Grafting high on tree

Northbound

5 year old buck +
So I've grafted old mature apples by changing branches to different varieties, and have grafted hundreds of bench grafts onto year old rootstock. My question is with 4 or 5 year old dolgo (seedlings not grafted). Can I graft those over to desired variety at about 4 foot high? Any reasons not to? My reasoning is there already about 2.5" caliper at base and have been growing in tree tubes (yes I have great success with vented tubes rather than cages). I worry if I graft low that they'll send up to many new shoots and drown out the graft. Grafting at about 4 foot height inside of 5 foot tubes would protect it from wind damage and I should be able to see down in to tell the difference between shoots and the scion.

Thoughts? I plan to spade these out next year if grafts are successful and relocate to a different property
 
I did that to a flowering crab in my yard when we moved in. Cut it off at 4-5’ and stuck 4 scion around the base. Two years later now and I wouldn’t doubt if it put out some fruit this year
 
I grafted all over a four year old red delicious on larger existing branches making it a 5 in 1 tree. Just need to be aware when you prune in following years so you don't cut off any of your grafts....its way easier than you think to cut off a good grafted branch when you’re in the zone pruning away, I've done it!
 
I wanted some full sized trees. So, the first year I started dabbling with apples, I grew a bunch from seed and planted them in the field. They were siberian red and dolgo. Over the next several years, I tried to graft them high but leave a branch from the seedling to see what it would do. Some trees took some did not, but they did not die. I'd just let the ones that didn't take grow out through the season and tried to graft them again the next year. Eventually all but two of them took. I just regrafted those again this spring. Time will tell if those last three take.

Thanks,

Jack
 
I’m thinking about doing the same thing this spring. I was planning to grow out some Antonovka but recent comments suggest I’d be better off grafting over to something else as they aren’t real special. I figure since it’s a real hardy rootstock it should be fine to graft up higher.
 
One thing I have learned about grafting to seedlings is that there can be greenup timing issues. A lot of my seedling rootstock greens up way before the grafted part of the tree does. That makes the tree want to push it's own growth below the graft more than the graft. For the first couple years, I remove the leaves below the grafts.
 
Two comments, pro and con.

With high grafts, I have added a ten foot conduit for birds to perch on as they have broken off some of my grafts.

Some Canadians graft very high on a tree. Coldest winter temperatures are near the ground and they can gain a few degrees and grow a variety that might not be hardy if grafted near the ground.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have done it both ways. Grafted a bunch 12-20” off the ground and tubbed them. I had 50% take on those. I also grafted a few in the 3-5’ range and I believe I had 100% take on those. Waiting for them to wake up from their first winter.
 
Two comments, pro and con.

With high grafts, I have added a ten foot conduit for birds to perch on as they have broken off some of my grafts.

Some Canadians graft very high on a tree. Coldest winter temperatures are near the ground and they can gain a few degrees and grow a variety that might not be hardy if grafted near the ground.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good point! When I field graft anything (apples, persimmons, whatever), I tape a bamboo rod to the trunk with freezer tape that extends well above the graft. It provides a perch other than the graft while young. Because trees that have been growing in the field for a couple years have well established root systems, once the graft takes, it can grow very fast. Sometimes so fast that they can't support themselves that first season. I use cable ties and very loosely tie them to the bamboo. I want them to move easily but not flop over. Once the harden after tat first growing season they are growing straight and don't need the support so I remove the bamboo.

Thanks,

Jack
 
I’ve done a bunch this way in the last few years, I specifically aim for 3.5-4’ so that the scion is contained within a 5’ tree tube. It has worked well for me.
 
I’ve done a bunch this way in the last few years, I specifically aim for 3.5-4’ so that the scion is contained within a 5’ tree tube. It has worked well for me.

I tried using tubes on some of the early apple seedlings and it compounded the differential green-up issue I had. I got a lot of water sprouts off the trunk. Of course, I'm in a different environment than you.
 
Top