Author Topic: which buds on apple graft to remove?  (Read 985 times)

strom

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which buds on apple graft to remove?
« on: May 12, 2021, 11:22:56 AM »
Hi!

First time grafter.  I tried apple grafting in February, a dorset golden apple to m26 rootstock.  I couldn't get the cuts to be even with the recommended "whip n tongue", so I elected to put the specimens on my cutting board with a sharp kitchen knife and did a cleft graft.

Pictured is the second of two grafts.  This one has four buds now developing.. should I leave all four, or clean up to just one?  The first attempt has only one bud that now has a nice 4" stem sticking out (not pictured).

Thanks for the help :)


Oolie

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Re: which buds on apple graft to remove?
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2021, 02:06:40 AM »
Looks good. I'd let all the buds flush for now to keep it from getting too top heavy before the union is secure. I'd prune it back to the best flush during first dormancy.

strom

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Re: which buds on apple graft to remove?
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2021, 11:00:53 AM »
Right on, thanks!  I hope to try grafting an Anna apple next winter, so I'll have a matching pair of these low-chill apples :)

strom

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Re: which buds on apple graft to remove?
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2021, 05:50:26 PM »
Here's what the two apple treelings look like after summer of a little growth - they grew a little crooked haha.  If I wanted to make these multi-grafted, where would you all recommend I do so?  Original grafts are basic cleft, hopefully easy to see in the pictures, if not, I can add marks where they occred.  I don't know if I have skills to do anything else.

These are m27 dwarf rootstock.  I know it's not the most ideal rootstock, but, I wanted to try something small for containers :)





sc4001992

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Re: which buds on apple graft to remove?
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2021, 09:49:34 AM »
You should let your grafts grow out more, maybe another year, then you can graft onto the new branches.
Since your tree is small it needs to get a lot bigger before you do multi-grafts on it. I noticed apple grafts grow pretty slow so 1 more year is about right.

strom

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Re: which buds on apple graft to remove?
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2021, 06:18:26 PM »
That makes sense, thank you.  I wouldn't add a graft to the rootstock then, just below the existing graft?

sc4001992

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Re: which buds on apple graft to remove?
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2021, 07:10:44 PM »
You're rootstock is to small. I would wait until your grafted branches grow out, then graft other varieties on those new branches but leave one or two grafted branches alone.