeze has slowed the apples I topworked this spring. I’m well over 2 weeks and no leaves yet. However, they still look alive and I think they will still come out. The weather can have an impact and that could be your case too. Don’t give up as long as the scions look alive.

 

[Rit]

The late freeze has slowed the apples I topworked this spring. I’m well over 2 weeks and no leaves yet. However, they still look alive and I think they will still come out. The weather can have an impact and that could be your case too. Don’t give up as long as the scions look alive.

I’ll try :) scions are still alive for now. The weather has been miserable. 5” of snow, half of dozen nights in the 20s, patchy sun, and feeling more like early March than almost May.

 

[Native Hunter]

I’ll try :) scions are still alive for now. The weather has been miserable. 5” of snow, half of dozen nights in the 20s, patchy sun, and feeling more like early March than almost May.

With weather like that, I'm not the least bit surprised that you haven't seen anything yet. Keep up posted, but I think patience is in order until things change.

 

[Rit]

You know what they say about pictures!!!

 

[Rit]

Do I let all these grow or is there a point when I select the best two? Just one? Not sure how to proceed.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Top working has to be one of the most fun projects. This year was my first attempt at it. Converted 2 worthless honey crisps. One took beautifully. Its growing like gang busters! The other failed. Not sure what went wrong with the one that failed. Grafted same day. Put 2 sticks on each. Oh well roots are alive and well. Next years project I guess. Unless I can come up with a stick of scion this late.

 

[Native Hunter]

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Do I let all these grow or is there a point when I select the best two? Just one? Not sure how to proceed.

I let them all grow and eventually either train some as branches or possibly remove some. But don’t remove any this year. You can also train European style with open center. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Native Hunter]

Top working has to be one of the most fun projects. This year was my first attempt at it. Converted 2 worthless honey crisps. One took beautifully. Its growing like gang busters! The other failed. Not sure what went wrong with the one that failed. Grafted same day. Put 2 sticks on each. Oh well roots are alive and well. Next years project I guess. Unless I can come up with a stick of scion this late.

I thought I warned you not to plant HC...lol.

 

[Rit]

60 days and this scion finally put a leaf out. The other two failed and I wrote this one off as well. Bad graft or nature doing what it wants? Probably the former. I appreciate your thread NH thanks again for posting this and sorry that I kinda hijacked it. I agree with Jordan that this has been one of the funnest things related to habitat that I have done. I did 11 grafts this year and 9 are thriving. I don’t know that there has been a single day since April 8th that I didn’t walk out and look at them. I have identified about 30 more candidates for next year.