My favorite budding knife. The one on the top I've used since 2000 and the bottom one is new. They are florist's knives.
Why graft a fruit tree? - separate root stock and scion - tree top is a clone of parent - flowers next year - identical to parent fruit - no thorns
Seedlings - long time to fruit - may be true to seed parent like citrus, but most other fruits not - may have weak roots, slow growing, thorny -satsuma own roots, no thorns, and fruit in 5 years
Rootstock -select for disease resistance -select for cold hardiness -select for fast growing -select for soil types -select for flavor of fruit on grafted part -grown from seed or cutting -where do I get them? Scions -select for fruit quality -select for no thorns -select for locality -select for virus free -get from friends or Texas Citrus Budwood Bureau
Selecting Scions -common cause of grafts failing is too young or too old bud wood -hardened new growth -old growth -Spring grafting Jan/Feb dormant -Fall anytime
Storing Scions -wrap in damp paper towel -zip lock bag -store in refrigerator Storing Root Stock Seeds -dry over night -dust with fungicide -zip lock bag -store in refrigerator -where do you get them?
Citrus Root Stock -trifoliate /flying dragon dwarfing and cold hardy -swingle and carrizo most popular commercial root stocks and vigorous -sour orange most popular in the Valley Other Fruits -pear/bradford pear -peach/nemagaurd -apple/M111 -japanese persimmon/american persimmon -own roots pecan, paw paw, loquat, grapes
When to Graft - spring March-May when tree starts to grow until hot weather arrives - Sept 15 - Oct 15 until 2nd cold front arrives and trees stop growing
Where to Graft 2 in 1 variety tree -apical dominance -graft on highest part of tree -graft placed low may not grow
Bark Slipping Grafts T budding uses only one bud 1. tee shaped cut in root stock 2. cut off bud eye 3. slip cut bud in cut 4. wrap with vinyl tape 5. label
Bark Graft or Top Working -large root stock with small scion -cut off root stock -make cut in root stock -scion with no more than 3 buds -wrap scion with para film -chisel cut on scion -insert in root stock cut -very large stump do multiple grafts -wrap stump with para film -cover stump with foil
Bark graft is weak for 1-2 years - stake the graft -cut off the top several times so the branch get thicker and stronger
Bark Not Slipping Grafts -IMHO only if absolutely necessary -bark slipping not required for graft to work -graft works better when bark is slipping/tree growing
Chip Budding 1. cut chip out of rootstock 2. cut chip out of scion/bud wood 3. insert chip into rootstock 4. wrap with vinyl tape
Cleft Graft 1. cut off root stock 2. cut scion to no more lhan 3 buds 3. wrap scion with para film 4. make cut in root stock 5. insert scion in stump 6. cover stump with para film and aluminum foil
Whip/Whip and Tongue 1. select root stock and scion of same diameter if possible 2. cut root stock off at an angle 3. cut scion off at an angle 4. make extra cut on root stock and scion 5. join scion to root stock 6 wrap with tape
How long to wait to force the bud Spring -at least 3 weeks -until graft calluses over which you can see because you used clear grafting tape Fall -wait until March
How to Force the Bud 1. un-wrap the grafting tape for t bud or chip bud 2. check to make sure bud is still alive 3. cut off rootstock one inch above bud for t bud or chip bud 4. other grafts will force by themselves
Supplies for sale $5 budding knife $5 budding tape $10 grafted persimmon tree