Grafting temp effects?

[Derek Reese 29]

I know it’s too cold now, but here in PA we are having a very warm end to February. Is there a dramatic negative effect on grafts if it freezes/frosts? I know I need to wait a few weeks, but last year I waited too long and I don’t want to do that again…my issue is that it looks like the latter 1/3 of March is going to be colder than normal and I have some time coming up to be doing some grafting and also need to get them done before a new family member arrives sometime in early to mid April…thanks in advance!

 

[Bill]

Disclaimer: I have no clue definitively.
But I would think dormant is dormant. You're sealing the graft so it's not going to freeze anymore then a branch on a tree.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Are you talking about top working existing trees or grafting to rootstock? If top working, the biggest issue with grafting before a tree is actively pushing sap is that the scion could dry out before the callus forms. You can probably hold grafts on root stocks for a month after the callus forms if you keep them cold.

 

[Teeder]

I know it’s too cold now, but here in PA we are having a very warm end to February. Is there a dramatic negative effect on grafts if it freezes/frosts? I know I need to wait a few weeks, but last year I waited too long and I don’t want to do that again…my issue is that it looks like the latter 1/3 of March is going to be colder than normal and I have some time coming up to be doing some grafting and also need to get them done before a new family member arrives sometime in early to mid April…thanks in advance!

When did you do them last year?

 

[Derek Reese 29]

When did you do them last year?

Late April/early May ..also have learned a lot this winter about my technique so that may have played a role also

 

[Teeder]

I'm hardly an expert, but what worked for me last year was grafting dormant scion onto rootstock ( in the ground ) that was just about to push leaves.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Are you talking about top working existing trees or grafting to rootstock? If top working, the biggest issue with grafting before a tree is actively pushing sap is that the scion could dry out before the callus forms. You can probably hold grafts on root stocks for a month after the callus forms if you keep them cold.

Grafting onto existing mature trees and maybe doing some top working

 

[cavey]

I'm hardly an expert, but what worked for me last year was grafting dormant scion onto rootstock ( in the ground ) that was just about to push leaves.

Its the same for me with regular - unplanted/shipped root stock and dormant scion, I like to sweat the root stock - get it to break dormancy and then graft dormant scion onto it, park it back in "cool" storage to rest and heal for a week or so in damp sawdust, then pot out or direct plant.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Grafting onto existing mature trees and maybe doing some top working

Personally I just let the trees tell me then. Wait until you clearly see bud swell at least. You can graft until the leaves are about the size of a dime and still have good success.

 

[Telemark]

Grafting onto existing mature trees and maybe doing some top working

You need to wait. You don't actually wan the rootstock to be dormant. I needs to be active to give you a good shot at success. When bench grafting, this usually means I but the rootstock in a basement or garage where it is about 50 to 65 degrees F. When the buds swell, I graft, and then I put the whole thing back in the same place for 2 weeks to let it heal a bit before i pot it. When field grafting, you want the risk of frost to be completely over. In Ohio I have grafted into June and July without issues, but I would at least wait for the trees to break bud and the risk of frost to be over.

I have recently started using a different graft than the typical "top work" bark graft or cleft graft with a nurse branch. If I want to topwork a tree entirely, I graft below the nurse branch and wait for the graft to take, and then I cut off everything above the graft. This is especially useful on Callery pears that like to throw a lot of growth below a graft.

 

[Telemark]

Sorry for all the typos. I've moved continents, and the predictive text and autocorrect are completely confused.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

You need to wait. You don't actually wan the rootstock to be dormant. I needs to be active to give you a good shot at success. When bench grafting, this usually means I but the rootstock in a basement or garage where it is about 50 to 65 degrees F. When the buds swell, I graft, and then I put the whole thing back in the same place for 2 weeks to let it heal a bit before i pot it. When field grafting, you want the risk of frost to be completely over. In Ohio I have grafted into June and July without issues, but I would at least wait for the trees to break bud and the risk of frost to be over.

I have recently started using a different graft than the typical "top work" bark graft or cleft graft with a nurse branch. If I want to topwork a tree entirely, I graft below the nurse branch and wait for the graft to take, and then I cut off everything above the graft. This is especially useful on Callery pears that like to throw a lot of growth below a graft.

Thanks for the advice on the callery pear I have one that needs some new branches soon..