North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[John Bunker <jbunker@palermo.org>]

Del et al,

I've enjoyed the discussion of grafting prunus.  Perhaps I can add a
little information.  We graft 100's of hybrid plums every year, all onto
P americana, and we get virtually 100% take.  Over the years I have
probably personally grafted a couple thousand.  Others in our co-op have
grafted even  more, all with the same success rate.

I like to graft the plums last in the season, for us in Maine about May
first.  These are all whip and tongue bench grafts.  The rootstock is
sprouting by then.  The scionwood is of course dormant.  I graft low, an
inch or so above the dirt line. The scionwood is two buds long -or even
one.  I wrap the whips in bunches of 100 or so with wet towels and store
them upright in 5 gallon plastic buckets -sometimes for a week or more-
and then set them out.

It works great.

One of our growers grafted  Apricots this year with the same success. 
(on St Julian) However, he went to two buds per scion.  Last year he
grafted one bud per sion and the success rate was lousy.

P americana is an excellent rootstock for hybrid plums.  We never get a
complaint.  Eventually they may sprout from the ground around the
grafted trees.  Then I graft those and I have my plum thick-et.

Regards,

John Bunker
Maine