2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Before the cold weather comes, do "garden surgery" - make budding and grafting on your apple trees. We offer a detailed description of the two main methods and recommendations for performing work
Autumn - when to vaccinate?
The difficulty of the autumn vaccination lies in the exact timing. The period for the scion is short enough - you need to catch a certain time before frost. This is the only drawback. But the advantages are significant: the grafted twigs take root better, manage to adapt during the winter and, with the onset of heat, start to grow.
In regions with a temperate climate, vaccinations are usually carried out before September 20. The calculation is as follows - to perform the "operation" 20 days before the cold snap, that is, when the average daily temperature drops and will not exceed +15. If these terms are met, the survival rate is 95%.
Splitting or semi-splitting in the fall on adult apple trees is not done. Young seedlings spend September-early October. After the start of active leaf fall, no vaccinations are done, since sap flow stops and your efforts will be in vain.
Autumn budding apple tree
This method is more commonly known as "eye grafting", it is considered the most popular and not difficult. It is used on young trees and seedlings, does not require volumetric harvesting of cuttings.
Before the event, the preparation of a tree is required, from which we will cut branches for budding. If it doesn't rain, water the tree well in a couple of weeks. This will increase sap flow and the bark will be easily separated during operation. Now we will describe in detail the course of action.
How to prepare the stock
We are looking for a "grafting site" on the selected tree. It should be the most immaculate spot with exceptionally smooth and healthy bark. Growths, defects and rough seals are excluded.
Decided on the point of "operation" - clean the bark with a dry cloth. Now a T-shaped cut. First, cut across 1, 5 cm, then 3 down, cut exactly from the middle of the transverse line. Unscrew the bark from the longitudinal incision. Never touch the cut with your fingers - it will not take root.
How to prepare a scion
The well-being of the operation depends on the sharpness of the knife and the quality of the cutting. For the autumn vaccination, "dormant eyes-buds" are required. Therefore, take one-year-old shoots with a semi-lignified skin, they have "sleeping" eyes. For work, it is enough to prepare two or three "varietal donor" branches of 15-20 cm.
Now remove, from the prepared branch, the shield (bud with a thin piece of bark) for budding. This is the most crucial moment - the result depends on the quality of the shield and your jewelry actions. First, a transverse incision is made 1.5 cm below the kidney. Now above it, retreating the same amount, almost without deepening the blade, a shield with a thin layer of bark is cut off.
The guarantee of survival will be with a perfectly even cut, so cut without jerking, stopping - in one motion. From the first time, many do not succeed and the shields are rejected. It is recommended to prepare several branches with eyes in order to choose the most successful specimen.
We connect the stock and the scion
When inserting the flap into the T-shaped incision, make sure that the peephole is directed upwards and located in the middle. Now cover the bark, press down and tie with plastic tape. At the moment of winding, we leave the kidney open, and it is advisable not to move the flap. The result of your work will be visible in half a month, so after two weeks it is necessary to examine the vaccination. If the shield is dry, remove and cover the oculated wound with garden varnish.
Semi-cleavage and cleavage
These methods are popular with gardeners, as they do not require jewelry actions, as in the case of peephole grafting. The best option for splits would be 5-7-year-old apple trees, you can also use an old tree, but difficulties often arise with it and a sluggish survival rate is noted.
Both options differ in the size of the rootstock cut: completely or half on one side. The second option injures the tree less and is considered sparing. In this case, the scion feels more comfortable and grows together better.
Cutting preparation
Choose annual, not too thick shoots and cut them off completely with pruning shears. There should be at least 2 buds on the handle. Thick twigs take root less well and can rot. From the bottom of the cutting, make a wedge below the second bud.
Stock preparation
Cut / cut the trunk or branch of the apple tree so that a stump remains. Clean the saw cut and make a 3-5 cm split with a knife, do not need deeper, as there will be sluggish engraftment.
Compound and vaccination treatment
Insert the wedge of the cutting into the cleft and tie the grafting site by tightening. You can use any material: electrical tape, twine, grafting tape, polyethylene. The butt, all the cracks and the end of the cutting are hermetically covered with pitch.
As you can see, there are no difficulties in garden surgery. By following our advice, you can plant carved apple varieties on one tree.
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