Start grafting now?

[Jimmy G]

With this terrible weather we're having in Minnesota would you guys wait on grafting? Received my roostock from Cummins 3 weeks ago and purchased some more from Red and its been sitting in my unheated garage. The scions are in the fridge and I have some actual time to do it this weekend but wondering if I should wait. Any problem with letting the rootstock sit in their plastic bags with some moisture? Kinda anxious to graft.......... was gonna direct plant but it looks like we are a Looooooonnnnggggg ways off.

 

[greyphase]

I graft about 15 at a time, put them in a 5 gallon bucket of moist sawdust and let them set in a cool dark corner of the basement for 3 weeks or so to "heal" then pot them up or plant them in the nursery bed. So if you think that Spring just might come to the Frozen North in about 3 weeks or so I'd go ahead and graft.

 

[cavey]

I've been in the same boat and have waited... this storm we both are getting tonight is not making me any happier. The root stock has been in cold storage in a cooler in my garage for about the same amount of time as yours. I'm going to graft this coming week, cant take it anymore and I hate the fact that all my scion is still sitting in my fridge. Im going to pot out mine in tree containers after a short heal time. Pretty much same deal as what Greyphase just told you. Normally by now I could have dug into my own dirt piles but they are frozen and now under snow again. So the other day I bought 33 bags of top soil from fleet farm and stowed them in the garage. This weather is just horrible...............

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I've stored grafted rootstocks in moist potting soil / 5 gal. buckets in my unheated garage for over 3 weeks while the grafts callused. Temp. was about 45 degrees in there and no problems with survival. I then planted them in big pots to keep in the back yard of my home until planting the following spring. Graft away !!

I followed the grafting advice of Greyphase, Crazy Ed, Turkey Creek, Maya, and Aerospacefarmer on here. They haven't steered me wrong. I don't graft many - and I've still had good success because of these gents.

 

[Mortenson]

The following is copied from Cummins Nursery grafting page:

1. We store our grafts anywhere from 2-12 weeks before planting. A 45º room for 6 weeks works well. If the buds on your scion start to show any green at all and it is still too early to plant outside, then put them in the fridge to slow them down.
2. We start grafting in January and finish up in mid April with a targeted planting date of May 15-20. This gives them enough time to form a callous. We like to plant after the threat of hard frost is past. (but a light frost, 28º, is o.k) About the time we plant chance tomatoes.
3. Acclimate your grafts outside in the shade for a few days. The perfect planting stage is a graft that is just showing signs of green tip and has been hardened off for a few days. Plant on a cloudy day. (Planting in the rain is about perfect for small jobs.)

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Perfect timing for that post, Tom. ^^^^^^

 

[Apple Junkie]

I've been holding off here too, for the same reason. maybe tomorrow.