It's not so easy to buy a good apple tree. Often in markets they sell wild seedlings under the guise of varietal ones, and even in specialized stores they can be confused. Second point - good varieties usually designed for warm, southern climates, and freeze out in cooler regions. Nobody wants to grow an apple tree for several years, which will one day freeze out. Therefore, the last option remains - grafting a wild apple tree. This is not an easy task, you will have to try many times before your scions begin to take root and grow, but this skill gives limitless possibilities for your garden.
The rootstock is task number one
Grafting a wild apple tree is carried out in the presence of good and strong plant. This is what will provide cultivated apple tree nutrients due to a powerful root system. If you have summer cottage It already exists and will serve as a rootstock. You can ask your gardening neighbors; probably one of them has the root of an old apple tree on their property, the cultivated part of which has died, and sprouts of wild trees have appeared from under the grafting. It is enough to dig them up and allow them to take root. permanent place residence.
Let us tell you one secret: grafting an apple tree is not much more successful than grafting a similar plant. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to plant a wild pear on your plot, be sure to take advantage of it.
Growing rootstock from seed
This is a long process, but if you do not plan to vaccinate in the near future, but want there to be good rootstock, then it is worth planting several trees for these purposes. Winter-hardy, local varieties of apple trees are best suited for collecting seeds. Seeds are prepared from ripe fruits collected in the fall. It is advisable to take the largest and most beautiful ones.
Seeds removed from the fruit are washed well and dried thoroughly. If the collection occurs in the fall, then the seeds should be removed until about mid-January. Next, they will undergo stratification; for this, the seeds need to be poured river sand and put it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. The stratification procedure can be replaced by sowing in a garden bed. From autumn choose convenient place and plant the seeds to a depth of 3-4 cm. They will lie under the snow all winter, and in the spring they will sprout vigorously. By autumn they will turn into small but strong seedlings.
Annual seedlings
We are still talking about how to grow a wild apple tree for grafting. The first summer has passed, the seedlings have grown stronger, now they need to be assigned to the main place. In another two years they will turn into real young trees that can be grafted onto. By this time you need to have time to prepare the graft. To do this, you will need beautiful ripe fruits of the variety you want to grow on your site. The growing procedure is absolutely identical to the one we described above. It will just take a little less time. If you sow seeds in a garden bed in the fall, then by next fall they will become thin seedlings, and a year later - real cuttings. Since the rootstock is already strong enough, grafting an apple tree onto a wild one can be quite successful.
Apple tree propagation by cuttings
Grafting an apple tree into wildflowers in the spring is done when there is a ready-made rootstock and a suitable cutting. The first one is a young seedling or a plant grown from seeds. Great option will become a wild apple tree grown in nature. This option is better than all the others, because the wild tree is most adapted to the climatic conditions of your region.
It is not necessary to grow a cutting from seeds for a long time; you can buy it at the market, where they sell varietal seedlings, or even easier - cut it from a tree from someone you know. The rest is a matter of technique. However, you need not only to know how to handle wild animals, but also to have sufficient skills. Perhaps someone you know has already done a similar procedure and can help you.
Preparing the cuttings
Grafting an apple tree into wild ones in the spring should take place on the same day. That is, strong twigs or annual shoots need to be prepared on the same day that you are going to perform the procedure. You should not prepare too much material for scions; evaluate your capabilities and time available. After the cutting is cut from the mother plant, all leaves are removed from it, leaving only part of the petioles. Further manipulations depend on the chosen technique. To make it easier for you to decide, we will describe the most basic types of vaccinations that you can use.
Basic rules
Now we will talk in more detail about how to graft an apple tree onto a wild one. However, first we emphasize the importance of following a few rules. First: no matter what time the grafting is carried out, the cutting, that is, the scion, must have buds that have not begun to develop. To comply with this rule, they are harvested in November/March and until grafting are stored in the refrigerator or basement, at a temperature of +2 ... - 4 o C. When is an apple tree grafted for wild use in the spring? The timing is suggested by the second rule, which says that vaccination should be done when sap flow begins. At the same time, in the case of an apple tree, you don’t have to rush too much: all stone fruits can be grafted until the end of flowering. And the last thing: cultivated plants grafted onto wild plants, most adapted to the characteristics of the region.
Preparing the necessary tools
You will need a knife, but be sure to keep the blade very sharp and clean. You can do a simple test: if the blade easily cuts three or four sheets of paper at a time, then it is quite suitable. In addition, you will also need a saw, plastic film or insulating tape. And don’t forget to prepare transparent bags made of thick polyethylene.
The tools are ready, the rootstock is growing in its proper place, now it’s up to the cuttings. As such, well-ripened annual shoots without flower buds. It is advisable that they be cut from south side crowns Take a good look at the branch you will be grafting. It should have smooth wood, a light cut and healthy, non-darkened buds. Now let’s look at the main methods of grafting an apple tree onto a wild plant in order to add an element of practice to our excursion.
Butt grafting, or simple copulation
This is done when the diameter of the scion and rootstock are approximately the same. This method does not require special skills and can be easily done by any gardener, even a beginner. You need to prepare the rootstock - to do this, choose a smooth place on the trunk or branch, without growths and buds, the diameter of which coincides with the cutting. Now, with a precise movement towards you, you will need to make an oblique smooth cut. Its diameter now exceeds the size of the scion. We take a shoot and cut out a cutting from its middle part. In one motion we make an oblique cut on it. Now it’s a matter of technique: we apply both cuts to each other. Please note: the cambial layers must be combined. At the same time, you should not touch the sections with your hands to avoid contamination with pathogenic bacteria. The junction is tightly wrapped with narrow polyethylene or insulating tape, with the non-adhesive side facing the bark. Grafting an apple tree onto a wild pear is as effective as grafting a plant of its own species onto a wild one. Please note that you need to tie it so well that even with force the handle does not pull out of the harness. The upper cut is covered with garden varnish. When performing the procedure early spring You can put a plastic bag over the vaccination site. The top cut should not touch the bag.
Improved copulation
This is a more complex, but effective technique that allows you to graft even in cases where the diameter of the rootstock and scion do not match. Grafting apple and pear trees into wildflowers in the fall is most often done using this method. Let's take a closer look at the technique itself.
It differs in that “tongues” are made on oblique cuts of the rootstock and scion. To do this, a shallow longitudinal cut is made on the cut of the rootstock. A similar one, at the same angle, is done on the rootstock. As a result, these two “tongues” fit into each other, forming a better and more reliable connection. This makes it easier to wrap and secure the two grafting elements, and also ensures faster fusion.
Bark grafting"
This method is popular for cases when a thin, young cutting is grafted onto an adult scion or thick branch. It is ideal to practice this option with the beginning of sap flow, then the bark is easily separated from the trunk. Prepare the place for grafting; to do this, wipe the bark well, freeing it from dirt and dust. Now with a sharp knife you need to make a vertical cut under the bark. At the same time, you should make a longitudinal cut on the scion and thoroughly clean the surface. All that remains is to insert the scion deep under the bark; the upper part of the cutting should go completely under it. Now, as in other cases, it is necessary to tightly wrap the grafting site to secure it and ensure fusion.
Grafting "into the cleft"
This is one of the most popular grafting methods that every gardener can easily perform. Therefore, we will consider in more detail how to graft apple trees into clefts in the spring. What is most remarkable is that this method can be performed when the diameters of the rootstock and scion are the same or very different from each other. This is the spread. It is most often used when the diameter of the rootstock is larger than that of the scion. However, judging by the reviews and experience of experienced gardeners, grafting “under the bark” is more effective in this case. However, this method also has a positive point: it can be used during the rest period, before the sap begins to flow.
The technique is relatively simple: the rootstock is shortened slightly, after which it is split in the center, and a wedge is inserted into the split. Cuttings for grafting are taken 25 mm long, with 2 or 4 buds. The lower cut is cut with a double-sided wedge. Here one should take into account the fact that the thickness of the bark of the rootstock is greater than that of the cutting, so the latter is inserted into the cleft to the full depth of the cut and slightly shifted deeper into the stump. Now the wedge is removed, and the handle remains tightly clamped. Now you need to tightly wrap the scion to the rootstock and cover everything with garden varnish. In order for the vaccine to take root accurately, they put it on
How to care for vaccinations
As soon as new growths appear on the scion, you should remove the tape, which ensured reliable fixation of the cutting and rootstock. This is done with a sharp knife. The plastic bag also needs to be removed in a timely manner when the first leaves appear on the grafted plant. All shoots that appear below the graft should be removed, as they will not produce cultural fruits, but will take away their vitality.
Grafting is an accessible tool for every gardener; you just need to learn how to use it. A little practice - and varietal apple trees will grow on your site.
Tree grafting is one of the simplest operations to be performed on an apple tree. To get vaccinated, you do not need experience or special knowledge. It is enough to follow the instructions and not neglect the little things.
There are many videos and other instructions on how to properly graft an apple tree. Gardeners discuss this problem on forums, share their experiences, highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each method.
Grafting is done in order to obtain branches and fruits of a different variety on the tree. Before grafting an apple tree, you need to properly prepare the scion for this matter.
The scion should be prepared in early spring or immediately after frost. The main thing is to have time to get vaccinated before the buds swell.
Branches the right variety Store in damp sand in a warm, cool room. A cellar or basement is best.
To graft a branch, annual branches are selected, maximum length which are 40 cm. The correct branch should be vertical.
Now you need to trim the shoot correctly. This is done at an acute angle. It is important to observe the following ratio: the diameter of the branch at the cut should be three times larger than the other edge. The opposite side is cut into a bud.
During vaccination, the following instruments will be used, which are prepared and disinfected in advance; the instruments should also not be greasy. The following will be useful for work:
- pruner;
- electrical tape or adhesive tape;
- garden var.
Hands are also washed with ordinary laundry soap. When will the vaccination itself take place, even clean hands Do not touch the cuts. If a small speck gets on the cut, this will significantly reduce the chance of good fusion.
The difference between copulation and budding
To understand the further process of tree grafting, you need to understand two concepts: copulation and budding.
Much more often gardeners use the first method, that is, copulation. It means that cuttings are used for grafting. When budding, only the rootstock bud is used. The bud is inserted into a cut on the scion, from which another shoot of the desired variety grows.
When using copulation, you need to be careful that the scion and rootstock are the same diameter. The cuts should also be made at the same angle so that the branch and cut fit together like a puzzle.
It will be right first make a cut on the rootstock. After this, attach it to the scion and make a second cut. Next, the sections are connected to each other using electrical tape. The best time for this is early spring. At the same time as grafting, you can prune the apple tree.
When can you get vaccinated?
Planting, pruning, grafting an apple tree and other operations are performed in a certain period of time. Even if the tree is at the moment stopped active development, this does not mean that all processes in it stopped.
An apple tree needs to be grafted when sap is actively moving in the trunk. This will contribute better connection scion and rootstock. That's why It is better to vaccinate in the spring. This is also useful for the cutting, which has the opportunity to grow further.
If the vaccination fails the first time, there is still time to repeat the operation.
Vaccination is often done in the summer. At this time, the apple tree is at the peak of its development and growth, the juice circulates in it with highest speed. It is important to choose good weather for vaccination; it is advisable to know the weather forecast for at least the next month.
Problem summer season is that this time is hot, air humidity is low. To graft in the summer, the rootstock must be periodically well moistened.
Professionals do not recommend vaccination in the fall. At this time, a minimum number of operations with any plants are generally performed. The trees are already preparing to rest, the juice moves more and more slowly. In the fall, you can only trim dry branches and prepare material for the next season.
As an experiment, you can try to vaccinate in the fall, but do this no later than September.
There are examples when vaccination was possible in winter. But this is only possible if the apple tree grows in a nursery or other premises. There is no fundamental difference here whether the vaccination will be carried out at the beginning of winter or at the end. The main thing is that the air temperature is not below zero degrees. In addition to the fact that the scion does not take root, the rootstock may also deteriorate.
Some summer residents advise about contact and to lunar calendar . It indicates specific days on which manipulations with plants can be carried out.
Apple tree grafting options
There is no one answer to how to properly graft an apple tree. There are a dozen various methods. Grafting can also perform additional tasks, for example, restoring a damaged area of the cortex.
Not all existing methods successfully used in practice. Therefore, it makes sense to talk only about the most effective ones, which will allow you to get new varieties and a bountiful harvest in the shortest possible time.
The two most popular vaccination methods are:
Bark grafting is effective when you need to graft one or more branches of new varieties onto an adult apple tree. Also, the bark method is used when the diameter of the rootstock and scion do not match, namely, when the rootstock is wider.
To graft using this method, it is not necessary to have a wide-branched tree. As a rootstock only one stump can be used.
Cuttings of the desired variety are attached to a pre-prepared cut. Only this cut is not made in the middle of the branch, but further than the edge of the bark. A cutting of smaller diameter is buried in the cut as deeply as possible.
The cut of the cutting should be in maximum contact with the cambium of the rootstock. This way it will turn out large area contact, and, therefore, the material will grow together faster. To ensure that the scion holds well and does not move, the elements are tightly tied with a winding.
Grafting into cleft similar to the previous method, but is used even more often. The diameter of the branch in this case can also be larger than the cutting. Diameters may differ several times.
The technology is as follows: an even cut is made on the rootstock, a small split is made in the middle, the maximum size is 5 cm. A cutting is placed in this gap, which has been cut according to all the rules, that is, with a long cut. The rootstock and scion should be in maximum contact with each other.
Eat a few more vaccination methods, which can be used:
- simple;
- improved;
- in the side cut.
How to graft an apple tree using simple method? It is only suitable for rootstock and scion that have the same diameter. The cuttings can be one or two years old. Sections of materials must match in shape and size.
You need to apply the scion quickly, before the surface is dry. Otherwise, you will have to wait longer for the branches to grow together.
Improved grafting is called this because an additional incision is made. It allows the branches to hold together better. On both parts, the oblique cut is cut by one third, direction along the axis. After this, the scion is introduced into the rootstock, without going too deep. If the diameter of the branches is different, then you need to try to keep the gap as small as possible.
Branches are grafted into a side cut when it is not possible to use the bark method. In this case, the cutting is simply inserted into the side cut. Two cuts are made on the scion, and one oblique cut through the bark on the rootstock. The scion is inserted into the gap, the cambium should be in contact.
The procedure is not finished yet. When the cutting takes root and begins to develop, the upper part of the rootstock is removed.
You can clearly see each type of vaccination in the video.
Not many gardeners have mastered grafting methods due to the lack of opportunity to learn this useful activity. However, everyone who grows fruit trees needs to master this art. A lot of information can be gleaned not only from books on gardening, but also from Internet articles and videos on YouTube. How to graft an apple tree in the fall so that the operation is successful can be found in the presented article.
Tasks and goals
Types and terms
Autumn vaccinations
Conclusion
Tasks and goals
Grafting is the fusion of two parts of different plants when they begin to grow as a single organism.
Grafting is one of the ways to propagate an apple tree. Moreover, to obtain the desired variety, sometimes a single bud is enough.
The most important and advantageous feature grafting is a combination of different properties of two plants.
The strength of tree growth, resistance to frost and disease, the nature of fruiting, and the ability to grow on waterlogged, saline and alkalized soils depend on the rootstock.
The problems that can be solved with the help of grafting are the most extensive:
- growing your favorite variety from a bud or twig;
- obtaining a winter-hardy tree;
- trees adapted to the existing soil;
- combination of several varieties on one plant;
- repairing wood after damage by frost or mice;
- regrafting the tree with the best variety;
- giving a certain form of growth (standard, weeping);
- correction of crown defects.
The purpose of grafting is to improve some properties of a plant growing in the garden.
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of grafting for expanding the range in a small garden.
When is the best time to graft an apple tree? Theoretically, this operation can be done all year round. Therefore, they do it in spring or autumn, as well as in summer and winter.
The result is due to compliance with several rules:
- correct connection of the rootstock and scion;
- fast and clean cut;
- speed of connecting parts;
- carefully covering the grafting site to provide it with sufficient moisture and heat;
- removing a section of branch above the grafting;
- removing all shoots on the rootstock.
When carrying out vaccination, several mandatory rules must be observed:
- The tool used to graft apple trees is clean and very sharp.
- The tree must first be watered well. This is done to better separate the bark from the wood.
- Do not touch the cut or cut with your hands.
- The length of the oblique cut is made within 3–5 cm.
- For the scion, young, semi-lignified or lignified annual shoots are taken.
- The operation is not performed in the heat; it is performed in cloudy weather and in the morning.
- It is better to choose small branches, about 2 cm thick, because large cuts are less likely to overgrow.
- All wounds are covered with paint and fungicide, garden varnish or liquid clay.
Types and terms
Methods or types of vaccination have been developed huge amount. All of them are divided into two groups:
- grafting with an eye (bud) - budding;
- grafting with a cutting (shoot) - copulation.
When budding, you need to choose a time when the apple tree bark easily comes away from the wood. It is usually done in the summer. The preferred thickness of the scion branches is 1.5–2 cm. A disadvantage of the method can be called long term waiting for the result of the vaccination.
The advantage of the copulation method is that it is carried out in any season.
Distinguish different location scion relative to the rootstock, vaccinations are:
- riding, when the entire branch above the scion is removed (into a split, behind the bark, copulation);
- lateral: without cutting or with partial cutting of the branch (budding, in a side cut, grafting by approach).
Various grafting procedures have been developed:
- copulation with tongue;
- into the cleft;
- for the bark;
- into the side cut;
- side grafting into the butt;
- tucking with a shield;
- proximity grafting;
- intermediate grafting.
The choice of method depends on the time of the procedure, the thickness of the branch and cutting, the final result and the skill of the gardener.
The main condition for success is the exact connection of all layers of the branch and cutting, mainly the coincidence of the cambium layers.
The best time to graft an apple tree is in the spring. From the beginning of sap flow until the buds open, when the air temperature is between +7–9 degrees, gardeners carry out the operation using cuttings prepared in advance in the fall. Usually for the middle zone it is the end of April and until the first ten days of May.
In spring, the tree has not yet fully woken up and is not very sensitive to damage, which is also taken into account when pruning. In addition, the bark comes away from the wood quite well. Spring grafting is good because in the current season the result of the work is already visible - whether the graft has taken root or not.
Grafting into a cleft, side cut or improved copulation is carried out from the first days of April. For reception "by the bark" best timing– from May 1 to May 10.
It is better to choose the correct time for the operation not according to the calendar, but according to the condition of the tree. When the bark separates freely and the color of the cambium is green, then best time for the procedure and good survival.
They are vaccinated in summer time. It is best to use budding. The grafted eye grows back next spring. First, until mid-August, the bark on the apple tree peels off no worse than in the spring.
At this time, budding is carried out in the butt. Budding with a shield in summer is performed from July to August. In general, the summer operation is carried out from mid-summer to mid-August, when the movement of tree sap is especially strong.
Winter grafting is used in nurseries for mass propagation of apple tree seedlings. For it, cuttings are prepared in the fall and dug up. annual seedlings rootstocks
All this is stored in a cold basement until January. In January, the shield and cuttings are grafted onto the trunk of the seedling. Use any methods except the “bark” method. It is not suitable, since active sap flow is required for successful fusion. The grafted plants are kept warm for a week for tissue fusion, and then transferred to a cold basement until spring.
Experienced gardeners have mastered the skill of grafting so masterfully that they can graft not only buds and cuttings, but also five-meter branches. This is done so as not to wait several years for the scion to grow and begin to bear fruit.
Autumn vaccinations
Many gardeners are not sure whether it is possible to graft apple trees in the fall. In the fall, the vaccination procedure is rarely done, since the onset of cold weather is hardly predictable. Typically, such a need arises when it is impossible to get cuttings of the desired variety at another time. Grafting an apple tree in the fall gives good results if it is done at the right time.
The timing of the procedure depends on weather conditions. If usually stable cold below +5 degrees sets in in the region from mid-October, then vaccination should be done a month before this date.
To avoid the appearance of rot on the root collar, apple trees are grafted at a height of 25 cm from the ground.
How to graft an apple tree in the fall? You need to know what vaccination methods are appropriate to carry out at this time.
- After harvesting the apples and before active leaf fall, copulation is done in any way.
- From the end of August to the second half of September I vaccinate with the eye.
- In early autumn, at the end of September and beginning of October, the bark grafting procedure is most successful.
- The scions take root almost without attacks. The main thing is to have time to get vaccinated before establishing constant temperature+10 degrees and below.
It is best to take cuttings from the tree immediately before surgery. But if this is not possible, the cuttings were brought from afar in advance, you need to know how to store them correctly. Cuttings are cut 25–30 cm long from the southern side of the tree, wrapped in damp cloth and placed in a plastic bag.
The main thing is not to let them dry out. Before grafting, the cuttings are stored in a refrigerator at a temperature no higher than +3 degrees. The lower ends should be buried in damp sand.
Copulation:
- For this operation, select a rootstock and scion of the same thickness. For the scion, lignified shoots of the current year are cut.
- The rootstock is cut at a height of 25 cm and the top is cut off with an oblique cut 4 cm long.
- The scion is cut with the same oblique cut above the bud. There are 4–5 live buds on the cuttings.
- For a more durable connection, tongues are cut out on the rootstock and scion - shallow longitudinal cuts. This is called improved copulation. The graft is tied with a strong tape, the top of the rootstock is covered with garden pitch.
- The grafting is left until fusion. Growing shoots are cut off above the 3rd leaf.
Inoculation:
- Having previously cleaned the rootstock, we cut a T-shaped cut on it in the selected area. First, cut a transverse incision 1.5 cm long, then from bottom to top longitudinal section 3 cm long.
- Using a knife, carefully bend the bark away from the wood.
- For a scion in the fall, dormant eyes are suitable, that is, buds that have grown this summer, but they will grow back next spring. Buds are cut from annual semi-lignified shoots. From the bud up and down, a gap of 1.5 cm is retreated. The cut is made in one movement, smoothly and accurately.
- We insert the bud with the eye facing up and press the bark. The insert is located in the middle of the longitudinal section.
- We wrap the insert tightly at the top and bottom with a special tape, leaving the kidney free from the binding. This must be done carefully; the installed shield must not be moved.
- The film is removed only next spring after the scutellum has germinated.
Vaccination for bark:
- Cut down a branch on an old tree.
- On the remaining stump, make a longitudinal cut in the bark to the depth of the wood and 3–5 cm long.
- Make an oblique cut of the same length on the cutting.
- Bend the bark with a knife and insert the cutting behind the bark, connecting the oblique cut to the bark.
- Tie the cutting tightly to the branch with plastic tape. Coat the cut, cut and top of the cutting with garden varnish. Cover the cutting with a bag and insulate it with a cloth.
- After 15–20 days, one of the buds on the cutting should begin to grow. At this time, remove the fly.
IN autumn time It is better not to do vaccinations where a large cut is used - splitting, copulation. The apple tree no longer has time to heal the junction.
After leaf fall begins, sap flow stops and conditions for scion survival become unsuitable.
It is important not only to carry out the grafting procedure correctly, but also to know how to complete it correctly.
Immediately after installing the grafted cutting, a film is wound around it. The film is cut in advance into 2 cm wide and 30–40 cm long.
It is very convenient to use a special tape. Its use allows not only to reliably hold the graft, but also to reduce moisture loss at the site of the operation. Do not use tape for this; it will be difficult to remove later.
Next, the film is covered with garden pitch. The main quality of the chosen brew is that it should soften in the sun without heating. All sections are covered with a layer of 2 mm, leaving the bud or cutting free. Be sure to cover the upper end of the grafted cuttings and the cut of the rootstock, if any.
The next step is installing a protective cap or just a plastic bag. It is tightly wound to the branch below the cut point. Increasing the temperature with this simple shelter speeds up fusion. After the buds on the cuttings swell, the bag is removed.
When grafting in autumn, you need to pay attention to its insulation, which is never done in spring or summer. In autumn, the scion should be insulated with linen or cotton fabric.
The established scion begins to grow in 1.5–2 weeks and grows slowly at first. And the rootstock grows quickly and produces a lot of new shoots that can drown out the scion. They must be removed, but not entirely, but above 3-4 leaves, otherwise you can cause even greater growth of shoots.
Conclusion
Mastering the skill of grafting will help the gardener expand the number of varieties of apple trees growing in his garden to the limits he desires. Getting cuttings is much cheaper than getting seedlings.
They can often be purchased for free. Another definite plus is that you don’t have to look for a place for a new plant. You can learn how to graft an apple tree in spring, summer, autumn and even winter. The art of grafting will magically transform the garden, filling it with wonderful acquisitions.
Similar materials
The method of grafting by cuttings is used in modern gardening for various purposes. It is widely used to form planting material. In addition, grafting using cuttings is done when creating dwarf apple trees, in cases where it is necessary to repair a damaged tree trunk. This method is used to re-vaccinate mature tree. They do it to change the crown simple variety to a more promising one or to form several varieties on one tree.
In order to graft apple trees in the spring using cuttings, you need to stock up on annual growth in advance. Cut it off, then twist it into bundles with wire. Attach a label with the name to each bundle, then place it in storage. Most often, cuttings for grafting apple trees are formed in early December, but some gardeners do this in early spring, when the buds are still swelling.
Material for grafting should be prepared:
- only from healthy apple trees;
- which have good growth;
- bear fruit well;
- not old.
Cuttings for grafting are stored in the first ten days of winter; they are cut after light frosts. Freezing at temperatures no higher than 10 degrees only hardens the wood, making it stronger and thicker. Cut apples cuttings are tied into bundles and placed in a box with sand, which is installed in the basement and stored there at a temperature of plus 2°. In this state they are stored until spring.
The lower part of the cuttings should be placed in sawdust or sand and kept moist. If you do not have a basement, then cut apple tree branches are wrapped in a wet cloth and kept in a cool room until snow falls outside. The cut cuttings are unrolled, freed from damp cloth, and then snowdrifts are placed. They can be arranged with north side at home or under high fence. Drifts should be covered with any thermal insulation material. For this peat, sawdust or spruce branches from pine needles are suitable. This is necessary so that with the arrival of spring the snowdrifts melt more slowly.
If the winter was mild, then cuttings for grafting apple trees can be stored in early spring. At the same time, it must be remembered that grafting a tree with cuttings containing frozen wood will not good result . It is useless to graft such a cutting. This can be clearly seen in the training videos, of which there are many on the website of amateur gardeners. When cut, it develops a light brown color, which indicates that the material cannot be used for grafting.
Some gardeners store grafting material in the refrigerator. To do this, you need to wrap the cuttings in a damp cloth or plastic wrap and place them on the bottom shelf. Cuttings for grafting are cut from the middle part of the branch., which is at least 1 year old and has at least 3 or 4 kidneys. The material is cut so that the top cut falls “on the bud”. The lower part of the branch is formed depending on the type of grafting.
Methods of grafting cuttings
There are several methods of grafting, but we will describe the most popular and simple ones.
Grafting into cleft
This method is used when it is necessary to regraft an adult apple tree. To do this, cut branches with a diameter of at least 2-4 centimeters. Grafting apple trees into clefts requires care and attention. This the rootstock is split crosswise using a knife, then make oblique cuts on the branches and insert them. The cut cutting is connected to a cut made on the rootstock. This operation requires precision; survival rate will depend on it.
The cuts are made with a sharp knife; the length of the lower one should be several times greater than the diameter of the main cutting. Spring grafting of an apple tree in the spring is carried out in good weather. when there is no wind or rain. All work should be done with clean hands, and the place where the scion and rootstock meet should be tightly tied plastic film. The cuts should be covered with garden varnish.
Lateral incision grafting
This method is used to graft young branches onto a tree trunk. This is how you can graft an oculant from a wild apple tree. An oblique cut is made on the supply of apple tree wood, and 2 oblique longitudinal cuts are made on the bark of the grafted variety. A scion is inserted into this cut, its edges are connected so that the cambium matches. After the cutting starts to grow, it top part removed with a grafting knife. The place where the grafting was made is tied with a synthetic film, and the sections are covered with garden pitch. No way Do not use insulating tape for work. It contains harmful additives, is rough, does not allow callus to develop, and interferes with the rapid growth of the graft.
Vaccination for bark
This type of budding is used in the spring, when sap flow begins. At this time, branches of medium and large caliber can be grafted. Sequence of work:
- sawing;
- cleaning the cut area;
- make a cut;
- we drive the cutting;
- We wrap everything well with film.
A large branch should be carefully cut down, and the grafting will be done at this point. We clean the cut end of the branch with a sharp knife until smooth. The cuttings are cleaned a little, this is necessary for good survival, then the cut cuttings are inserted under the bark. The cut of the cutting can be made long and narrow, which makes it easier for it to fit under the bark of the scion, then it is pushed under the bark so that it fits completely there. Some gardeners make a small shoulder at the top of the cutting. This is necessary in order to limit the advancement of the cutting.
Apple tree regrafting method
This method of budding is used only for healthy apple trees. Only thick skeletal branches are grafted. This method is good because there is no incompatibility with it. In this way, you can graft winter varieties of apple trees onto summer ones. Three or four varieties can be grafted onto one tree at once. They develop well and give bountiful harvests. Not many gardeners know how to plant an apple tree in the spring; to do the job correctly, you should watch instructional videos, of which there are many on the Internet.
Before starting work, remove part of the crown. Work on an adult tree is done according to the main skeletal branches. Vaccination should be done at a height of at least one meter. After budding, the branches are allowed to grow and are left for further growth for 2 or 3 years.
Winter vaccination
For work, take one-year-old apple tree seedlings or cuttings. They must be covered with a small lobe, at least 20 centimeters long. This rootstock begins to be harvested in the fall, then it is placed in a cool, unheated room. For better storage seedlings are shortened by five or eight centimeters, and the roots are trimmed. This rootstock begins to be harvested in the fall and is stored in a cold basement. Here they do it for them wooden box where the seedlings are placed, cover them with fine river sand or peat. The most favorable months for budding are January, February and March.
All work is done in a warm room. The material is brought here, allowed to warm up, then washed to remove dirt and dried. Main method winter grafting is an improved copulation. The junction is tied with hemp or plastic film. The finished seedlings are placed in boxes and sprinkled with a damp sawdust substrate. For better storage, you can add finely ground charcoal. It protects the rootstock:
- from mold;
- rotting;
- bacterial damage.
The boxes are stored and stored at a temperature not lower than 22 degrees.