Grafting is a fairly common process in gardening. The essence of this operation is very simple - cuttings of another are transferred to one tree. Such operations are necessary mainly in the case when the cultivation of a plant "from scratch" is impractical, ineffective or even impossible.
At the same time, grafting allows you to do more interesting things: for example, rejuvenating an old tree, improving its yield, or even getting different varieties, or even plant species, on the same trunk.
It is safe to say that almost all varietal fruit-bearing trees were grown by grafting. The article will discuss the issues of vaccination fruit trees and highlighted the most characteristic features of this procedure.
Content:
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Why is vaccination needed?
The main purpose of grafting is to make better use of tree resources. Indeed, often the fruiting of certain crops does not stop at all because of the trunk and root system of the tree. The formation of the crown of old trees is difficult, young shoots are practically not formed on them, and the yield is significantly reduced.
Successful vaccination result apple trees
At the same time, the root system of the tree works more and more efficiently every year (since it is constantly increasing in size). It turns out a paradoxical situation: the roots supply the plant with nutrients, but the plant cannot use them anywhere due to the degradation of the crown.
It is at this moment that vaccinations come to the aid of the gardener. In place of the old crown, young cuttings take root, which, thanks to the nourishment of a powerful root system, develop very quickly. Literally after 2-3 years, the tree begins to reach stable yields. At a normal pace, this process would have taken much longer.
As a grafted material, either the same or a different variety or species can be used. It does not play any role - the nutrients extracted by the root system from the soil in all plants are exactly the same.
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A typical way to rejuvenate an old tree
There are two different types of biological material involved in grafting: scion and rootstock.
- Scion - This is a cutting or branch that is grafted onto an already formed root system or tree.
- Rootstock - This is the part of the plant to which the desired variety is grafted.
- a young tree of a variety or species well adapted to the area
- old tree in need of updating
- adult plant used as a "donor"
- a damaged or injured plant that you would not want to uproot
Despite the fact that the scion after the end of the procedure will determine the varietal characteristics of the plant, it does not have its own roots and receives all the necessary elements from the rootstock.
This means that it is the stock that will determine the yield, the duration of vegetation and flowering, resistance to bad weather, the life of the plant, and many other factors.
Growing walnut rootstocks
Therefore, in order for the future garden tree to develop correctly and evenly, it is necessary that the stock has the following qualities:
- was well adapted to the climatic conditions of the growing region
- was compatible with the graft
- had a reliable and branched root system
The collection of cuttings of the scion should be carried out in early spring, as soon as the snow melts. The collection procedure must be completed before the opening of the first vegetative buds.
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Preparation of scion cuttings
Soaking cuttings before grafting
In order for the vaccination to give a guaranteed result, it is important to get good graft material. There are many ways to obtain cuttings of varietal trees. From a banal purchase to self-preparation.
In the case of obtaining cuttings on your own, you can use the following recommendations:
Fruit tree grafting
It is best to cut the cuttings with a secateurs, and then clean them with a grafting knife.
You can store cuttings in wooden boxes in the cellar or basement without access to light. At the same time, they must be in a humid environment (for example, wet sawdust or a cloth moistened with water). It is necessary to remove the cuttings from the storage place no earlier than a day before vaccination.
If, for some reason, the vaccination is carried out in the summer, then the process of harvesting cuttings is greatly simplified - they are cut immediately before vaccination. Another advantage of summer grafting (besides the lack of storage) is that only two buds are needed per scion, and they may already have blossomed.
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spring vaccination
The most appropriate timing and methods of vaccination for various crops are shown in the table:
| culture | Timing of vaccination | Grafting method |
|---|---|---|
| Apple tree | March, April | Grafting cuttings |
| end of April - beginning of May | Budding, eye grafting | |
| Pear | early spring | Graft for the bark |
| start of sap flow | Bridge grafting | |
| first decade of April | In split | |
| end of April - May | In side cut | |
| Cherry | Spring | Any way and time |
| August | Cleavage grafting | |
| Cherries | Spring | Any way |
| Aug. Sept | In the split, behind the bark | |
| Plum | March, April | Budding or copulation |
| April May | For the bark | |
| Peach | 2nd decade of March - end of April | Splitting with shelter of the grafting site with a film |
| May | Any way, covering the graft with paper |
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Tree grafting methods
Budding
There are several almost standardized methods for grafting fruit trees that are traditionally used in the spring. It is in the spring that the choice of vaccination method can be any. In the summer, there are certain restrictions on the methods of grafting plants.
Copulation
Preparation for vaccination by copulation
The easiest way to get vaccinated. It is carried out using a cutting having 2-3 kidneys. Traditionally, this method of vaccination is used in early spring before the start of sap flow. Both scion and rootstock are cut at the same angle and connected to each other using any fixing material.
- the possibility of grafting on a stock of small thickness, it will not work in any other way
- relative ease of joining the stock and scion material
- the reliability of the mechanical connection leaves much to be desired
- the cut is very fragile; it is highly likely to break in the first year after vaccination
Graft for the bark
Graft for the bark
In this case, the stalk of the scion is installed between the bark and the wood of the stock. A fairly reliable and safe method of grafting, since fixation is carried out at the expense of the bark.
The main advantage of this method of merging plants over others is the use of both scion and rootstock of different thicknesses. Actually, here it’s even the opposite, the thicker the stock and the thinner the scion, the better.
It is believed that the best time to carry out such a procedure is the beginning of May, when sap flow is maximum even for spring. In order to understand whether the optimal time for grafting has come, it is necessary to make a cut on one of the branches of the rootstock and check how well the bark lags behind the wood. If this is done easily, you can start vaccinating in this way.
- ease of implementation and high reliability
- more than 80% of cuttings take root
- justified only in a narrow period of time - at the peak of sap flow, when the bark is easily separated from the wood
- there are restrictions on the diameter of the scion
Cleavage grafting
Cleavage grafting
The most common method of vaccination. It is used in cases where the diameters of the rootstock and scion differ by 2-3 times.
Technically carried out as follows:
- a branch or stem of a stock is cut at a right angle
- dissect (split) cut in the middle to a depth of 3 to 5 cm
- the scion is cut in the form of a wedge
- insert one or more scion cuttings into the split and securely fix the stock around the perimeter with electrical tape or a simple rope
- very good mechanical contact between rootstock and scion material
- relatively laborious method.
- complex implementation with large rootstock and scion diameters
- with a large amount of graft material is not used - for a reliable connection, a maximum of two cuttings can be placed in one split
Budding
Grafting by bud or eye
This method of grafting is also called eye grafting. In this case, a T-shaped incision is made on the rootstock bark, into which, like in a pocket, a scion bud is inserted. In this case, it is necessary that the wood of the handle is exclusively under the kidney.
After the kidney is installed, it is necessary to carefully wrap all the places of cuts in the rootstock bark. The winding must be done in such a way that the kidney remains entirely in the air.
- almost all graft material takes root
- does not require a large amount of scion
- relatively difficult to implement
- not applicable for very thin bark
Bridge grafting
Bridge grafting
This method of grafting is carried out when it is necessary to save a tree in case of circular damage to its bark. This can happen during frostbite of trunks or during years of special activity of various rodents, for example, hares.
In fact, bridge grafting consists of several bark grafts along the perimeter of the plant stem. In this case, shoots of the same tree are used. Their preparation is carried out immediately before inoculation.
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Treatment of cut points near the graft
With any method of grafting plants, a number of rules should be remembered that will allow this procedure to be carried out with greater efficiency:
By following these simple recommendations, it will be possible to significantly increase the percentage of accustomed scion.
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Fruit tree grafting
Fruit trees are grafted regularly in orchards. With the help of this agrotechnical method, it is possible to renew fruit-bearing trees, speed up the onset of fruiting time, or make several varieties or even species of plants on more than one trunk.
In addition, vaccinations allow gardeners to greatly simplify the cultivation of many crops.which in certain climatic conditions simply cannot survive.
There are several ways to perform vaccinations; all of them can be applied without limitation in the spring. Summer vaccinations can only be performed in the split or behind the bark. Vaccinations are not done in autumn.
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Grafting fruit trees in summer and spring: a description of the most popular species (Photo & Video)
good article. Thank you.
Can you graft a peach onto a mulberry tree? Can I graft 2 different types of peach onto a fresh mulberry stump?