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Fruit & Orchards

Grafting onto a new bare root fruit tree questions

13 years ago

Hi,

I recently purchased a bare root apricot tree and a bare root peach tree. Both trees are around a 3/4 inch caliper and have numerous lateral branches.

I want to graft two new varieties of peach onto the peach and two new varieties of apricot to the apricot, while retaining the original variety of each tree.

My plan for each tree would be to cut the tree back to just above the lowest three laterals, then cut one of the laterals back to two or three buds and retain, cut the other two back to before the first bud and then graft the two new varieties onto the stubs with a whip and tongue graft. I have suitably sized scion wood on hand to do this.

Is this the best plan? I've heard that peach is tricky to graft - apricot, too? I'm wondering what my fallback would be if one or both grafts failed -- would it be a good idea two keep two extra (higher) laterals and graft them too as spares? Or maybe keep a bud before the graft on each lateral that could become a new lateral of the original variety to graft or bud later? Or would budding later be a better way to deal with this in the first place?

I assume that I'd do the grafting after planting the tree,once the sap starts flowing, but probably cutting it back to above the first three laterals prior to planting (then cutting the laterals back just before grafting.)

Your thoughts on this appreciated. Just don't want to wreck my new trees!

thanks,

John

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Comments (5)

fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
13 years ago
John:

I like your plan except I can't do a whip&tongue on that short of a stub. I've had very good luck with W&T but would need several more inches to work with. Then if the W&T fail, T bud in May on that same stub or a new sprout as soon as the wood turns from green to reddish.

I'd do the W&T when the tree first starts to push leaves, probably March where you are. I've had great luck with T budding in May and forcing after 2 weeks if the bud takes.

I'd keep more laterals and space them out up and down the trunk. It won't hurt to do two or three of each W&T and the same on budding if needed later. As long as you cut back on all remaining laterals, the tree will be fine starting out with 9-12 branches. Latter select the best of each variety.
Konrad___far_north
13 years ago
I would let it grow the first year without cutting much....next year you'll
have allot of "umpf" and and your scion will take without any problem.

Konrad
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sautesmom Sacramento
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I agree, older trees seem to have the "umpf" to get scions going better than newly planted trees, although I have had scions take before on new trees. If you want to do the new trees, let them get growing first. If they don't take you can try again next year.

Peaches are the hardest to graft IMO, apricots a little easier. They take better when it is warm (but not hot!) so wait until spring has really sprung.

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alan haigh
13 years ago
The trees could be budded in late summer by which time they should have restored vigor. I also have trouble with grafting first year transplanted trees. I sometimes even lose weak grafts when I transplant grafted trees the year after the graft.

The most vigorous grafts I ever had were to one year water sprouts on apple trees completely butchered the year before. Also on water sprouts in the middle of seedling apple trees.
johnnycom_gw
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks everybody for the great information. So glad I asked before going ahead with my original idea!

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