Apple grafting - a complete description of the methods and stages of preparation
Content:
Grafting an apple tree is not a necessary step in growing a plant, but it has many advantages. Firstly, grafting an apple tree allows you to grow several varieties or types of fruits on one tree at once. Secondly, vaccination allows you to save territory in the garden. There are many grafting methods nowadays, and each of them is very simple. But for the correct vaccination, you still need to study some information, for example, when and how to get vaccinated.
Apple grafting: terminology
Before starting to study the necessary information, you need to find out the meaning of some words that are often found in theory.
1. Acceptance is called a part of a tree or shrub that in the future gardeners will plant on a shrub.
2. Stock called the tree or shrub to which the scion is attached.
3. By copulation is called grafting in which cuttings are used.
4. Budding is called the engraftment of several buds on the stock, which changes its quality.
What is the vaccine for?
Apple grafting is a very popular method used by breeders. It allows you to change the quality, quantity and appearance of the fruit or the tree itself.
Vaccination benefits:
1. With the help of grafted branches or buds, you can rejuvenate an old plant and increase its yield. This method helps gardeners and gardeners to preserve a rare variety or the tree itself.
2. Crown formation is the result of a well-carried out vaccination. If there are many varieties on the tree and the difficulty in picking apples due to the height of the apple tree, the tree should be made lower. This will allow you to harvest the fruit faster and safer.
3. Plants that have been injured can be rescued through routine grafting.
4. For gardeners with small families and small plots, growing several varieties at once on one tree becomes very convenient. The varieties can be completely different and of different ripening periods, so the harvest can be obtained during the entire fruiting period, from early to late.
Terms of grafting apple trees
Grafting can take place throughout the year, but for some, each variety has its own characteristics, therefore, for a different variety, a certain time of the year.
Winter grafting of an apple tree
In winter, inoculation is carried out in warm weather, in a well-heated room. Such a vaccination has another name "table", it appeared due to its own specifics. During this period, grafting is good for young trees planted in the spring.
Vaccination rules:
1. The temperature should be above +5 degrees.
2. The best vaccination period is February-March.
3. The apple tree should be grafted long before you plan to plant the tree.
4. The graft and stock before grafting should be at a temperature of -1 degrees.
5. The tree that will be grafted 15 days before grafting must be kept in a warm room.
6. 5 days before grafting, the stock is also placed in a warm room.
7. Trees that have already been grafted but not yet planted are stored in a warm place.
Note: Vaccination in winter is a rather complicated procedure, so professionals perform it at other times.
Autumn grafting apple tree
The autumn time, when the plant is preparing for wintering, slowing down all the processes taking place in the tree, is not at all a good time for grafting an apple tree. Most often, if such an apple tree is inoculated, it is only a forced event. Gardeners carry out the autumn grafting when they have a scion of some rare litter or species and they simply cannot keep it until spring.
Vaccination rules:
1. Autumn grafting should be done in windless weather.
2. The best way in early autumn is budding.
3. Until October, you can use such methods as "in the split" or "for the bark".
4. Vaccination should be carried out at temperatures above -10 degrees.
Note: This grafting will only be effective for young trees; mature plants may not take root at this time of year.
Summer grafting apple tree grafting
Grafting in the summer is the best, since absolutely all plants survive it.
Vaccination rules:
1. The apple tree should be grafted at the beginning of August, when the trees have an active sap movement. In places with hot climates, this time will be the most optimal way.
2. Vaccination at this time of the year can be done in any way.
Spring grafting apple tree
Grafting an apple tree in the spring is just as effective as in the summer. At the beginning of March, the speed of the sap movement increases in trees, the immunity becomes stronger, so the grafting is successful without any problems. Both the stock and the scion get along well with each other. Experts recommend vaccinating on lunar days, during the period when the moon is growing, this time is considered the most successful time. Vaccination rules:
The advantage of this grafting is that it has few rules for grafting, as opposed to winter or autumn grafting.
1. The weather should be good, the temperature is + 15, + 20 degrees.
Apple tree grafting - tools and materials
For a successful vaccination, you will need the following tools:
1. Vaccination knife.
2. Sharp blade (short blade).
3. Pruner.
4. Oculus knife.
Note: experts recommend buying a special pruner for grafting, as it differs from a regular pruner in its blade, or rather in its shape. Most often in stores there are sets consisting of knives and a special pruner for grafting. Why is it worth buying a special pruner? Because it has more features and a number of advantages:
1. A specialized tool allows you to perform the circumcision as accurately as possible, thereby causing less trauma, in contrast to a non-specialized secateurs.
2. It is convenient for them to perform a cut of any complexity. For example, curly cuts, which are very difficult to perform using a regular pruner.
At the moment, there are a huge variety of special pruning shears, which differ in price. Gardeners say from personal experience that the more expensive tools are better, since their quality is very different from the cheaper ones.
Previously, sets consisting of knives and a pruner for grafting caused a storm of negative emotions, this was due to the fact that inexperienced gardeners did not know how to use them. Therefore, if you are not a specialist, but an inexperienced gardener, then it is recommended to use ordinary garden tools.
Materials required for vaccination
For grafting, you need garden pitch or garden resin (this is the same thing), it is necessary for safety reasons. To prevent damage to the place that is injured by any bacteria or parasite, use this var. It also provides fast healing.
Garden resin is a viscous substance that is used to coat the wounds of trees and plants.
Note: there is a certain peculiarity in the use of this substance, which consists in the fact that nowadays the manufacturer is trying to make this product universal.This is done so that it can be used in different areas, both in temperate and arctic climates. Manufacturers began to think about it some time after customer complaints. Their var was intended only for temperate climates, and buyers used it in harsh climates, such use led to the appearance of chips on the resin, which could lead to complete drainage and exposure of the tree.
Homemade var recipe
Garden var, which was bought in the store, may not fit or turn out to be of poor quality, but do not be upset. Garden var can be prepared at home, for this you need:
1. Oily resin
2. Cow dung
3. Down (of any animal)
First you need to take equal parts of the resin and manure and mix these ingredients thoroughly. Then the fluff is taken and mixed, it will ensure the density of the mixture. In the end, a tight substance is obtained that will be very similar to a purchased garden pitch. Var is ready!
To strengthen the scion
To strengthen the scion on the stock, gardeners use a strapping. You will need a plastic bag or duct tape. Either tape or tape is wrapped around twigs for fixing.
Proper grafting of apple trees - how to prepare
The choice of scion and rootstock.
The success of grafting depends entirely on the scion and rootstock, so the right choice is very important. Selection rules:
1. The graft and stock must be healthy without pathogenic diseases and viruses.
2. When choosing a stock, the variety is taken into account; it must be productive and tolerate weather changes in the environment well.
3. If you want to change the growth and crown of the tree, then the rootstock should be 2-3 years old.
4. The scion tree must be fruitful and at least four years old.
Note: the result of grafting will depend on the time of year when the grafting took place, on the proximity of the varieties. If they are even a little related, then the chance of a good vaccination increases. But this is not particularly important, so you can also graft a wild apple tree.
Correct harvesting of apple cuttings
Choosing the right tree is most important in preparing the cuttings. The tree should be old enough (2-3 years), not have any diseases and pathogenic pests, had good fruitfulness and fruit quality. Rules:
1. Harvesting should begin between October and November.
2. The temperature should be above -8 degrees.
3. The branch for the cuttings should be wiped dry.
4. During grafting, do not touch the slices.
5. When dropped by a handle, they must be wiped off and the cut must be renewed.
6. Finished cuttings should be wrapped in a damp cloth and placed in a cold place.
7. With a large number of cuttings, they are placed in sawdust or sand (sawdust and sand should be wet).
Storing cuttings
Storage of cuttings is usually carried out in the basement or cellar, but if this is not possible, then they can be replaced with an ordinary cold place. Before this, the cuttings should be wrapped in a damp burlap. With the onset of winter, the burlap is replaced with cellophane film. It is worth remembering that the top of the cuttings must be open. With the fall of snow, the scion is transferred into a snowdrift, it must be carefully placed in the snow so that the upper part of the branches is visible from the snow. So they will feel as comfortable as possible, and "breathe" the air. Spring should try
save a snowdrift with cuttings, that is, by any means try to slow down the melting of snow. This can be done with sand or sawdust and placed on top of the snow. After the complete melting of the snowdrift, the cuttings are again wrapped in wet burlap.
Requirements for cuttings
Cuttings must meet some requirements:
1. The stalk must have more than 4 full buds. They must not be damaged in any way.
2. The middle part of the branch is the best part for cuttings.
3. The cut at the top of the scion should not be crooked and straight, but rather even and made obliquely.
4. The cut at the bottom of the scion depends on the selected grafting method.
Ways of grafting apple trees
There are many ways to vaccinate, but the most common and effective are:
1. Split
2. "Copulation"
3. "budding"
But regardless of the method that you choose, the necessary requirements must be met:
1. Wash hands well before grafting.
2. Prepare the necessary tools by performing disinfection in advance.
3. During vaccination, do not come into contact with the cuttings and stock cuttings.
"Into the split"
When using this method, it is necessary to follow a certain rule: the diameter of the branch that was chosen as a stock should be no more than 0.5 centimeters. Otherwise, the wrong branch diameter can lead to rotting. You will need a sharp ax to complete this task.
Vaccination instruction
1. First you need to choose a branch of the apple tree, it must be strong.
2.Then, using a hatchet, you need to split the selected branch, the depth of the split should be about 6 centimeters.
3.The lower end of the scion also needs to be cut to the same length as the splitting depth.
4. In the prepared split of the apple tree, you need to insert either a nail, or a pin, or a knitting needle.
5. After that, the lower part of the scion must be installed in the slot.
6. Remove a nail or knitting needle from the cleft.
7. Treat with garden varnish for better healing. You can use clay.
8. After processing with garden varnish, the tree should be tied for better fixation.
"Budding"
This method is the most popular and used in grafting, it has another name "bud or eye grafting." Gardeners who are still inexperienced often make mistakes in the choice of material, so the following should be remembered:
1. The best choice would be last year's kidney.
2. In no case should you use the kidneys that are fully or half-opened, the kidney should be "dormant".
Note: This method is popular because of its effectiveness. First, this method is very simple and shows excellent grafting. Experts recommend this method to inexperienced and novice gardeners.
The beginning of spring (early March) or late summer (mid-August) is the best time for grafting, since it is during this period that the movement of sap increases.
Note: There are frequent tips about grafting an already open bud, but such recommendations are completely wrong and should not be followed. People who advise this do not take into account the fact that the awakened kidney needs juices, and it gets them from the tree. When making a transplant, the juices do not enter the kidney, and the grafting of such a kidney becomes simply useless. The graft will dry out and will not have time to take root.
Scion preparation
When preparing a scion, some requirements must be taken into account:
1. The stalk, along with the kidneys, should be harvested the day before the vaccination itself.
2. Its storage should take place in a jar filled with water. The place should be warm.
3. A few days before harvesting the cuttings, the tree from which the cuttings are taken should be watered abundantly. This is necessary for better healing and regeneration.
4. The thickness of the handle must comply with the norm (1-1.5 centimeters).
5. Before grafting, the cutting is cleaned of all leaves.
6. All grafting material is stored in a dark, cool place.
Vaccination instructions:
1. Choose a branch (strong) on the rootstock, it should grow above 20 centimeters from the ground.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut off the bark to a depth of 25 millimeters; the cut should look like the letter "T". The upper part horizontally 1 centimeter, vertically 2 centimeters.
3. Then, at the point where the lines of the letter "T" intersect, the bark is lifted.
4. A stalk is taken along with the buds, which must be removed from the storage place in advance.
5. Then a peephole is selected, it is cut to form a film of bark and wood, about 2 millimeters thick and 2.5 centimeters long.
6. The graft should be well pressed against the stock.
7. Wrap the grafting site with electrical tape or a strip of plastic bag, but so that the kidney is free.
After 15 days after vaccination, you need to check how everything went. To check, you should touch the peephole and examine it. If, after touching, he fell, then everything went well and there is no need to worry, and if he adheres well to the branch, then with a high probability we can say that he will dry out. Then you need to repeat the vaccination, but do it not far from the last place.
Note: There are special knives for this method of grafting, they are called budding knives. This knife is distinguished by its blade, it is round, and a plastic plate can be observed from one side of the blade. It is used when cutting the bark. It sharpens from both sides, like all knives, especially since the trees are less injured.
"In the cut"
This method is very similar to the "budding" method, but it is performed using cuttings. Grafting is done in a lateral incision, a grafting knife is used in the work, which should be sharpened only on one side (where the fax is located).
Vaccination instructions:
1. First, you need to take a stalk and cut off its lower part, thereby updating it.
2. Choose an apple tree and a place on the branch where they will be vaccinated. Retreat 25 centimeters from this place.
3. Bring the grafting knife to the place and install it, tilt it down a little.
4. With quick movements, make a cut about 7 millimeters deep.
5. Insert the cutting into this cut and do it very carefully.
6. Spread the garden pitch at the vaccination site.
7. Fix the scion branch with electrical tape or tapes.
"For the bark"
This method is used for mature trees that are more than 4 years old. It is effective in increasing the yield. Experts consider it rather difficult, so it should be done very carefully and it is better for beginners not to take it, since this method requires skill and accuracy of movement. "For the bark" is performed only in the spring, since during this period the bark is well separated from the fibers of the twig. You can plant up to four cuttings.
Vaccination instructions:
1. Choose a place on the branch, it should be higher than 1 meter from the ground.
2. Make a 6 cm incision.
3. Move the bark, do it carefully.
4. Cut off the bottom of the cutting by renewing it.
5. Start the stalk behind the bark.
6. Coat the place with garden varnish and secure with electrical tape.
Note: Inexperienced gardeners and gardeners make the same mistake: when they prepare the cutting for grafting, they do not take into account the direction in which the bud is growing. Therefore, you can often see that the peephole is down. It is very important! The success of the grafting also depends on the speed of the process, this must be done quickly.
"Copulation with tongue"
In this method, cuttings and buds are used, which will soon bloom, but there are no leaves yet. Annual plants act as grafting material in this method. It is better to use this method in March.
The "copulation with a tongue" has one condition, it consists in the same diameter of both the scion and the rootstock. Tools needed: grafting pruner with a curly cuts blade.
Vaccination instructions:
1. Select a place on the apple tree for grafting and make a "T" -shaped cut.
2. At the bottom end of the scion, a "T" -shaped cut is also made.
3. These sections must be aligned, they must lie tightly on top of each other.
4. Fix everything with garden pitch and electrical tape.
It is recommended for beginners to practice before performing this procedure, otherwise the stalk will not take root.
"Implantation"
This grafting is very similar to the "incision" method, but it has some peculiarities. The main difference is that the scion and rootstock must be of the same thickness.
Vaccination instructions:
1.Choose a branch and a place on it, the branch should be higher than 20 centimeters from the ground.
2. Make an oblique cut.
3. On the branch for the scion, cut the stalk in the center.
4. Combine the handle with the cut.
5.Lubricate the place with garden varnish and fix it with a stamper or electrical tape.
After the appearance of the first leaves, the fixation is removed.
Vaccination rules
Vaccination involves the use of tools that are dangerous. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of harm, you must follow these rules:
1. The work must do a good job, no wind.
2. Do everything carefully and not be distracted.
3. Take care of the knife so that the blade does not fall under the arm.
4. Make the cut carefully and follow the path of the tool.
5. When cutting the bottom of the cuttings, the knife should be directed away from you.
Grafting an apple tree for beginners - reasons why the stalk did not take root
Inexperienced gardeners often have poor vaccination results. The main problem is the drying out of the cuttings and buds due to poor accretion between the scion and rootstock. This could be due to:
1. Loose adherence to each other of the scion and rootstock. If the fit is loose, it means that the cuts were made incorrectly.
2. Poor protection against disease and viruses, so garden resin treatment is very important in this process. If you don't have garden resin, you can make it yourself or use clay or clay.
Note: an error with scion and rootstock cuts can be solved with electrical tape or a plastic bag, but not 100%. To do this, you need to tightly tie the bags or electrical tape to each other with tape, so that the chance that they will grow together increases. If you do not have a plastic bag, you can use plain heavy paper. It is twisted into a roll, and a cylinder is obtained, this installation is fixed on the scion and fastened with twine.
After successful fusion of the scion and rootstock, all leaves should be removed from the branch, this will allow it to gain strength and grow stronger.