Yes sure, you can cut some dormant wood in Feb..March, the very end of branches, last year's growth or some new water sprout's if there is any, take it to a tree nursery, it shouldn't be too expensive.

OK, so I would have to A) learn how to cut the correct dormant wood in the correct way, and B) find a tree nursery that would graft it onto my chosen root stock for me.

So then, is taking the cutting something an amateur should be able to do well? If so, can you point me to a good explanation of how it's done?

And how much time can elapse between when one cuts the scion and when it's grafted? How do you keep the scion fresh?

And when you say it shouldn't be too expensive, does that mean, say, less than $50?

Thanks! I'm getting excited....

Its hard to mess up the cutting, just get some nice pencil or so sized sticks. Then just put them in a ziploc with a barely damp paper towel.

One good place to get the trees grafted at is Big Horse Creek Farm but there are others. I think Rick at Wagon Wheel Orchards (who is often on this forum) does custom grafting as well. I would compare various places because some have a minimum on number of trees etc.

Scott

Scott, thanks so much! I think I will call around the places in my immediate area and see if anyone does grafting. I imagine there ought to be some places that will, as I live in apple country. Otherwise I guess I can contact the places you mentioned and mail them the scion wood.

Or just do it yourself. It's not hard to learn to graft apples. Just look for the many videos or written descriptions on the internet. The cleft graft is the easiest for beginners--try several. You can order apple rootstock from mail order nurseries for well under $50 (e.g. One Green World or Raintree) if you can't find a local source and have it in time to graft this Spring. By the way,once you cut your scion wood and put it in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel (to prevent drying out) put it in the refrigerator (not freezer) and it will last many months.
If you really don't want to try to graft yourself and don't want to pay somebody at a nursery, check out your local Master Gardeners; many of them should know how.

Youtube is full of videos on grafting. I would practice on some other species of trees in your area to get some feeling on how it all comes together.

That's something I'd be happy to do. Like Scott and several other folks in this forum we're collectors. I'll be grafting on M111 (and limited M7) this spring. Like a couple previous posts said - you just need to cut pencil sized sticks from last year's growth. If you can find lengths from 6-12" that would be great. Wrap a strip of masking tape around them and write something to differentiate the 2 trees with a black marker. Put them in a plastic ziplock bag with a damp paper towel and mail in one of those bubble envelopes. If you can send some pics of the tree and as much information as you have on the origin, condition of the tree etc. it would be helpful down the road to identitfy them. I'd do it for free if you'd send me a couple extra sticks for my collection. Thanks, Rick Godsil, Wagon Wheel Orchard, Gardner, Kansas The link below has my address and email etc

Here is a link that might be useful: Rick's blog

Wow, Rick, that is so nice! I would be extremely happy to do that. Thanks! I also was specifically hoping for the MM 111, because we have lots of space, but pretty heavy soil.

I can tell you the apples are a russet-type, yellowish-green, and they grow quite large, with a somewhat elongated shape like a GoldRush or a Delicious. They are super-crisp and quite sweet but not at all cloying, with a wonderful, distinctive vanilla-like flavor that I have never tasted in another apple. They keep well.

If you'd like I'd also be delighted to throw in a few scions from our apple trees, which are some kind of early McIntosh that also produce extremely good fresh eating apples. In fact the best Macs I've ever had, though poor keepers.

So, is the best time to take cuttings late February or so?

Anytime the tree is dormant. I'll store them at 34 degrees until grafting time. Here in Kansas we've already started taking scion wood from some select varieties. I would caution against shipping them while its below freezing - the postal trucks can get very cold.

Sure - throw in the early Mac-type. The school groups that visit here love macs.

OK, thanks for the advice, I will do that.

I like the idea of the school groups eating our Macs. I'm getting hungry just thinking of them....