Big thanks to all you apple guys

[tinytim]

So, I just wanted to say a big thank you to all of you who took the time to respond to my questions about grafting over the last couple years. For the informative PM's I got and encouraging words.
I ordered 250 rootstocks last year and begged, ordered and collected scions where I could. 150 bud 118, 50 bud 9, and 50 g41, the bud 9 and g 41 for our backyard and friends and family. The things got very busy for me and I ended up in the Yukon for work. I literally grafted and planted directly outside until the minute I left for the airport, i didn't get all the rootstocks grafted but manged to do 230, then it fell to my wife to take care of any that woke up, for the next few months, to say she was happy about that would be an understatement....but she really did a great job!
my raised bed was stuffed when I left. She sent me this in july and I was encouraged. Here they are lately, I can't believe it, last count shows 196 successful out of the 230, some have made nearly 3 feet! With most between 18-24 inches. I have enough to share with some of my friends who are working on their properties, and if they don't somehow get destroyed over the winter I will be installing 3 orchards on our camp property. wish I had started this year's ago! It has proven to be very addictive for me, I have ordered another 100 roostocks for next spring, and I hope to have apple trees everywhere!
Everything I have learned about apples and grafting came from this site. It's been a tremendous amount of fun, except for cutting myself....and I hope the critters and family/friends enjoy them for many years to come. Thanks again fellas! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone south of the border

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Looks like you had good success TT !! Those beds came along really well. Good luck planting them out in spring.

 

[tynimiller]

This is the next thing I want to get into...awesome job brother!

 

[nateb440]

Awesome update. I've never tried the grafting but I sure would love to someday.

 

[greyphase]

I think you guys that haven't started grafting yet should be aware of the addictiveness of this "hobby". Once you've successfully grafted one tree you will want to graft another, and another, and another, and soon you'll find yourself searching the internet for the best price on bundles of 100 rootstocks, learning way more than the normal person knows about the various traits of the hundreds and hundreds of varieties of apples and pears that most people don't know exists. You'll start trading scion with "internet" friends all across the country who you will never meet yet still share a common bond. You'll walk and rewalk your land looking for "one more spot" to plant that "one more tree" that you just have to have. You'll start a collection of knives looking for that "perfect" grafting knife. In early spring you'll start wearing a bandage or two on certain fingers anticipating that cut from your grafting knife. Your backyard will become a nursery filled with young apple & pear trees. You'll start buying 100 foot rolls of aluminum window screen and 150 foot rolls of concrete mesh to protect your precious trees from rodents and deer. You'll find your eyes lingering on roadside apple trees, stopping to talk to complete strangers about that tree in their yard or fencerow that holds such beautiful fruit.

That my friends are just some of the things that you can look forward to if you start this "innocent" hobby of grafting.

Tread lightly my friends.

Rick
aka greyphase

 

[DrDirtNap]

Rick, Wow! Very well said. I relate to everything you’ve said here. All except the knife collecting. I haven’t done that yet; although I was looking at one on the internet a few night ago. Guess that might be the the next “phase” for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tynimiller]

What Rick said is one of the reasons I've stayed away from grafting and turkey hunting.....I don't need another obsession LOL!

 

[cavey]

Well said, greyphase, well said! and another thanks to all those who share info here... Thank you

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Rick - You hit the nails, brother !! I especially am guilty of the " stop & look at roadside trees / ask for permission to cut scion " gig. That's how I got some of the scion I sent to you !! Every time I drive around in the "country", I'm looking for late-hanging apples at this time of the year.

For anyone reading this thread - "Greyphase" Rick is spot-on with the addiction process. After reading this forum (mainly) and 2 others for several years before I got started planting/grafting, I am also a sucker and HOOKED !!

 

[tinytim]

yup, hopelessly addicted now, came on fast too! Can't wait to move these out in the spring to make room for the new grafts....

 

[buckvelvet]

It sure is fun aint it @tinytim !