Annona reticulata first fruit and grafting

[Mvule101]

I planted ten seeds on Annona reticulata from trade wind fruits. Only one germinated. After a eight and a half year wait, this morning we were rewarded with our first fruit. As you can see it is delicious and reddish colour. It is sweet and has berry overtones. I’m very happy!

I obviously want to propagate this tree! Someone told me that if I graft or bud the seedlings I would get much faster fruiting (eight years is a rather long wait!). Is this so? Which is the best and simplest way to do this budding or grafting. I have never done this before and have no access to propriety tape that people seem to use to bind the bud to the root stock here in Uganda.

Also what is the best website/YouTube clip that I should follow to do this.

Many thanks!

[huertasurbanas]

Hi, grafting doesnt seem to be too difficult, but I dont use to grow trees from grafting but seeds. I had a reticulata but died, but a friend has a 1.5m tall from those seeds... he tought the fruit will not be good and now I thank you for the report, congrats!

[achetadomestica]

Wow that fruit looks good. I would plant the seeds you got from that fruit and later on you can graft onto the
seedlings? Hopefully you will get a bunch of seedlings and  can try grafting in the spring when you trim your trees
anyway? I have raised Na Dai sugar apples from seed and I got flowers after 2 years and fruit at 3 years? I don't know
how fast A. reticulata grows but I assumed the same fast growth? I currently have 2 seedlings from a sugarapple X custard
apple cross that produces large fruit. I hope I have fruit in 2-4 years. Mostly I have seen cleft graft used to graft Annonas
which is very easy to try. I only have one roll of grafting tape now. Can you order online and have it shipped to you?

https://www.amazon.com/Parafilm®-Grafting-Tape-Genuine-Clear/dp/B0085OFNZK/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1517031229&sr=8-12&keywords=graft+tape

ebay and amazon have hundreds of shippers. Let me know if you need help getting it to you.
How many seeds did you get?

[Mvule101]

Thank you Achetadomestica,

That is very helpful. I got 71 seeds plus a few that I gave my gardener. Everyone here loves the taste as it is very unique for us here.  Thank you too for the link. I will see if we have some visitors coming from the US who can bring the parafilm out. It would be amazing if we could get more fruit trees after only two or three years. The fruit would certainly be very marketable!

[Mvule101]

Hi, grafting doesnt seem to be too difficult, but I dont use to grow trees from grafting but seeds. I had a reticulata but died, but a friend has a 1.5m tall from those seeds... he tought the fruit will not be good and now I thank you for the report, congrats!

That you for the encouragement huertasurbanas! I will see how many germinate.