Grafting project
Grafting project
Our apple tree wasn't doing much of anything (it barely even ever flowered), so I finally cut it down and bark grafted 3 different varieties onto it - Liberty, Ashmead, and Cox Orange Pippin. These should all be able to pollinate one another. We also have a Honeycrisp tree nearby that should benefit from this, too.
I have an Apple tree about that size that only makes good cricket balls. I've never done grafting before - as there a good guide you followed?
There are a lot of YouTube videos showing various types of grafts. I would look there first - I learned from watching videos. I also reference this a good bit: https://www.wikihow.com/Graft-a-Tree (but you can't beat watching a video of someone do it).
For my tree I did what's called a bark graft, which is often used for trees that stop producing or to change the variety. There are also bud grafts, whip and tongue grafts, cleft grafts, etc.
Be sure also to get varieties that are good for your growing zone and that flower around the same time so they can pollinate one another.
This is really cool. Have you had luck in the past with such projects?
Thanks! And Yep! I have grafted a Yellow Egg Plum onto my plum tree, and also Golden Delicious onto my crabapple.
Nice! Don't see enough of people taking advantage of in-ground root stock. This works wonders with stone fruit and citrus as well.
Yes! Figured it was better than getting rid of the tree.
Thats actually really cool.
That is a really cool idea. So it should automatically make its own apples? (Assuming there's enough wind and pollinators?)
Yes it should. I picked varieties that bloom around the same time, so they should pollinate one another. It's like having 3 separate trees, they're all just connected to the same root stock.
I took a grafting class once, and it's remarkably easy. You basically need a cutting of a similar diameter, cut diagonally.
You join the cutting to a cut twig on the tree, keeping as much of the green bark in contact as possible, and then tape it up.
You can use a salve and a special tape to improve conditions but those are the basics.
How big do these grafted trees get? I have a spot for one but don't want too large of a tree
To add to what wizzor said, it can depend a lot on the variety of root stock you're grafting onto. Some root stocks naturally produce dwarfed trees, which can be nice if you don't have a lot of space. Even if that isn't the case, though, you can just prune it to a height you like.
Full size apple trees get big, I have some on my property that are over 5m tall. There are small varieties that stay under 3m though.
5m is fine. It's going in a spot where I had to remove a 70m pine. I could even put one in my front yard then.
I read that you can graft apple-family fruits onto hawthorn too, has anybody here tried that?
I've read this too. It would be really cool to have both apple and pear on the same hawthorn rootstock.
