Disastrous year in the Nursery

[greyphase]

This being my 3 year grafting I don't claim to be anywhere near an expert but had thought I had a pretty good idea of how to graft. This years results have left me scratching my head. A couple of weeks ago it looked like I had about a 75% success ratio which I was happy with, but about half of my newly opened buds are drying up, making it look like a disastrous year for me. The worst part is I can't figure out what I did wrong. My early grafts are looking nice and healthy but my later grafts are failures. I've racked my brain trying to think of what I did different. I grew lax in cleaning my knife & pruners with alcohol after each graft, but when I did my limb grafts I didn't clean my knife & pruners either and have a good ratio of good to bad grafts with them. I ran short of aged mushroom mulch & dirt (my potting mixture) and used straight fresh mushroom mulch, but most of the rootstocks seem to be putting out leaves so don't think that had anything to do with it. I use just Parafilm to wrap my grafts which worked good last year but maybe I'll try plumbers tape or grafting rubber bands over the parafilm next year. Am stocking up on mushroom mulch now so I won't run short next spring. I used a cleft graft this year just like last year. Looks like I'll still have about 30 successful grafts if nothing else goes wrong. Just had to vent my frustration of my poor grafting ratio.

Rick

 

[Turkey Creek]

Are your grafts just certain varieties or a mix? I always end up with some varieties of scion wood from different sources that end up being complete busts or have very poor success. Last year I had 90 % take on my B9 rootstock this year maybe 20% that has me scratching my head. Grafting seems to always pop a surprise/ mystery on grafters every year.

 

[greyphase]

NH
They get sun until about 11:00 and then shade. Most of the rootstock are leafing out.

TC
I think all the scion from Masonville Orchards are toast. Funny cause they were some of the best looking scion. Others are random, one piece of scion looks dead while another piece of the same variety looks great. And some varieties that failed on rootstock look OK on the limb grafts I made.

It hasn't dampened my enthusiasm for grafting & am looking forward to next spring to give it another go.

 

[Turkey Creek]

TC
I think all the scion from Masonville Orchards are toast. Funny cause they were some of the best looking scion.

My Masonville scions are all doing pretty well. Last year all my Arkansas Black grafts from Maple Valley scions failed.

 

[greyphase]

Grey,

That morning sun is great. That's what mine get. They warm up earliest on the colder days too.

I'm not sure what to say. The good thing is you can still bud graft later on in August. Did you have 2 buds per scion graft?

Yes I had two or three buds per scion.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Had the same experience too had about 75% success and now have about 4 or 5 out of my 60 successes getting brown and it might be from disease or insects. I have a few that are getting holes in leaves from small caterpillars still Hopi g they won't die. I think it's not your grafting expertise. I have some that are booming as well

 

[Bowsnbucks]

My grafts are on the south side of my house now, next to a shed that blocks the sun from 1:00 p.m. on and wind from the west and north. Potted in mush. compost, screened topsoil and composted cow manure. So far, so good. Rootstocks have sprouted shoots and I pinched all but one off the rootstocks so the scions can get the bulk of nutrients. I also potted 4 plain rootstocks with no grafts just to see what they turn out to be. Those rootstocks have about 8" of vertical growth on their shoots. I pinched off the lower shoots and kept the uppermost shoot to grow as a leader. I hope I didn't mess up.

I hope your remaining grafts hold up Grey. Sorry to hear you lost some.

 

[greyphase]

Sounds like your doing everything right BnB. Good job.
Some of my rootstock planted in fresh mushroom mulch are starting to die. Lesson learned. Aged mushroom mulch only. :(

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I use peat moss right after grafting in 5 gallons paint buckets from Lowes until I am sure they are growing the. In rootrappers with Lowes brand potting soil which has some fertilizer in it and so far so good

 

[NY_Terrence]

Last year, I was 4/35 grafting. Mistakes at every step - especially wrapping the scions in too wet paper towels during storage and letting them freeze because fridge was too cold. This year 38/42 thanks to much advice from everyone here. I have most in buckets of peat moss. Healed indoors. Moved outdoors. Brought inside during the frost. Will plant next weekend where I can keep watch while they grow up. So grateful to all.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Wow great percentage NY Terrence way to go!!!! Now the hard part is keepi g them alive lol

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Some of my leaves were being eaten so I sprayed all of my grafts with Sevin

 

[wildfire]

I ordered 25 persimmon from Forrest Keeling last year, called to have them sent out. Have not received any answer to my call. Was told they had a problem with trees, better them than me. Order was for 16 grafted and 9 common ones.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I had a Gypsy moth caterpillar eat the leaves off 3 of my 6 grafts. :mad: Stems of leaves remain. Are they history or might some new leaves sprout ?? A brick accidentally fell on Mr. gypsy !! I've never seen a gypsy moth caterpillar around here before. Sevin spray tomorrow on the rest !!

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I had to do the same thing. I never had much problems with that last year except for Japanese beetles in chestnuts.

I just got to the farm tonight and a lot of my younger trees are getting their leaves eaten by small caterpillars. I will be doing my first cover spray if imidan tomorrow. We are having a nice storm tonight with about .85 inches of rain today total. Good for not watering but need to spray. Lots of apples set. I think I need to thin. A new learning experience lol. Help Maya!!!! I am at full petal fall now so bee damage will be minimal

 

[Jordan Selsor]

I had 3 more grafts go down hill over the past few wks myself putting me at 60% out of 10 grafts:(
I'm convinced a squirrel an birds are what screwed mine up. Dang bird feeder is to close. Oh well I wanted to learn how to tbud and kinda wanted to let a Antonovka rootstock grow anyways.

 

[buckvelvet]

I had a Gypsy moth caterpillar eat the leaves off 3 of my 6 grafts. :mad: Stems of leaves remain. Are they history or might some new leaves sprout ?? A brick accidentally fell on Mr. gypsy !! I've never seen a gypsy moth caterpillar around here before. Sevin spray tomorrow on the rest !!

OMG I know the concept of what you said isn't funny but that sentence made me laugh hysterically!

 

[Lot2Learn]

I had a Gypsy moth caterpillar eat the leaves off 3 of my 6 grafts. :mad: Stems of leaves remain. Are they history or might some new leaves sprout ??

Bows, I've posted this picture before, but I had several young trees completely defoliated by caterpillars last year and they've bounced back nicely. Whether your grafts have enough energy to accomplish that same feat I guess remains to be seen, but I'd have hope.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Thanks L2L for the ray of hope. I'm hoping the lower buds will sprout some leaves. The upper ones are the ones that got hit. I still have 3 good grafts and 3 rootstocks growing out as is.

 

[buckvelvet]

Bows, I've posted this picture before, but I had several young trees completely defoliated by caterpillars last year and they've bounced back nicely. Whether your grafts have enough energy to accomplish that same feat I guess remains to be seen, but I'd have hope.

I'd probably shed actual tears.