Grafted Rambutan and Pulasan

[HawaiiFruitGrower]

Whenever I heard "grafting" rambutan, I would laugh and walk away. But, I was clearly shocked to find out that all of the rambutan here on the farm I work for are all grafted, bud grafted to be exact. My boss explained that the trees would grow better and have a better root system then marcotted trees, which I unferstand. And the trees grow somewhat shorter and more stocky than a marcotted tree. As for the pulasan, examining my grandfathers trees, I noticed a weird marking in the bark, turns out these pulasans were grafted too! As I remember what Oscar stated in a old post (correct me if I'm wrong) that rambutan and mostly pulasan were hard to graft. These pulasans came from his long time friend master grafter David Frenz. Any input fellas?

[TropicalFruitHunters]

What I know from David Frenz, he mainly did grafting...chip I believe???  Wish we could get some of his plants over here.  Hard to graft yes...impossible for me.   

[ben mango]

Seems like a hard one to graft. I would like to see how it is done.

Where is the farm you work on? Need another fruit picker?

[bangkok]

If something is hard to graft then try approach grafting aka inarching. That's how i graft and it works many times.

I have a grafted pulasan from singapore but it grows terrible slow, even in the wet season. If a seedling can fruit in 3 years then i probably would been better of with that. In this pace my pulasan will still be small in 3 years time but at least it is grafted.

[HawaiiFruitGrower]

I am not sure if the trees were grafted here on the farm, my boss said a lot of the trees were actually purchased from an unknow nursery (the must've paid a lot, there thousands of trees). But I will see if I can get a picture for you guys of the rambutan out in the field.

[fruitlovers]

Whenever I heard "grafting" rambutan, I would laugh and walk away. But, I was clearly shocked to find out that all of the rambutan here on the farm I work for are all grafted, bud grafted to be exact. My boss explained that the trees would grow better and have a better root system then marcotted trees, which I unferstand. And the trees grow somewhat shorter and more stocky than a marcotted tree. As for the pulasan, examining my grandfathers trees, I noticed a weird marking in the bark, turns out these pulasans were grafted too! As I remember what Oscar stated in a old post (correct me if I'm wrong) that rambutan and mostly pulasan were hard to graft. These pulasans came from his long time friend master grafter David Frenz. Any input fellas?

Yes grafting pulasan and rambutan is difficult. Dr. Zee came up with bud grafting protocol that results in 85% takes. With approach grafting you can get 100% takes. But both can also be easily air layered. It doesn't make the trees any weaker than air layered lychees. And i'm sure all the lychees at your uncle's place are air layered? Strong winds and hurricanes not a problem here, so air layers are just fine.

[Mike T]

Rambutans are easy to graft it is lychees that are difficult. Grafted trees grow bigger and faster at first than marcotted rambutans. Here grafted rambutans are more expensive.

[HawaiiFruitGrower]

Yes Oscar, all the lychee and the longan are air layered.

[Tropicaliste]

Oscar, are you offering to airlayer us all Pulasans for sale? Lol ... I'm only half joking

[HawaiiFruitGrower]

Rambutan and pulasan catch very easy by air lay every air layer I made each one had roots within 3 months

[Finca La Isla]

At my farm/nursery we mostly air layer rambutan and pulusan and get a good result.  In Costa Rica grafted rambutan is commonly available and it is always cleft grafted.  With the exception of inarching I've never seen it grafted any other way here.
Peter

[Mike T]

Air layering is easy for these these species and you don't need rootstocks.One supplier of rambutan trees was selling air layered trees for (US) $28 and grafted for $38 and would sell mostly air layered trees until a cyclone came and then everyone wanted grafted ones.They said to me that grafting was better for mass production and the success rate was high.The 2011 cyclone Yasi knocked the business over.Seedling pulasan seem to grow true.

[HawaiiFruitGrower]

I second that Mike. A family friend planted
 seedling pulasans and when the tree matured and began to produce, fruit was 85 % similar to mother tree

[GwenninPR]

We can get cleft grafted rambutan here for $25 or so. 
I know Juan has been making air layered pulasan grafts. 

I have a bunch of rambutan seedlings ready to go for approach grafting of a friends tree that produces 2-3 times a year.  I will try air layering that one too.

Pulasan seedlings seem so much more finicky, I never get more than about 5% that make it past 1 year.

[bangkok]

I read here before that pulasans from seed will give male, female and hermapfrodites. What percentage of hermaphrodites did you guys get out of your seedlings?

[Finca La Isla]

Seems to me that the amount of non-productive (male) pulusan seedlings is pretty low, maybe 20%.
I had an air layered rambutan break off just above ground level because another tree fell on it.  If it had been grafted it would have been a loss but the tree came back and, of course, it was still the select material.  I would think that a cyclone could also break the tree off like that.
It is possible to buy cleft grafted rambutan here for about $7.  I sell air layered ones for $9, usually in a 3 gallon pot.
Peter

[Tropicaliste]

Gwen, wow $25 for a grafted Rambutan.  I was quoted at almost double that for a grafted Rambutan from PR.  Eek.

[fruitlovers]

Oscar, are you offering to airlayer us all Pulasans for sale? Lol ... I'm only half joking

Already made a bunch for some forum members.

[fruitlovers]

Rambutans are easy to graft it is lychees that are difficult. Grafted trees grow bigger and faster at first than marcotted rambutans. Here grafted rambutans are more expensive.

Lychee is also easy if you use appropriate rootstock. For example use kaimana seeds as rootstock for kaimana. There are some compatibility problems in different cultivars of lychee.

[GwenninPR]

Gwen, wow $25 for a grafted Rambutan.  I was quoted at almost double that for a grafted Rambutan from PR.  Eek.

The guy that grafts them is a guy that has a small nursery (he works at UPR TARS in Mayaguez where he gets his material).  But the grafter does not ship them.  I  believe the others resell his stuff. 

[Tropicaliste]

Oscar, I must've missed the Pulasan boat.  If you're ever airlayering more, and care to sell, then please tell me.

Gwen, the person quoting me for the grafted Rambutan is grafting himself, and has in the past sold me plants that were healthy and competitive in price, but the $45 seems steep compared a $25.

[GwenninPR]

Gwen, the person quoting me for the grafted Rambutan is grafting himself, and has in the past sold me plants that were healthy and competitive in price, but the $45 seems steep compared a $25.

It could be another guy.  I know Juan  is grafting and selling large rambutan trees for $45, so yes, size matters and cost more.  The $25 ones I got this time  are much smaller and younger than last time - maybe 2 ft tall compared to Juan's 3-4 ft branched ready to bloom trees.

[Tropicaliste]

Gwenn, That's a good point.  It could be close to fruiting for the price he quoted me.  I will request a photo, as I'm usually the "no, just send me the plant" kind of person ... p.s. I just realized I've been calling you "Gwen", but you've an extra n, I apologize for that.  My name's often mispelled.  I should've known better ...

[GwenninPR]

Not a problem :-)  I answer to just about anything since my name is impossible for most Puerto Rican's to say!

Who are you working with for the tree? Brunner or ?
I am not aware of many people in PR grafting stuff  (which I need to know since I always seem to need more plants!) and that also ships.

[Tropicaliste]

If only Mr. Brunner would graft. Lol I must've badgered him, politely, to graft more, but he seems busy.  We should start a campaign.

Sent you an email.