Apricot grafting with cuttings in summer. Why is this procedure needed? When and how to graft an apricot

Sometimes, when purchasing garden plot with old apricot trees already on it, the gardener turns out to be disappointed with the quality of the harvest obtained from them. To correct the situation, you can use one of the solutions - remove all the trees at the roots and plant new ones to suit your taste, or graft your own chosen varieties onto the rootstocks of these “old-timers”. The second option looks preferable. And you will understand why this is so after reading our article.

What is a vaccination?

Having learned about grafting, many inexperienced novice gardeners try to immediately reproduce all the operations they have read on their site and often get into trouble. This is not such a simple task: it requires maximum accuracy and compliance with all the rules. First, you should find out what a vaccination is and what its purpose is.

Vaccination is great way improve the varietal qualities of a tree by combining one part of it with a part of another tree. The part that is grafted (this is a cutting of a plant of some variety) is called a scion, and the part that is grafted onto is called a rootstock. During the grafting process, the scion tissues engraft into the rootstock tissues, and after some time the two parts, having recently been two different trees , become one. Thanks to the nurse trunk, the varietal cutting receives all the necessary nutrients and begins to show his.

best qualities

In addition to improving the qualities of the selected variety, grafting can also have another goal - improving the level of winter hardiness of the plant, which is very important in those regions where doubts arise about the ability of the purchased tree to survive the winter without loss. To do this, a cutting of a variety with weak or medium winter hardiness is grafted onto a frost-resistant variety. For

successful vaccination

Remember, when you graft a conditional apricot onto a plum, you will get an apricot, but not a plum. But if a plum tolerates winter better than a grafted apricot, it will certainly pass on this valuable quality to the cutting.

When, how and how much: basic rules

All experts and amateur gardeners agree that the best time for grafting is spring, since in the fall the cutting may not have time to take root before frost. True, there is also a winter grafting, but it is used for pear, apple and plum trees. In our case, the apricot cuttings should be grafted strictly in the spring and nothing else, when active sap flow in the tissues begins. Since there are still frosts at night at this time, you need to wait until it gets warmer (usually from late April to early May). In summer, apricot can be grafted only in those regions where warm season

long enough for the cuttings to take root. Success is possible only if there is a warm, long season and there is confidence in the weather forecast. Graft apricot better in spring

so that the cutting has more time to take root in warm temperatures

For grafting to be successful, it is necessary to strictly follow a whole set of rules to ensure the safety of the plant during the period of its establishment. Cuttings are prepared in advance and stored in proper conditions. The workpiece passes late autumn - the top shoots are cut off and wrapped in film, after which they are stored directly in the snow. After it has disappeared, the cuttings are moved to the refrigerator, rewound with a damp cloth. Before the event starts, they are soaked in water and cooked necessary tools

, which must be absolutely sterile and in full working order.

The grafting instrument must be sterile and sharply sharpened.

Another thing follows from this rule - all cuts must be made with a sharp and clean knife - after all, we are working with the internal tissues of the tree and performing an operation that in some ways can be compared with those performed on humans. The cut must also be clean.

The grafting site should be tightly tied to ensure maximum fixation of the scion. Only with close contact does the engraftment of its tissues with the tissues of the rootstock occur.

The grafting procedure itself takes a few minutes, but the grafting time of the scion may vary, but the result of your work will be obvious when the first leaves appear on the cutting. Apricot grafting allows you to get a harvest earlier than with conventional seedling cultivation. For example, if a new seedling bears its first fruits in 3-4 years, then a grafted cutting will be able to please you with a harvest in 2-3 years. It happens that after a year the first ovaries appear on the apricot, but it is better to remove them for stimulation active growth

branches.

You can judge the success of the grafting by the first leaves that appear on the scion.

For apricot As we already know, grafting apricot onto apricot is the best of all possible options

. To successfully implement it, you need to take into account the age, thickness and size of the branches. There are dozens of grafting methods, but not all are suitable for apricots. All places of cuts and joints should be covered with garden varnish to provide the necessary protection from adverse external influences

. Instead of varnish, you can use a special oil paint.

Video: apricot grafting

To the plum Grafting an apricot onto a plum is often found in gardening practice, since the plum is convenient option as a rootstock. In this case, it is better to choose semi-wild apricot varieties as a scion. Such a cutting, when grafted onto a frost-resistant plum, performs well in terms of wintering. If a growth occurs at the vaccination site, it is minimal, which only confirms good compatibility plums and apricots. Methods of vaccination in in this case

the same as when merging two apricots. Plum is good rootstock

for apricot and increases its frost resistance

Video: grafting apricot onto plum

Other options In addition to grafting with cuttings, budding is possible, where the scion is cut from apricot tree shield with kidney. An incision is made in the rootstock in the form of a small pocket, into which the scion is inserted and wrapped tightly.

This method does not provide the same guarantees as grafting with cuttings, and is carried out at the end of April - beginning of May, so that the shield has time to grow together in warm conditions. Step-by-step budding: A - c

closed shield

; B - with open shield Firstly, cherry plum is a strong rootstock for any stone fruit tree. Secondly, the cuttings take root very well in a new place, later producing fruits with a pleasant sweetish taste.

You can no less often hear about grafting on the turn. But such a procedure has its own difficulties. As a rootstock, you should choose not wild blackthorn, but cultivated damson. But in this case there is a high probability of getting growth. However, you can avoid this trouble by grafting the apricot as close as possible to the root collar of the rootstock.

Many modern fruit trees reproduce by grafting. This makes it possible to completely repeat the properties of the mother forms, as well as to make a special selection that allows improving the quality of plants, for example, increasing their level of frost resistance. The main thing is to know how to properly graft an apricot. In this article we will not only tell you how to graft apricot onto apricot, but also introduce you to some of the subtleties that you cannot do without in this procedure.

When to graft an apricot

The timing of apricot grafting also plays an important role. After all, in certain time year, this procedure has its own characteristics. It is better to graft in cool, dry weather, when the sky is cloudy, but there is no forecast of rain. It is under these conditions that the tree will tolerate grafting well. Cuttings must be prepared in advance and stored for a long time in special conditions, for better preservation.

• Apricot grafting in spring is the best. At this time, the circulation of tree sap is very high, which greatly increases the likelihood of good fusion of the scion with the rootstock. It is best to carry out this procedure in late April - early March. And, of course, when there are no longer significant drops in temperature.
• When grafting apricots in the summer, the gardener will invariably face the problem of weakening trees. It will be necessary not only to properly process the cut site, but also to provide the plantings with appropriate care. So, for example, an apricot after summer vaccination will be required in mandatory frequent watering and tree feeding mineral fertilizers. Such proper care planting will guarantee the success of this procedure.
• In the fall, it is best to vaccinate, starting in mid-September and ending in mid-October. Remember also that to successfully carry out this work it is necessary to use high-quality apricot scion and rootstock.

Tools for grafting apricot onto apricot

To perform a high-quality vaccination, it is necessary to properly prepare the required tools. Most gardeners use a garden knife for this procedure. But this is not entirely advisable, because such equipment is necessary for trimming or cleaning wounds. But budding knives are actively used for budding. Distinctive feature The presented instrument is the presence of a curved blade, a bone at the base of the instrument, with the help of which the bark is pushed apart. You also need to buy a grafting knife for grafting. Its design assumes a straight blade, and its sharpening is performed on one side. The second side has a flat surface. This will allow you to get even cuts, and making them will be much easier. All knives you buy at the store need to be sharpened. If the tool is blunt, then it is worth using bars with small and large grains, which are pre-moistened with water.

If the knife is not dull, but not quite sharp, then it still needs to be corrected. Treat the block in water and sharpen the sharp side in a circular motion, and remove the burrs from the second. After the presented manipulations, it is advisable to adjust the knife. To do this, you should use a graft with a leather or canvas belt. The graft must be treated with polishing paste. You can't do without pruning shears. It is during grafting that it is important to cut off cuttings, branches and other parts.

Choosing a rootstock for apricot grafting

Any fruit trees should be grafted onto 4-5 year old rootstocks. When the trunk thickness is at least 4-12 cm. If apricot grafting is carried out on a weakened, diseased, underdeveloped tree, it can be done at a later age. However, it should be taken into account that older tree, the worse the survival rate and the more difficult it is technically to perform this procedure correctly. Apricot can be grafted onto a large number of stone fruits, and at the same time get guaranteed positive result.

Let's consider grafting options for different trees:

1. For cherry plum. The most popular method of apricot grafting. Because cherry plum is the strongest and most fertile rootstock. The cuttings take root well on it, and later the fruits develop a pleasant aftertaste.
2. To the plum. This is also a fairly common method. With successful engraftment, virtually no growth is formed at the grafting site, which indicates good compatibility. Just take semi-wild varieties.
3. On a peach. This vaccination is suitable for the south of the country.
4. For apricot. The best and highest quality option.

Many studies indicate that grafting on identical tree varieties is particularly successful. Therefore, preference should be given to apricot grafting; in this case, the risk of incompatibility of components is minimal, and the cutting will take root much faster. As a result, the grafted plant will be drought-resistant, winter-resistant, without regrowth, and the fruits will be sweet, large, and brightly colored. Grafting apricot onto peach is often used. However, it is more suitable for southern regions, since peach does not tolerate frost well, and the probability of cuttings dying is very high. Plum, cherry, cherry plum, and sloe are also used as rootstocks.

Selection and method of storing apricot cuttings

Propagation of apricot by cuttings is very popular. Prepare cuttings for grafting better in autumn, and take those that have grown well and become stronger in the summer, with healthy shoots, good healthy color, and cracking a little when bent.

• thin branches;
• branches damaged by fungus and other diseases;
• poorly matured branches.

It is recommended to choose basements or pits for storage of cuttings. That is, it should be cold and damp. Proper storage will ensure good survival in the future. It is safest to store cuttings in damp sand, peat, sawdust or other substrate. The substrate is periodically moistened. This way the cuttings remain fresh, as if they were just cut, and take root well.

Latest articles for gardeners and gardeners

Methods of grafting apricot onto apricot

• Grafting into a side cut is also a fairly common method, in which a shaped cut is made in the side of the trunk, into which a cutting is inserted and tightly wound to the trunk.
• Cleft grafting is one of the most known methods, used when the diameter of the rootstock branch is much greater than the diameter of the scion. At the place where the grafting will be done on the rootstock, an incision is made, a shallow split is made in the middle, into which the cutting is inserted. It should fit tightly into the recess and be pressed well.
• Grafting with cuttings or copulation is ideal for cases where the diameters of the scion and rootstock are the same. It turns out that one is a continuation of the other. The cuttings are connected to the rootstock and tied tightly to it. After a couple of years, only a small seam at the junction will remind you of the operation.
• Grafting behind the bark is somewhat different from previous methods, since the incision affects only the bark of the rootstock without its internal tissues. Two cuts are made on the sides of the rootstock, the bark is bent slightly so that it looks a little like a zipper on clothing, and a cutting is inserted between it and the trunk. The bark is then pressed back onto the tree and wrapped tightly.

How to graft an apricot onto an apricot

One way vegetative propagation plants is grafting. It is often used for breeding fruit crops, because it allows the gardener to get a plant that will meet his requirements for yield, endurance, fruit taste, etc.

Grafting is one of the methods of vegetative propagation of plants

Features of grafting

It should be noted that grafting is an effective agricultural technique in which two crops are combined, one is called a scion (usually a cutting), the other is a rootstock (main tree). The result of grafting is the fusion of two parts into a single whole.

Problems solved by vaccination:

• improving the quality of fruits of interest to the gardener;
• increasing the level of winter hardiness of the plant.

Connecting a scion with less resistance to a rootstock that tolerates very coldy, allows you to achieve the second goal, which is especially relevant for those who grow crops in middle lane Russia.

Apricot grafting does not require an exact varietal or species match between the two plants used. The main thing is that it is used as a rootstock stone fruit, and not pome (this means that it is not advisable to graft apricot onto an apple or pear tree).

You should know: you should not try to graft an apricot onto an apple tree.

Good time for vaccination

Necessary conditions for the procedure:

• lack of heat;
• low air humidity;
• minimal chance of precipitation.

In such conditions, grafting of apricots and other fruit crops is most effective. Much depends on compliance with the rules for storing cuttings and the requirements regarding their connection with the nurse tree.

When to graft an apricot:

1. In the spring. Having accomplished correct connection scion with rootstock in late April - early May, the gardener can achieve their fusion with the least amount of time. In spring, sap circulates through the tree with maximum intensity.
2. In summer. Many people prefer to vaccinate apricots at the earliest warm time of the year. This is only suitable for regions with long summers.
3. In autumn. The least recommended option, because the weather is changeable and the first frost is approaching. Not every grafted cutting manages to take root in such a short time, and therefore the probability of the scion dying is high.

Agrotechnical procedures in this category can be carried out even in winter. However, they are not suitable for apricot owners: first of all, such methods are intended for those who want to know how to plant a plum, apple or pear tree.

Choosing a suitable rootstock

You need to select cuttings in the fall. Apricot grafting should be done on rootstocks 3–5 years old. The thickness of the trunk of the plant acting as a breadwinner should be in the range of 3–10 cm. The rootstock for apricot should be healthy, capable of “pulling” the grafted cuttings without difficulty.

Fruit trees to which apricot can be grafted:

Most often, apricots are grafted onto cherry plums.

1. Cherry plum. This is a first-class rootstock for growing the vast majority of stone fruits. Apricots are grafted onto cherry plums quite often.
2. Turn. It is better to choose not a wild variety of this species as a rootstock, but a damson plum. This is especially true if an apricot grown from a seed is grafted onto the latter: this way you can get larger fruits.
3. Plum. An equally common option, which can be explained by the compatibility of crops (it is quite possible to graft a plum onto an apricot, and vice versa). Gardeners especially often strive to graft apricot onto plum, which is highly frost-resistant. Grafting an apricot onto a plum rarely results in the formation of growths.
4. Cherry or sweet cherry. As a rootstock, it is advisable to choose the most strong varieties, characterized by high strength branches. Apricots should be grafted onto cherries by insertion, after another stone fruit crop (plum, cherry plum, etc.) has been successfully grafted onto them.

The propagation that produces the best results is grafting apricot onto apricot. This concerns the survival rate and durability of the plant, taste qualities its fruits and lack of growth.

Preparatory activities

The future scion must be strong with one growth bud and several lateral buds, at least 5 mm thick. How to properly harvest and store apricot sprigs:

1. IN refrigeration chamber, away from the freezer. It is necessary that the future scion be wrapped in a damp cloth and placed in plastic packaging.
2. In sand, peat or sawdust regularly moistened with water, maintaining a minimum positive temperature. Such conditions have a positive effect on the cuttings, thanks to which they remain fresh until the apricot is grafted.
3. No special requirements. Some gardeners prefer to use cut cuttings right away, which most of their colleagues are very skeptical about.

Which of the following solutions should be preferred? Most choose the second option; the first method is less popular. Is it possible to use the third method: not recommended (depending on the situation).

Apricot grafting methods

Before grafting, prepared apricot cuttings are soaked in water. All tools must be clean and well sharpened. The plants are tightly tied to each other, and the cut points are treated with garden varnish.

How to graft an apricot:

1. In the side section of the trunk. One of the most reliable ways to grow an apricot is by grafting.
2. In a split made in the middle of the cut on the rootstock. An option suitable in situations where the thickness of the branch significantly exceeds the diameter of the grafted cutting.
3. Copulation. A method used to join a rootstock and scion of approximately equal thickness by means of tight binding.
4. For the bark. used if the diameter of the base is many times greater than the thickness of the cutting. It involves making an incision in the bark of the rootstock and inserting a scion into it, followed by winding.
5. Budding is a technique that involves using as a scion not a cutting, but a shield with a bud, which was cut from an apricot tree. As for when and how to carry it out, the recommended time to carry it out is the end of April and the beginning of May, and it is performed using a budding knife. All the gardener needs to do in this situation is to cut the rootstock, insert the scion into it and connect both plants.