Two topworked Callery Pears after one year

[blueKYstream]

I've done it both ways. I'm not sure I can tell a difference one way or the other. Perhaps that's why Native Hunter doesn't leave one. Callery tends to sprout new leaves or branches (that should be removed) when topworked regardless.

 

[Native Hunter]

I was told by others here to leave a nurse branch to feed the root system. Would you cut the nurse branch off now or leave it for a little longer?

Since I don't use them, I may not be the best one to give advice on that. I've had good success without them, so personally I would cut it off now. Others here may have a different opinion.

 

[b116757]

I’ve got several on my new farm I’m planning on top working over to Keifer hopefully this spring

 

[BrushyPines]

Since I don't use them, I may not be the best one to give advice on that. I've had good success without them, so personally I would cut it off now. Others here may have a different opinion.

I might leave the nurse branch until the graft is growing well then remove it. Honestly dont know what the pros and cons are with having a nurse branch.

 

[omicron1792]

I might leave the nurse branch until the graft is growing well then remove it. Honestly dont know what the pros and cons are with having a nurse branch.

Brushy. If native says it do it. Click on his name and check his posts.

 

[BrushyPines]

Brushy. If native says it do it. Click on his name and check his posts.

I think I'm going to cut the nurse branch off this weekend.

 

[Gravel Road]

I've done it both ways. I'm not sure I can tell a difference one way or the other. Perhaps that's why Native Hunter doesn't leave one. Callery tends to sprout new leaves or branches (that should be removed) when topworked regardless.

Same here. I've left on nurse branches and had tons of new growth. I left several nurse branches on a very large 6" diameter Callery. Put 4 grafts on that one and it has over 10 feet of growth in 2 years. Crazy! The Shinseiki graft even blossomed this year. Anyway, it's fun to play and costs nothing.
Switched it up and used Natives toilet wax trick as a sealer. I hope it works well because it's extremely easy to use.

 

[omicron1792]

I gradually train to a central leader over the next few years rather than trying to do too much too early. I once had a nice topworked tree to die, and I attribute that to me getting in too big of a hurry to shape it. A topworked tree needs a lot of leaf to sunlight exposure in order to gain the energy to recover. I also want the cut to heal completely over as soon as possible, and leaving all successful scions in place will help with that.

I will also say that I shape pears less than I do apples. The first one in my pics above will likely be okay with no further shaping, because you can see it already making a nice shape for a pear, with pretty good scaffolding branches already starting. The second one needs work, because it is definitely headed for a double leader. I will gradually take care of it.

Finally, I am not opposed to occasionally shaping some trees with an open center (especially apple trees) as they do in some other countries. If a tree is strongly prone to growing that way, I may make an exception and allow it.

Native. What about small grafts that I left two buds on and both are growing? How soon would you remove one and leave the other as the central leader?

 

[Native Hunter]

Native. What about small grafts that I left two buds on and both are growing? How soon would you remove one and leave the other as the View attachment 52099central leader?

I would say it's way too early to do anything in the way of shaping. Wait until next year or the year after and gradually start trimming back the weakest leader.

 

[blueKYstream]

This is one of several callery grafts I did last year. I've never had a bit of concern about losing rootstock by removing nurse limbs if the graft doesn't take. They seem to leaf out anywhere they want. The bigger issue for me has been controlling the growth. I cut the growth on this one back mid-year. It still grew like gangbusters.



I need a ladder to tie it to a support I screwed into the tree.

 

[BrushyPines]

This was taken yesterday. I also used toilet wax and it was very easy to use. I placed it in the sun while I was grafting and that helped with spreading it over the top of the rootstock. I did have parafilm over the scions, but I was afraid it would start molding the scion with all the moisture I saw inside the tape. I went ahead and cut the nurse branch off this graft. The other graft is just now starting to swell and green tip, so I left the nurse branch on for the time being. I will definitely have more questions during this process lol. First time ever grafting and all scions took.... I cant complain!!

 

[bigbendmarine]

@Native Hunter, appreciating all the grafting work you've done I'll piggyback on Omicron1792's question about small grafts.

Five or so years ago I planted 8 kieffer pears, with 4 on the east side of my property and 4 on the west side of my property. Turned out soil in east spot I picked was better as all 4 trees took off growing whereas the 4 on the west stayed small for years. Working to ammend the soil around the trees on the west 3 of the 4 are finally growing and starting to carry fruit.

The 4th tree on the west not growing or carrying fruit lost growth above the original graft I purchased and sent up a spindly-looking parent leadeer. Earlier this spring I thought I'd give it a go grafting pruned Kieffer scions onto small parent tree branches.

Here's a picture showing the 3 scions I grafted. The lowest has good leaf growth on it, and though the higher two do not yet the scion wood still is green when scratched and there are buds swelling on the scions I think will leaf out. Begging pardon for the super ugly work, the electrical tape is mostly on there to hold small sticks as braces for the grafts as the field has tons of small birds around I figure perch on the branches... also why I taped a long branch onto the small trunk just to make a high point for perching that is NOT a graft... just a taped on limb.

So all the above shared, would you just wait to do anything until next year if all 3 grafts take or would you recommend pruning any growth off to better feed one of the scions versus all? Maybe prune some of the tiny spindly parent branches off if all the scions fill with leaves?

MUCH appreciate your advice!

 

[Native Hunter]

@Native Hunter, appreciating all the grafting work you've done I'll piggyback on Omicron1792's question about small grafts.

Five or so years ago I planted 8 kieffer pears, with 4 on the east side of my property and 4 on the west side of my property. Turned out soil in east spot I picked was better as all 4 trees took off growing whereas the 4 on the west stayed small for years. Working to ammend the soil around the trees on the west 3 of the 4 are finally growing and starting to carry fruit.

The 4th tree on the west not growing or carrying fruit lost growth above the original graft I purchased and sent up a spindly-looking parent leadeer. Earlier this spring I thought I'd give it a go grafting pruned Kieffer scions onto small parent tree branches.

Here's a picture showing the 3 scions I grafted. The lowest has good leaf growth on it, and though the higher two do not yet the scion wood still is green when scratched and there are buds swelling on the scions I think will leaf out. Begging pardon for the super ugly work, the electrical tape is mostly on there to hold small sticks as braces for the grafts as the field has tons of small birds around I figure perch on the branches... also why I taped a long branch onto the small trunk just to make a high point for perching that is NOT a graft... just a taped on limb.

So all the above shared, would you just wait to do anything until next year if all 3 grafts take or would you recommend pruning any growth off to better feed one of the scions versus all? Maybe prune some of the tiny spindly parent branches off if all the scions fill with leaves?

MUCH appreciate your advice!

View attachment 52241

bigbendmarine, it's good to hear from you. I would get that tree in a more health state by fertilizing (and liming if necessary) before I attempted any more topworking. A tree needs to be healthy before you topwork it, because you are temporarily removing what is feeding it with sunlight. I've never seen people have much luck with grafting a tree that isn't healthy. I hope the grafts "take," but if they don't, I would focus on getting the original tree in good condition before doing anything else. I hope this helps.

 

[bigbendmarine]

I hope the grafts "take," but if they don't, I would focus on getting the original tree in good condition before doing anything else. I hope this helps.

Thanks for the sage advice, Native Hunter.

The sapling is so pitiful relative to the other three pear trees just 20' away, that I might have been wise to pull it a year or two ago and just replanted another Kieffer.

But with the trees to the east large and producing heavy loads (when blooms are not hit with late frost), and the other 3 to the west finally fruiting I thought I'd just play with it during a year where I'm not going to have any shortage of pears thanks to no late frosts. I've been working on the soils around the east trees for a year or so now, putting just a bit of charged biochar and mixed leaf and wood chip mulch around them with the other 3 trees showing definite positive results. I'll patiently give it at least one more season to show if the grafts take and/or the tree starts responding to the soil work.
In addition to the Kieffers I planted 50 sawtooths, 24 pecans, 12 chinese chestnuts, and a dozen or so crabapples all around the same time and just about all have grown nicely... with this solitary tree hanging on for dear life like it's the Charlie Brown Christmas tree.... guess I've only not only held off from digging it up because I feel sorry for it hanging in there this long.

 

[Native Hunter]

Thanks for the sage advice, Native Hunter.

The sapling is so pitiful relative to the other three pear trees just 20' away, that I might have been wise to pull it a year or two ago and just replanted another Kieffer.

But with the trees to the east large and producing heavy loads (when blooms are not hit with late frost), and the other 3 to the west finally fruiting I thought I'd just play with it during a year where I'm not going to have any shortage of pears thanks to no late frosts. I've been working on the soils around the east trees for a year or so now, putting just a bit of charged biochar and mixed leaf and wood chip mulch around them with the other 3 trees showing definite positive results. I'll patiently give it at least one more season to show if the grafts take and/or the tree starts responding to the soil work.
In addition to the Kieffers I planted 50 sawtooths, 24 pecans, 12 chinese chestnuts, and a dozen or so crabapples all around the same time and just about all have grown nicely... with this solitary tree hanging on for dear life like it's the Charlie Brown Christmas tree.... guess I've only not only held off from digging it up because I feel sorry for it hanging in there this long.

There is nothing wrong with doing some experimenting. That’s how I learn the most. Sounds like most of your trees are off to a great start.

 

[b116757]

I top worked six this evening hope the grafts take. If I have time I may try to graft more tomorrow evening.

 

[BrushyPines]

Took a pic of both of my grafts this past Saturday, 06/10/2023. They are growing like crazy and are at least as tall as what the orignal tree was when I topworked them. It is about time to duct tape a stake to them. They are starting to lean.


Kieffer graft


Gilmers Christmas graft

 

[BrushyPines]

Well mother nature beat me to one. Had a storm come through a day after I took the pics above. Thankfully the wind just destroyed one of the grafts and not both.




Noticed the damage as I was heading to stake it, just my luck. I won't procrastinate on staking with future grafts. Pics were taken 4-5 days after the pics above.

 

[b116757]

I checked on some of mine and they took but my root stocks are sending up a ton of dormant bud sprouts. I pulled them all off put the gauntlet has been thrown down and I’ll likely be fighting the sprouts heavily.

 

[BrushyPines]

Native, when do you suggest taking grafting tape off?