Grafting Dilemma

[bigboreblr]

Debating what to do here. I have 3 antonovka bareroots I planted last year remaining in my backyard. Moved most of them to the nursery to make room for grafted trees.

I have blue permain, chestnut, harrison, dabinette, redield, and roxbury russett scion on order I want in the area. I also have B118, M111, bolgo, trascendent, and american crabapple rootstock coming in too.

Would you graft the 3 almost index finger sized antonovka likely cleft, or get a well match tongue and whip graft on fresh similar sized rootstock. I have more than one of most of these scions, so I could do the anty and have a B118 or M111 grafted as a backup.

These are backyard trees I want to look pretty good, but also hunt at home some as well. Making a mix of eating, cider, and deer crabapples for the house. Most rootstocks will be planted at camp, on the farm, or gifting a few.


In terms of deer preference, do deer prefer apples that are good for fresh eating over the high acid or astrigent cider varieties. Trying to line up pre bow season apples and less desireable apples farther away from my bow spot.

 

[Diesel5610]

A tongue and whip graft with similar sized scion and rootstock is hard to beat, both for success and overall appearance after healing. I wouldn't be afraid of a cleft graft if the rootstock is larger and the one you really want or already in the location you want. I don't do a ton of cleft grafts but I believe it would look fine eventually. As to preference, our deer are happy with any apples they can get. I have never noticed a real preference for one apple over another here.

 

[chickenlittle]

I almost always do cleft grafts.

 

[Lucky_P]

I hardly ever do a cleft graft... but rarely do apples anymore. They are quick, easy, and work. Yeah, they look ugly for at least 2-3 years, but long-term, you're unlikely to notice them as different from a W&T or bark graft. I kinda like them if I'm sticking 2 small scions on top of a fairly large rootstock.
That said, I pulled about 35 rootstock suckers earlier this spring and potted them up. Some are 1/2 to 3/4" diameter... they're probably gonna get cleft grafts, 'cause my scions are not that big.

 

[bigboreblr]

I dug up 5 of the antonovka. 2 were a bit cramped in 3 gallon air pots, the other two were well sized. One of them was about 2 feet too close for proper spacing, so I grafted that one and left it there. Only 1 was small oneough for a tongue graft, I had a monster sized scion from removing a double leader from a corssbow crabapple. 1 or 2 were cleft graft down the middle. The others got offset cleft graft. Split down about 1/3 on the side.