What did you do in your orchard today?

[CrealCritter]

My Fedco order came in two weeks ago MM111, Prunus Americana rootstocks and some apple scionwood wood. I grafted self harvested peach scionwood onto prunus americana rootstocks and my daughter in law wanted to learn, so I showed her how to graft some self harvested apple scionwood and the fedco scionwood on to MM111 root stocks.

She knows me well... If you want to learn how to build a house, then build a house. Same applies to grafting . Learn by doing... I got everything out for her and said have a seat. I then taught her verbally, completely hands off. Safety first though and how to handle a razor sharp grafting knife. I explained the best I could, based on my peach grafting experience the previous evening... But it was first time grafting apples for both of us. She mainly did the whip and tongue graft where she could match the rootstock and scionwood diameters. Where the scionwood was smaller diameter than the rootstock she did a cleft grafts. Basically you need to learn a few different grafts because you have to work with what you have. She did an awesome job, lots of questions, and very caring, and great attention to detail, I suddenly because quality control. But I told her, if it don't seem right, then it probably isn't right so do it again. It was fun, she's hooked and I know I'm hooked also my only regret is not ordering more rootstocks from Fedco. Because the fun was over way too soon.

10 peach in one pot, then 14 apples. I had 4 of my own rootstocks I grafted the next day. It'll be 2 weeks tomorrow since we grafted. They say it takes 10 to 14 days for the grafts to callous together. And upto 6 weeks for buds to break.

On day 11 we got a few scionwood bud breaks happening, which is pretty cool a lot of the scionwood buds are swelling and about ready to break green I don't expect 100% takes. My daughter in law is pretty excited.

Grafts that have taken so far, evidenced by scionwood geen bud breaks.
2 Esopus Spitzenburg apple
1 Granny Smith apple
1 Peach

The 4 to the left have scionwood bud breaks, above the black treecoat sealant.

My observation... If your looking to start a orchard. Learning to grafting is almost essential and a cost effective, rewarding way to get started. You get to choose the rootstock characteristics and select the variety(s) to grow on the rootstocks. Fedco rootstocks were $3.60 each and their scionwood was $6.00 each for 8 inches (plus shipping and taxes). Each piece of their scionwood could graft 2 - 4 rootstocks based on bud distances.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

The only grafted fameuse variety apple scionwood from Fedco broke bud today. Even despite my daughter in law had a little technical difficulty with the pruners and tore the bark a little. I think her hand slipped is all. But I do remember her saying that she didn't want to get treecoat on the bud, as she carefully dabbed some on the top that girl. This was a modified cleft graft. Skip to 2:30 for modified cleft graft demonstration.

It's very interesting to me that these apple grafts break the very top scionwood bud first. I suspect if the top bud is viable, it's the first to break on apples. There's just so much to learn about this grafting business.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

First whip and tongue grafted peach scionwood broke bud today. Fedco prunus americana rootstock, self harvested red haven scionwood. It's interesting to me the very bottom scionwood bud broke first and through the parafilm and treecoat.

Top right is the bud break that matters, since it's on the scionwood. However it looks like more scionwood buds are getting ready to break well above the grafted area.

Whip and tongue grafting peach is delicate work. The 1 year old rootstock and scionwood is smaller diameter than apple and a lot softer. I need to study up on best grafts for peaches, plums, apricots. IDK... this bench grafting business is new to me.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Exciting! My one successful graft (a cherry) from last year didn't survive the winter. The rootstock from the deer chomped apple tree got ran over by hubby in the tractor, but I'm hoping it comes back. If it does, I can try grafting it next spring. There's another deer chomped peach that might have died back to the rootstock, so I'm hoping that too will come back and I can try to graft it as well.

 

[CrealCritter]

Exciting! My one successful graft (a cherry) from last year didn't survive the winter. The rootstock from the deer chomped apple tree got ran over by hubby in the tractor, but I'm hoping it comes back. If it does, I can try grafting it next spring. There's another deer chomped peach that might have died back to the rootstock, so I'm hoping that too will come back and I can try to graft it as well.

Here's what I have to do to keep the deer and rabbits off the saplings. If I set them out unprotected, it would be like ringing the dinner bell.

13 of 14 of my apple grafts have took, the 14th was a old rootstock that I double cleft grafted. It's looking promising, just hasn't broke bud on scionwood yet. Also 7 of 12 of my peach grafts took. Used several different grafts mainly whip and tongue but also cleft, modified cleft and bark. Have to adapt the graft technique to what would work best, with what I had to work with. Extremely pleased with the results of my first bench grafting results. Thank You Almighty

It's looking like I kiddie pools but they make for a great little tiny nursery. Easy to water and easy to drain. I'll baby sit these grafted saplings until they go dormant in fall, then transplant them in their permanent location in the orchard.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

There were hoops on the deer chomped trees, just too tall or too short, they were installed by the previous owner. The ones we have installed go from the ground to about 5' tall. I like your pool idea, I may copy it.

 

[Mini Horses]

Hard to believe those cages keep deer at bay. Here the deer would reach right over and eat them. I have one apple tree left....it has 8' wire that's 6' out all around.

Two days ago I saw it was full of bloom! Perhaps I'll get an apple.

 

[CrealCritter]

$86.99

Bing Sweet Cherry Tree - Stark Bro’s

The renowned, high-quality cherry. Yields uniform crops of huge, glossy, deep red almost black cherries. Fruit is juicy and sweet, perfect for...

www.starkbros.com

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

Yesterday I pruned the peach trees.

grafting update.

Apples are 100% takers 14 out of 14.
Peaches are 55% takers 6 out of 11.

Thank You Almighty

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

Grafting update... Growing

Glad I decided to put pots in kiddie pools. They are easy to water and easy to drain. I did prune the peaches where the grafts took of any rootstock side branch growth. By doing this the roots should focus on growing grafted wood. The peaches that didn't take I pruned the failed grafts off and left a single branch on the rootstock so I can graft them again next year.

I haven't pruned any of the grafted apples yet they are growing strong. I'll probably prune them of any root stock branches in a week or two.

Currently researching clonal rootstock propagation via stooling. So I can grow my own rootstocks. Here is a pretty good video on the subject for M111 apple rootstock propagation.

It's looking like we are going to need some bee hives in the next year or two for orchard pollination. We discussed and keeping bees will be Farmbabe'a todo.

Very thankful, Almighty

Jesus is Lord and Christ