How to Graft Apricots and peaches in the summer. How to choose proper wood to use as scion.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ย. 2024
- This video will show how I harvest and prepare wood to graft during the summer. I also attached a follow up video 3 weeks after making the grafts to see how they are doing.
Hello, Nick. I'm new to grafting and live in San Jose, CA. I have 4 small (one vigorous, one moderately so) potted MP-29 rootstocks. This is hard to get in CA, almost impossible outside of wholesale. It's very resistant to oak root fungus which is a big problem in our yard. I also have a vigorously growing hard-to-get heirloom peach tree scion. It was grafted this spring onto the only available rootstock at that time -- rootstock which is NOT oak root fungus resistant. My aim is to graft this growing peach tree onto this disease-resistant rootstock so I can plant it into a specially prepared spot in our yard. (We all assumed the MP-29 rootstock would be bigger when it arrived this winter --it was new to the local rare plant organization I got to order it-- so the peach cutting could be grafted to it directly. Instead, I had the dormant peach scion grafted onto the non-disease resistant rootstock in April just so the peach could grow this season in case I can't get a cutting next winter.) In short, my scion and rootstock are very limited.
2.5 weeks ago (early June), I did a simple bud graft to one of the less vigorous MP-29s. I think it's alive. But since then, one of the other MP-29s has really grown out with multiple branches. Since I also have vigorous peach growth (~3-4 long branches) of about the same diameter (pencil width), I'm tempted to graft a branch to the MP-29 like you did to take advantage of this vigor and speed up the process.
BUT can I try this WITHOUT completely cutting off the top of my MP-29 plant in case it doesn't work? In other words, could I treat the rootstock like chip-bud grafting (keep some leaves above the graft to keep juices flowing until the graft takes off)? I figure if I can graft a branch instead of a bud, it would help the peach get established sooner. But I don't want to lose most of my healthiest MP-29 if it fails. I would greatly appreciate your input! Thank you.
If rootstock is healthy, it will produce suckers below the graft if graft doesn’t take. I would just cut it off and graft.
If you really want to you can leave top growth and do side graft without cutting anything off. It’s all possible but you have to cut the branches off as soon as the graft takes anyway
@@nickkasko2097 Thanks so much for your reply, Nick. I appreciate that. I decided to take a chance with a peach side graft without removing all the top growth. I substantially tipped all the MP-29 new growth (several inches on some branches), removed some other leaves and younger, lower growth, then side-grafted a parafilm-wrapped peach branch near the bottom of my MP-29 rootstock. There's no vegetation below it. I have photos but don't think I can attach them. I can't say my cuts were perfect, but hopefully "decent".
From your comments, it sounds like I need to watch carefully for any signs of growth from the graft. Should that appear in the next 2 -3 weeks? (For my chip-bud graft, now 2.5 weeks old), I keep nipping off any new rootstock leaf buds. I suppose I should do the same for this one? If I see growth on the peach graft, then I would feel more courageous to cut the rootstock above it.
@@eyastishock3269 when you see growth on the graft, cut the rootstock off
I've been away a few days and now there seems to be some peach graft buds pushing against the parafilm. So, I will --nervously-- cut off the rootstock branch just above the graft. For the chip bud graft, it has healed but should I keep some rootstock leaves above it or cut that one off too?
@@eyastishock3269 you can wait for the bud to push a few inches so you are more certain. Meanwhile leave something for backup.
Thank you very much for your insight.
I was always having trouble grafting prunus in late summer (budding) and early spring (branch grafting). Your explanation of slow healing makes sense and I will try grafting with new years wood in summer this year. Fingers crossed for high success :)
Thanks for the video! Have you tried this method with apples/pears in the summer time? I have some apples and pears that I bench grafted and they didn't take this spring. I'd like to re-graft them with a method that would allow some good top growth still this year. I have access to actively growing scionwood and some scionwood I stored over from over the winter as well
Yes it works on apples and pears too. Have done it
@@nickkasko2097 thank you!
Hello nick, very interesting Video. Sadly I didn't understand what interstem you used between plum and apricot. I would also like to know if you can recommend any source or book about interstem grafting
Tlor Tsiran Black apricot interstem between plum and apricot. I don’t know of any books for interstem grafting. I just chose the black apricot as a stem because it’s a hybrid between plum and apricot. It is very cold hardy, vigorous, and makes a very good union with plum and apricot. I have not heard of anyone else that has tried this yet.
@@nickkasko2097 Thanks a lot! So to interstem-graft peach to plum you also use a hybrid, that is clever.
@@jeromedumalin9954 yes I use Nectocotym between peach and plum
Great , thanks for sharing this useful video! These interstems are using just for this purpose or also for producing fruits? And if so, how do they taste?
Thanks for answer 😊
Nectacotym is not a good fruit. Black apricot I heard was good. Z-stem not for fruit
Nicely done, very clear and thorough. What is the oldest apricot wood you typically graft to, i.e., last year's growth, two year old, etc? Thanks!
I have grafted to branches, larger than 4 inches in diameter. But if you graft branches, larger than 2 inches, you risk the graft breaking off before it heals all the way around, so I do not recommend grafting anything larger than 2 inches in diameter.
@@nickkasko2097 Thanks for your response! I have grafted pear and apple in the spring (cleft, side, bark, whip) and generally do OK, but all I've done for summer grafting apricot is chips on this year's wood. I'd love to be able to summer graft apricot to last year's wood or even a little older the way you show it. I'm grafting apricot to prune plum - one of my trees is on its own roots and the other is grafted to Nanking cherry (quite dwarfing). Thanks again for your help. Much appreciated.
@@markhull9156 this year the weather was really good and most apricot grafts too without needing to use current season wood. We had a week of warm weather and I timed it perfectly late spring
It would be good if you explained the need for inter stems What incompatibility are you trying to overcome?
Check out my interstems video. Trying to overcome long term incompatibility and diameter mismatch in 5 plus year old grafts
Do you do cleft grafts as well ? They seem to be more resistant to wind , bird landings etc
Rarely do cleft grafts as they require more time and tools. But they do work. Just have to align them right or they will fail. Bark grafts you don’t need to align