I was over at Leo Manuel’s house today helping him top work one of his trees to Sweet Tart and I thought to myself how lucky I was to have the opportunity to practice and perfect my skills on his older Mango trees. I don’t have any large mango trees yet so most my practice bark grafting larger trees comes from volunteering for my more senior friends that can either no longer graft or that don’t know how to graft.
As with any specialized skill, practice makes perfect and all the practice I get helping Leo and others top working their mature trees will help enable me to graft with more confidence when my trees finally reach adulthood.
I think of it like helping your friend to build a deck or remodel a home. There’s some sweat involved but when it’s time to do your house, yard or whatever project, it will be that much easier.
It is also very rewarding to hear stories about how my senior friends lived in their younger lives. Leo used to be a commercial Abalone diver and I love the ocean and spend much of my spare time spearfishing and diving for lobsters or just fishing on my buddies boat. Leo also used to raise Coturnix Quail and I spent several years breeding Jumbo Coturnix Quails.
Anyways, get out there and help your neighbors and friends to share the joy of gardening. You might learn something new about gardening or about your friend. You might also walk away with a basket of fruit if you’re lucky!
Simon
