Resources for multi-graft fruit trees

[Cdg4dq]

I’m looking to expand my citrus collection by grafting onto existing trees. Does anyone have any good resources, recommendations, or links for creating multi-graft trees? I’ve found a few videos online, but have yet to find a resource that really gets into the nitty gritty.

[70Malibu]

There's no trick, just learn how to graft. Creating a multi-grafted tree is as easy as grafting a few different varieties on a mango, citrus, loquat, or mulberry tree.

Checkout my multi-grafted citrus tree. The main tree is an Oro Blanco tree grafted on standard rootstock I purchased from Armstrong nursery 35 yrs ago. I grafted about 10 varieties on it after 5 yrs of having the tree when I had 110 Oro Blanco fruits on one 2"diameter branch and the entire branch cracked off before I could take a photo of all those larger fruits (right before they ripened). I got mad about it so cut back the tree and started grafting all the other varieties I liked.

https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=46182.msg449199#msg449199

Now this tree has about 35 varieties of citrus I like, that's about it, too many varieties will require at least one branch per variety and my tree is already too big and I need to cut it down. I also have an old loquat tree that is about the same age that I multi-grafted 115 variety loquats that all fruit, getting rid of that tree now as well. I think my loquat tree is a record for the varieties I have on one tree, only the best tasting (for me) so reducing it to 10.

[BP]

Haha wow! That is an incredible tree. Surreal to see all the different fruit

[70Malibu]

I was lucky to see all these different varieties ripening at the same time, about half of the grafted varieties were done so you don't see the fruits hanging.

[Cdg4dq]

That’s truly incredible! Did you find certain grafting techniques worked better or worse? And scions that were particularly hard to graft on?

[bramblefig]

Amazing tree, Kaz.  I would not be able to graft that many!  I would have bled out.  Every time I attempt to graft, including yesterday, I always manage to cut myself (not badly).... LOL

Thanks for sharing your pics and experiences.

[70Malibu]

Ashley, I make ever person who takes my grafting class wear a glove on the hand without the grafting knife.

[nofspeppers]

I’m looking to expand my citrus collection by grafting onto existing trees. Does anyone have any good resources, recommendations, or links for creating multi-graft trees? I’ve found a few videos online, but have yet to find a resource that really gets into the nitty gritty.

Be prepared to do pruning on the more vigorous varieties that can take over. There's a few varieties I have to constantly chop back because they out grow all the others.

Also the general structure of the tree is more important because ideally you're trying to get all the different varieties enough sunlight and space.

I have the most success doing cleft grafts onto more upward pointing branches. But even horizontal sometimes work as well. I've had poor success doing chip/bud grafts on established trees.

Some varieties don't seem to have good graft compatibility too. I'm not sure if there is a chart anywhere about this. You can do an interstem to bridge the gap between varieties if the compatibility is very low.

I would put the budwood onto a few different trees to increase your odds. Multiple times I've done Centennial Kumquat onto different trees and it always seems to fail, even onto other kumquats.

Seeds from your multi grafted tree also have a higher probability of being a new hybrid, which is a fun project to see if anything new pops up.

[70Malibu]

Yes, good points but first just get the varieties grafted on a healthy tree and do grafts on the main branches of the tree first. If your tree is only 6 ft tall and has about 4-5 branches growing upwards as mentioned, then only graft 4 first. Then the following year, as more smaller branches grow out and the tree gets larger, add more varieties. When I multi-grafted my Oro Blanco grapefruit, it was already 10-12 yrs old when that branch broke off with all those fruits. I had so many branches to choose from so I just grafted a different variety on each upward growing branch with air/sunlight opening in between them. Don't graft on any branches going sideways or pointing downwards, not a good idea.

If you know how to graft, then I always recommend using the cleft graft. There is no advance or need to do anything else. If you had to cut down a larger tree with some branches left to graft, then you can also do bark graft on the bigger trunk you cut. I use cleft graft on 90% of any grafting I do. If cleft graft continues to fail, then I will use side graft, whip & tongue, or in rare cases for hard to graft fruit trees use approach graft. I'm doing some approach graft now since I need to demo this method for our upcoming grafting seminar.

[nofspeppers]

Yes, good points but first just get the varieties grafted on a healthy tree and do grafts on the main branches of the tree first. If you tree is only 6 ft tall and has about 4-5 branches growing upwards as mentioned, then only graft 4 first. Then the following year, as more smaller branches grow out and the tree gets larger, add more varieties. When I multi-grafted my Oro Blanco grapefruit, it was already 10-12 yrs old when that branch broke off with all those fruits. I had so many branches to choose from so I just grafted a different variety on each upward growing branch with air/sunlight opening in between them. Don't graft on any branches going sideways or pointing downwards, not a good idea.

If you know how to graft, then I always recommend using the cleft graft. There is no advance or need to do anything else. If you had to cut down a larger tree with some branches left to graft, then you can also do bark graft on the bigger trunk you cut. I use cleft graft on 90% of any grafting I do. If cleft graft continues to fail, then I will use side graft, whip & tongue, or in rare cases for hard to graft fruit trees use approach graft. I'm doing some approach graft now since I need to demo this method for our upcoming grafting seminar.

Definitely. Approach grafts are great if you have two trees not just budwood sticks. Great way to insure you get 100% take without loosing plant material. Keeping two trees close enough can be a bit of a balancing act and pain in the ass but worth it. The only time I've had an approach graft fail was when I cut the approaching plant a little too early as the graft union looked healed. I think that combined with the fresh cut on the bottom of the graft lead to too much moisture loss and it dried/died out. That was a white sapote though not citrus.

[70Malibu]

When you do an approach graft, what method do you use for the cut itself?

I rarely do any approach graft, but I want to experiment with some avocado seedling trees. I will do some multi-rootstock approach graft, and some normal approach graft of a named variety  to a seedling rootstock to practice before I do the red longan approach graft onto my large tree. Same with my rare lychee, I will approach graft it to my large Brewster lychee tree.

[nofspeppers]

I've only done the normal one that looks like this:


But you could also do it like this:

[70Malibu]

Ok, thanks for the info. I tried that first method, did not work that well for me. I see many people say that second method is what they use so I will try that one now.

[a3pulley]

I was lucky to see all these different varieties ripening at the same time, about half of the grafted varieties were done so you don't see the fruits hanging.

Wow. Do you have pictures of these trees with fruit, Kaz??