HOP

Can you take a photo of your 1/4'' cal rootstock. I can help you better if I can see how many branches are on that rootstock.

Tony

I would think all budded at once! They must have balanced growth. I'm making a multi-grafted peach tree, but not on rootstock but on a 3 year old tree by replacing the scaffolds with new grafts.

I don't have the skills needed to put several varieties all at once in a 1/4 inch rootstock. Don't know what technique you could use to do that. I've made many multigrafts on trees a yr older that already had nice 1/4 branches with wide crotch angles. So I'd wait another yr and try to get branches on that rootstock. Then one could graft or bud onto each branch.

Most rootstocks I've seen aren't tall enough to bud or graft 3 onto. If you did, you would get all 3 starting very close to the ground. I would just graft (whip, cleft, etc) one onto it initially, then graft the other varieties on when the main variety has grown enough. You may need to cut it when it reaches a height you want the trunk to branch out at (could be as low as 2-3' for an open center peach).

So, I would think it would proceed like:

1- graft variety #1

2- wait a few months until the central leader (#1) reaches 2-3', then pinch off growth.

3- Let 3 main scaffolds grow off, at roughly even spacing, pinching off everything else.

4- Depending on your growing season, you may be able to bud the 2 other varieties late in the summer. If not, graft them the next spring.

I'd suggest keeping the remaining scaffold (with #1) in a more Northern position, to avoid shading the 2 new grafts.

Note that I haven't actually done this- most of my multi-grafts are built onto (more) mature trees. So if anyone with actual experience chimes in, I yield to their expertise.

I like Bob plan.

Tony

When I mentioned all at once I assumed you grew out the rootstock. I would
think the commercial multi-grafted trees were done fairly close to the same
time. All are grafted unto citation in my case with a 4 in 1 pluot. All are
on the central leader. They are not grafted unto scaffolds. I guess these were some sort of bud grafts?

Tony, I don't have rootstocks that big yet. I'm in the planning stages.
Bob,
that does seem like the way at least some nurseries do it. The main
trunk is often one of the varieties. The nice thing about this approach
you can still do what Fruitnut or Drew suggested if the first bud/graft
fails. The only issue I see is the selection of variety to be the main stem. Its vigor and compatability would influence the success of the other varieties. Balance issues might be one argument in favor of having the rootstock as the main stem.

Thanks for the input guys.

I would trim the rootstock back, plant it, and let it grow out. Late in the summer, bud your three varieties low on one of the central leaders of the rootstock. In the fall, when the tree is going dormant, top the leader with the buds just above the buds and prune off all other growth. In the spring, the grafted buds will push and you can form a nice vase structure for your tree.

One thing which could push me more toward Johnny's approach would be if the rootstock is more resistant to disease or insects (borers?) than the fruiting varieties. In that situation, it would be nice to have more of the rootstock exposed.

A reason I would be hesitant about that approach is that it could be tough to fit 3 buds in close proximity on the central leader. I have enough trouble getting one bud to take, let alone having to add 2 others close-by. Of course, you could adjust by letting the rootstock grow un-grafted until you get to the height you want, before pinching it off to form new branches. Looking above, Fruitnut posted this exact idea ("wait another yr and try to get branches on that rootstock") at almost the same time as my post.

Well you're all describing how the pro's do it. How my 4 in 1 was made. Except not three but 4 grafts unto Citation. They were close, but now the rootstock is massive and such. The tree is impressive. Balancing the grafts is not that hard.

You know all ways mentioned would work, good luck with it!