First time apple tree grafting with some questions.

[Adittmer]

Ok guys I’m looking for some information and positive reinforcement with the apple tree grafting process.
I have tried to read as much and watch as many YouTube videos as I can handle but still have some questions about the process.
Today I cut scions off 2 apple trees in my backyard that are unknown but have been producing well over the last years. I also plan to head to our cabin in northern Wisconsin and cut some scions off my dads orchard trees this coming weekend. I placed an order with Cummings nursery today for 25 b118 rootstock.

My questions are when I receive the rootstock how should I store it till I get ready to graft?

When I am ready to graft it looks like I want to get all the rootstock in a 5gal bucket with peat moss or dirt and bring them up to room temperature? And for how long before I graft?

After I make the grafts what do I then do with them? I see some people put them in a dark cool place? Or do they need some light?

How long after they start to bud on the scion assuming it takes can I transplant them into pots?


Really looking forward to doing this and hope I have some success with it so any info or helpful tips would be much appreciated!


Thanks Adam


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[chickenlittle]

Here is what Cummins recommends - https://shop.cumminsnursery.com/pages/help-advice/grafting-instructions

 

[Adittmer]

Here is what Cummins recommends - https://shop.cumminsnursery.com/pages/help-advice/grafting-instructions

Thanks for the link, not sure how I missed that one lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mortenson]

What do the pros think is the absolute best medium to heal the grafts in before be planted into the nursery? I've read that some use sawdust. I'm wanting to try something different than potting soil this year.

 

[chickenlittle]

If i had a source of clean, aged hardwood sawdust, i'd use that. Keeps moist without being too messy. But I use what is handy. Usually soiless potting mix and close enough attention to keep it from drying out.

 

[Mortenson]

Ok. I just got some finely shredded pine bedding. Guess we'll see what happens.

 

[Barndog56]

I used pine shavings last year, worked perfectly.

 

[Mortenson]

Back to the pine shavings. My tree grafts have been bedded in them for several days. Each time I dig my hands around in there, it feels awfully dry. Not sure how to describe it, like just barely damp. I have small holes drilled in the bucket bottoms, and I'm adding gallons of water daily. The water filters out and eventually the shavings feel dryish and light again. Hope I'm not killing these things. Just not sure how much moisture they need, and if these shavings alone are getting the job done.

 

[chummer]

You want as wet as possible without standing water. Maybe some shredded newspaper on top to hold the moisture.

 

[Mortenson]

Sounds like a feasible plan. I'll get right on that. Thanks.

 

[Adittmer]

My rootstocks came on Friday and I just got my grafting knife, wax and grafting tape from A.M Leonard in the mail yesterday! I’m ready coach put me in lol. Pictures to follow in a few hours


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Diesel5610]

My rootstocks came on Friday and I just got my grafting knife, wax and grafting tape from A.M Leonard in the mail yesterday! I’m ready coach put me in lol. Pictures to follow in a few hours


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looking forward to the report. I am 3/4 through my grafting. Finishing up this week. Only my second year and I have high hopes for most of them taking.

 

[Adittmer]

Well I was able to graft 19 of the 25 B118 rootstock we got this afternoon. I’m kinda wore out. A lot of my scions were small so I couldn’t do the Whip & tongue graft. The knife was dull after 10 or 12 grafts so it took longer but other than that it went ok I think.

I have them in buckets with a mix of peat moss & potting soil and set them in our unheated garage 45-50deg.


Wish me luck;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Barndog56]

Sounds like a feasible plan. I'll get right on that. Thanks.

I covered my totes full of grafts and shavings with a 30 gallon garbage bag to hold in moisture, kept the pine shavings nice and wet then.

 

[Adittmer]

Sounds like a feasible plan. I'll get right on that. Thanks.

I covered my totes full of grafts and shavings with a 30 gallon garbage bag to hold in moisture, kept the pine shavings nice and wet then.

I might do that it in the morning. Did you drill holes in the bottom of the tote you put them in? I didn’t in the buckets yet but might if others think it’s a good idea



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mortenson]

Last yr I didn't drill holes. 1 of my 3 totes I think had too much water standing in the bottom for too long. It smelled a little funky when I removed them to the nursery. Cant say for sure that it did major damage or not. And sorry for jumping into your thread. I only thought it seemed relevant for rookies such as us! Looks like you had a productive night.

 

[Adittmer]

Last yr I didn't drill holes. 1 of my 3 totes I think had too much water standing in the bottom for too long. It smelled a little funky when I removed them to the nursery. Cant say for sure that it did major damage or not. And sorry for jumping into your thread. I only thought it seemed relevant for rookies such as us! Looks like you had a productive night.

Sounds good, what kind of success rate did you guys have the first few years? Wife said if 1/4 of them take it’s a win, I would like to get 20 of the 25 or better. The suspense is killing me!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Northbound]

I've got a blue tub with lid that's enough to hold about 75 grafted rootstock until they callus. I used pro mix potting soil about 60/40 mix with perlite. Yes that's alot of perlite but I reuse it every year. Get damp and forget about it until time to plant in nursery. Then leave it open a few days to dry so it don't get that funky smell for the next year

Apple's I generally get 95%success
Cherries, plums and peaches im thrilled with 25%. Not sure why such drastic difference in success

 

[Mortenson]

Hey Northbound, did you graft any of those Kiefer last year? The tree I cut scion from winter-killed! The scions cut beautifully, but every ounce of it turned black by late spring. I'm sorry if that turned out badly for you.

Last year was my 1st year of grafting. I got 0/8 on pears and somewhere in the 35% on apples/crabs. Not good, but it was cool planting 10 of my own trees from the nursery last week, and I'm holding back several others as pace setters for this year's class. A lot of guys here said there was maybe some rootstock disease going around last year, so maybe that played a part. Or maybe I just drowned many of mine, but the roots did mostly all fail in my failures.

Here's my 41 for this year, with the newspaper coating. Only 2 got painted red.

 

[blueKYstream]

I am trying my hand at it for the first time this year. I took a grafting class. They supplied some apple and pear scions and rootstock. I chose the pears since that's all I'm planting this year. It was Keifer and Blake's Pride scions with Quince rootstock. I'm not real familiar with Quince, but I don't think it's a great choice for the area. Hard to complain with free though. I grafted 6 of them about 10 days ago and potted them up in potting soil. I kept them outside for 2 days (rookie mistake I guess) and then took them to the unfinished basement. I'm waiting to see how many I killed .