Caring For Fruit Tree Grafts

[sandbur]

I seem to be getting my best growth on the bench grafts that are in tree tubes or almost entirely in the tubes.

I lifted one part of the tree tube for the picture and to pinch off growth from the rootstock.

 

[sandbur]

When do I remove the nurse limb? The cleft graft is about 3 feet high if that makes any difference.

 

[sandbur]

And when do I remove the plastic sleeve I used for the wrap?

 

[Freeborn]

I seem to be getting my best growth on the bench grafts that are in tree tubes or almost entirely in the tubes.View attachment 5294

I lifted one part of the tree tube for the picture and to pinch off growth from the rootstock.
View attachment 5295

Art, your grafts look good. I like the split tube. Do you have these in direct sunlight? The tree tube should diffuse the direct sunlight.

 

[sandbur]

I did a rough count on my grafts from this spring. Maybe too early to be sure..
26 Bench Grafts
Success rate
Whitney 3/3
Kindercrisp 3/3
Golden Hornet 2/2
Anaros 0/2
Nw Greening 0/1
Kerr 1/1
Pillsbury Crab 2/2
Dog series (Native and rootstock crabs)
Guard Dog 3/3
Big Dog 3/3
Yellow dog 2/2
Two dogs where part of the tag was not readable 2/2
Two lost tags 2/2

Cleft grafts appear to be about 60% success

3/4 of the NW Greening clefts took. I had a problem with the NWG scion having a brown core. There are dead limbs and dying limbs on the tree. The last two winters and perhaps fungus are involved. I think NWG is a zone 4 tree and I should stick to zone 3. Zone 4 plums died also.
IF YOU RECEIVED NWG SCION FROM ME, PLEASE MONITOR THE TREE CLOSELY.

 

[sandbur]

Art,

That's looking good. The only thing I would've done different is to bury that B118 rootstock deeper so the graft union is only about 4" above the ground. The buried stem part will produce more roots and maybe grow faster.

Thank you for the suggestion. That is dolgo rootstock and in what I call heavy soil that is not too well drained. I thoguht not burying too deep might be the best choice for that location.

I do have many of my grafts far up on the rootstock. Our scion does not grow as big in the north country. I did try matching some scion to a side of the rootstock if the diameters were not the same.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Awesome Aero. Those look happy and should out on sone growth this year. I figure you'll save a year on bearing times over ordering bare root as these won't be set back by being dug up and roots cut off. But, those trees are usually either 2 or 3 years old when you receive them.

Yes NH and 4 of those trees put on a lot of fruit blossoms this year but I don't think any have take. I also have some smaller ones also this year but by and large my grafts are bigger this year and straighter as I got a lot of break on the top bud which makes for a straighter tree. Just picked my 5 for planting this week. Maybe will do 6 to get these in the ground sooner

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Looks like I sent you some crappy scions Art. Sorry about that. They seemed to be good wood

 

[sandbur]

Art - my Pillsbury crab grafts did well too. I sure hope one or both of us get them to fruit in a couple years. I planted one of them near a Golden Hornet graft, it will be interesting to see their fruit next to each other.

I have been wondering if they are the same or not. My two are not too far apart. Did you put both on dolgo?

 

[sandbur]

Looks like I sent you some crappy scions Art. Sorry about that. They seemed to be good wood

I can't say it was crappy scion. It looked great and I would like to try again next year. It might be my care of the scion after it arrived, it might be my some of my first attempts at grafting this year and I changed technique a bit as I went along, cooked in the post office or my mailbox on warm days, or maybe even a compatibility problem.

Maybe even they are slow to wake up.

I would like to try again next year if you have scion to spare.

Some of the NW Greening scion that I mailed to people was not of high quality as I see my tree is aging and branches are dying. Here is the base of the tree and the dead limbs are just above these areas on the base. The bark was loose and I peeled it back to see what was going on. Is 27 years about the lifespan of antanovka on sandy loam?

Insects under that loose bark also.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Art

I should have a lo of Anaros wood next year and they are producing tons of apples this year it appears

Paul

 

[dipper]

What do u guys suggest for catapillers, they are killing me? I dusted my trees with that powder from menards, hopefully that helps.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Sevin or if you are using imidan it should take care of the problem. It they have nests bust open the nests and spray inside

 

[sandbur]

Art

I should have a lo of Anaros wood next year and they are producing tons of apples this year it appears

Paul

What are the apples like? Taste, Size, cider??? drop time?
I have read the descriptions on some of the Canadian sites and maybe in a paper that Ed had from Alaska.

 

[sandbur]

This Ben Davis took off in the past 2 days. Must have liked the 90 degree weather.

wow! You must have 4 green thumbs!

 

[sandbur]

Art

Does the damage go all the way around the trunk? If not then it could produce apples for a few more years.

It does not go all away around the tree. About two opposing quarters are affected.

I hope to get a bit of scion for next year and see what happens. I do have some scion on a limb of a flowering crab that looks like it will take.

 

[sandbur]

Art, your grafts look good. I like the split tube. Do you have these in direct sunlight? The tree tube should diffuse the direct sunlight.

Most of my grafts are in direct sunlight and I dropped another split tube into the open side of the cage to help protect from these frosts. I plan on pulling the part of the tube on the north side about mid summer. They should harden off that way and I will have protection on the southwest side from sunscauld.

The grafts by the blue barrel only get morning sunlight, but the tubes still seem to speed growth.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

What are the apples like? Taste, Size, cider??? drop time?
I have read the descriptions on some of the Canadian sites and maybe in a paper that Ed had from Alaska.

They are very tasty with sweet but with bitter finish. About 1.5 the size of do log. They ripen early maybe end of August early sept. My earliest Apple

 

[greyphase]

Art

The NW Greening scion that I got from you has just pushed out a green leaf. I'll keep a close eye on it and let you know how it does.

Rick

 

[Rally1148]

And when do I remove the plastic sleeve I used for the wrap?

View attachment 5297

This is from a member of the Michigan Fruit and Nut Growers Association. I asked about the nurse limb and the wrap... but I only got the answer about the wrap.

"Hi Chris,
Yes, these grafts look like they're off to the races now. You'll need to select one of these scions to stay and the other to go, but for this year you can easily allow both to hang out together. The tape can simply have a knife slit run down one side to keep it from girdling the tree and it may shuck on its own later. You don't need to go pulling on it aggressively or else you do risk breaking the graft out. You should also pluck out all blossoms since you want all of the energy going into vegetative growth instead of fruit production for now. Anyway, it's always satisfying to see the grafts take."