Apple grafts

[THunter]

I did a close-up inspection of five of my grafts that died. It wasn't necessarily the grafts that died but the rootstocks. Wasn't expecting that.

 

[THunter]

They were in pots, but no, they were watered like the others. Really weird.

 

[CrazyEd]

Had they dried out while you were away? Are they in pots or in the ground?

The B118 rootstock I got from Cummins this year was great. Lots of roots.

I had a lot of great looking b.118 roots from cummins that appeared to have died.

 

[Turkey Creek]

I have not been overly impreessed with my b118 from Cummins either. I have tried some regrafts since a few of the original bench grafts failed. When I split the bark back to T-bud or make a small bark graft they seem quite dry beneath the bark and we have had plenty of rain. First go around with stuff so dont know what normal is necessarily.

 

[THunter]

Hope not to jinx it, but looks like at least 3 of mine recovered from the deer attack and are again growing well.

 

[THunter]

Updated pictures of my three survivors. The one closest to the camera is the same one as in the first picture in this thread.

 

[THunter]

This is a close-up of this tree. The graft is under the red tape. The first flush of growth ends at the first set of leaves on the main stalk. Second flush is ongoing. About 20" of growth so far.

 

[dipper]

Has any more people started t budding yet?

 

[CrazyEd]

Has any more people started t budding yet?

I have not, probably let my rootstocks get bigger and I won't get my bud wood until mid-late August.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Most of my apple grafts put on a flush of new growth this past week or so as well.

 

[THunter]

Here's most of my apple grafts with a few chestnuts in amongst them. The larger put on 3" more growth this week. Over 36" of growth since April 1st grafting.
We've had so much rain this summer I've only had to water them once.

Awesome. Lack of summer rain has hurt me.

 

[2ndHand]

NHM, Those look great...Nice Job! Have you decided if you will plant them this fall?

 

[2ndHand]

I'm going to try to get them planted and caged this fall if time allows.

That's my plan as well, I don't have a real viable option to over winter in the bags. I was thinking that I could probably put tubes on them for the winter and then remove in the early spring. Not sure if that's the greatest idea, but I thought it might help with the cold winter winds.

 

[CrazyEd]

This is what I did last winter. I actually buried my bags (which was a ton of work) but they were all screened up very well. This picture was taken right after I dug them up.

 

[CrazyEd]

Yeah if you can get them in the ground that's best scenario.

if you have to winter them, the advantage of using screen vs tube is that once you are ready to plant it's one less thing you have to do. I just put in hole, open screen on smaller trees and cage. it saved us some time.

 

[THunter]

Stripped off the electrical tape I used today. AMAZING how those two trees grew together. I just stare at it in total amazement.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I have been told they are 2 years old when they come from nursery. I have same question about cutting them as some of my trees that have been planted are nearly 5 ft tall.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

The taller my grafts are getting the thi me the rootstock is as well. I don't think I will cut mine back next spring as the roots are already growing pretty well I assume now

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I will post some pics tomorrow of the girth of my rootstocks at the union joint so you can see what I mean. The joints are so beautiful lol

 

[aerospacefarmer]

here is one of my cleft grafts that I planted back in June