Bench grafting

[Rubee]

I originally posted this question on the general forum by mistake ,should have posted it here.
My question is concerning bench grafting crabs. I plan on bench grafting for my first time next Spring. Dolgo rootstock and larger later dropping crab scoin. Can I graft later in the Spring just as the rootstock should break dormancy and immediately plant out in the permanent location? Is waiting for a callus to form necessary?
Thank you
Rubee

 

[Turkey Creek]

It is not necessary to wait for callus to form to plant out. Though keeping them in an environment where you can regulate the temperature increases the success rate of the callus forming quickly. It may just be and our environment where we are but I find that grafting crabs later in the Spring results in more failures. I graft them as early as I can. Crabs are typically the 1st to break bud in the Spring. If you wait to long they will want to pop when taken out of the fridge and wont have formed any callus yet .

 

[Rubee]

Thanks TC. Are you saying that it’s best to have a healed graft or callus before the rootstock wakes up and starts to push sap ? To prevent leakage?

 

[Turkey Creek]

No, more important for the callus to be formed prior to the scion (grafted portion) waking up. Once the scion breaks dormancy it starts to use whatever energy it has stored within itself, if there is no callus formed it quickly uses up those energy reserves and dies.

You can graft onto a growing root stock at any time, success or failure is determined by the scion callusing to the root stock before it runs out of reserves. Various things can affect that.

 

[bigboreblr]

I know late summer graftng is possible. Never done it myself. I was going to ask about it on this forum soon.

From what I do know of grafting, less is better Don't try to graft a monster piece. Something with 2 or 3 buds. I know to be patient. Some plants I grafter in the begining of march just stated to break leaves a week or two.

 

[Rubee]

TC. One more question please. Are you saying in your previous answer that a scion cannot get sap or nutrients from the pushing rootstock before a callus is formed? Thanks for your patience
rubee

 

[Turkey Creek]

Yes, well at least until the callusing process is under way. Meaning there is no nutrient or water transfer between the 2 portions immediately after they are grafted together. It takes a bit of time.

 

[Mozark]

Yes, well at least until the callusing process is under way. Meaning there is no nutrient or water transfer between the 2 portions immediately after they are grafted together. It takes a bit of time.

Thank you for your explanation TC.

 

[Rubee]

Thanks TC

 

[cavey]

Often when you get your root stocks shipped to you they break dormancy dormancy during the warmer 3-4 day shipping period that they are out of cold storage... timing dependent that can be a good thing and is called sweating them. I have always had the best success with rootstock just coming out of dormancy grafted to scion just pulled from the fridge. I will often keep my rootstock just shipped to me in a very large chest cooler with roots in wet/damp sawdust with block ice in the cooler too... They will or likely have broke bud in just a few days before I get set up for grafting. Nice part is I can pick and choose when I want to graft. I graft them to the dormant scion and put them right back in the cooler for another week or so making sure the roots are kept damp in the saw dust to heal and form a good union.

Simple as that.