Topic: Grafting Apple Trees

[IanDH]

Hi All
Thought I would have a go at grafting some local variety apple trees this year.

Took delivery of a number of M9 (dwarfing) root-stocks last week which have now all been heeled in down at the allotment.  Ultimately would like a number of step-over and single cordon trees but that is dependent on the grafting working. 

Has anyone given this a go?  I have been looking at various things and have found that there are a number of different grafting techniques that can be used.  Which have you used successfully - how easy did you find it.

I have access to a number of scions (the bits to graft on to the roots) from local varieties.  Would like varieties that derive from the east midlands and, ideally, those that are later to ripen.  Would welcome ideas re variety and if known where I could source these.

Thanks
Ian

[Beersmith]

I tried this a good few seasons back with mixed success.  I tried four grafts onto M27 rootstock.  Only one out of four was successful.  However, while three failed one of those rootstocks grew a new shoot that season that looked strong and healthy so that in early autumn I also tried a chip bud graft, and that worked.  So a total of two out of four.  I had no previous experience so was more than happy with the results.   

I have never been tempted to try again.  I love apples and have nine trees divided between allotment and garden but no more room.  Also it takes a couple of extra years to get an apple tree established compared with say buying a two year tree from a nursery.  Us old retirees get impatient!!

With dwarfing rootstock the trees start to fruit a lot earlier than the bigger rootstocks, which is great but needs a bit of caution.  Going back a few years to when I started I got four varieties on m9, with 3 two year olds and one a year younger.  But as they grew and came into fruiting I got a bit lazy and treated them all the same resulting in the younger tree being allowed to fruit a bit too heavily rather early.  It ended up a bit stunted and undersized.  It is a lovely tree but smaller and less productive than it might have been had I been more attentive.

Wishing you success!

[ACE]

Look up 'INSIDE THE FACTORY' on iplayer  they show how the cider apple growers do it.

[IanDH]

Thanks Beersmith / ACE

Looks like I am in for the long-haul. 

Will look up the iPlayer piece.

Ian

[Vinlander]

Some months ago I saw an article (crfg.org) saying that the basic neat cut and tape wrapping is a good start - but something waterproof should be extended over the whole scion - as long as the buds can break through the covering - this apparently means the best scion cover is a single coat of PVA (white wood adhesive) - once it's dry it is waterproof enough to stop the scion drying out, and it is weak enough for the buds to break through.

Obviously the PVA has to be neat undiluted glue, so viscous enough that it can't creep through the tape - maybe paint up to one edge of the tape but not on the graft itself.

It seems to be a very promising technique with a massive % improvement is graft success. It must be worth trying - even just to make a comparison. My own success rate is 50% at best, so I won't be using my old method as a control!

I'm also hoping it will compensate for my miserly attitude to buying special tape - no self-sealing wax foils for me.

Cheers.

[chrisjadonohue@gmail.com]

I share a miserly attitude to buying special equipment and am trying whip and tongue grafts where the buds do not need to be covered.   I am using a stanley knife and sellotape to cover the joint.  I agree it sets you back 2 years from buying a new tree but provided you have enough rootstocks you can easily save a great deal of money against buying new trees by spending a little time to develop a good technique.  There are some very good videos on youtube including one with 100% success rate.  Personally, I would settle for 50% and the other advantage is that you can choose the varieties you like to graft in contrast to the limited varieties for cheap trees available at supermarkets or onlinr.  If you try 3 grafts of a single variety even with 33% success rate, you should get one good tree and you can use the rootstock again for any failures.