Author Topic: Grafting both male and female scion to root stock?  (Read 3512 times)

MarkoS

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Grafting both male and female scion to root stock?
« on: April 08, 2013, 06:11:47 PM »
I attended a workshop Adam did on grafting and it has by brain on overdrive with ideas.  I like the idea of "cocktail" trees.  I'm thinking a sapote cocktail tree is in my future.  But that has me thinking, can you graft "cocktail" mail and female scion to one rootstock? 

I know that there is usually a ratio of 1 male to >1 female tree, but I think that only falls into the world of commercial growers.  For those of us home enthusiasts, my thinking is that a single tree would be "fine".  The advantages of cocktail trees as I've heard them are different varieties or even different seasons on a single tree.  But what about being able to have one root stock support a required dioecious (right term?) tree?

Has anyone tried or is currently doing this?

bsbullie

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Re: Grafting both male and female scion to root stock?
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2013, 07:07:50 PM »
There are certain fruits that require male and female (or hermaphrodite), spanish lime/genip/malmoncillo for instance, however I am not sure what you are referring to when you say "sapote" with respect to grafting male and female scions...
- Rob

MarkoS

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Re: Grafting both male and female scion to root stock?
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2013, 08:47:18 PM »
Just using sapote as an example of another cocktail tree.  As I'm sure you know here in Florida, the big box stores all carry cocktail citrus trees.  I like the mammy sapote, so I was thinking a fun project with be abui, canistel, green, mammy, ross, sapodilla, and mirical fruit (all family Sapotaceae).  Granted some may call this a "franken-tree".  So reality struck and hence the idea for a dooryard "cocktail" creating one root system for a tree with both male and female branches.

So is a "cocktail" with male and female scion possible?  For example one that comes to mind right now is a mellon tree (cudrania tricuspidata).    I'm relatively new to "rare" fruits but I'm sure there are other trees out there.  I know kiwi berry (actinidia arguta) require both but I doubt that I could graft male and female to a single root stock of that plant.

So my question is, are male and female scion cocktails possible?

digigarden

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Re: Grafting both male and female scion to root stock?
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2013, 09:53:23 PM »
it seems like a good idea for big trees that you don't need so much fruit anyways like genip.

some  dioecious require both a male and a female... others require only the female to fruit, i think persimmon is one.

bsbullie

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Re: Grafting both male and female scion to root stock?
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2013, 10:37:43 PM »
I think I understand what you are saying but  I, myself, have some issues. 

Cocktail usually refers to same type of fruit just with different varieties (as in citrus or mangoes).  I personally don't agree with them for certain reasons,citrus especially.  Most citrus cocktail trees you see a grapefruit, orange and lemon...problem is as the tree gets old, the grapefruit will eventually overtake and muscle out the "other" varieties.  Call me a purist or negative but in my opinion, go with one variety per tree.  Again, I understand why people do it with mangoes and I am not criticizing anybody who does it but I am just not a fan of it.

Now, with what you are saying, with all those different types of fruits, you will have compatibility issues.  In other words, they are not all compatible with each other to be able to graft a frankenmess.
- Rob

HIfarm

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Re: Grafting both male and female scion to root stock?
« Reply #5 on: April 09, 2013, 12:08:49 AM »
I haven't tried this but intend to.  I am planning on topworking male trees if I have an excess and add female scions.  I don't see why you should have any difficulty grafting the same species onto the same species (I think that is what you are suggesting).  I am planning this for Baccaurea spp. and maybe some other trees.

John


I know that there is usually a ratio of 1 male to >1 female tree, but I think that only falls into the world of commercial growers.  For those of us home enthusiasts, my thinking is that a single tree would be "fine".  The advantages of cocktail trees as I've heard them are different varieties or even different seasons on a single tree.  But what about being able to have one root stock support a required dioecious (right term?) tree?

Has anyone tried or is currently doing this?

MarkoS

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Re: Grafting both male and female scion to root stock?
« Reply #6 on: April 09, 2013, 05:29:30 AM »
That's what I was looking for.  I just purchased a mellon tree (cudrania tricuspidata) which requires both male and female.  The recommendation according to the grower from California Rare Fruit Club, was to plant a male and female within a foot of each other and prune appropriately.  I was wondering for dooryard if one root stock with male and female scion would be enough.

Please share your results once you've tried it.