North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Lucky Pittman <lucky.pittman@murraystate.edu>]

At 09:39 AM 2/20/2003 -0800, you wrote:
> Richard,
> I have grafted persimmons only once, and none of them took.  I grafted them
> at the same time I did a bunch of apple trees.  Both the apple and persimmon
> trees were dormant.  Most of the apples took.  I later learned that I should
> have waited until the persimmon was actively growing to do the grafts.  To
> anyone with more experience... does that advice sound right?

Mark,
I do all my dormant-scion persimmons(well, actually, I graft almost 
EVERYTHING) after the rootstock begins unfurling leaves.
When I grafted my first persimmons, I just did a simple whip - just like 
apples & pears.  The took and grew just fine.  Then, I started reading of 
all these folks having difficulty 'doing' persimmon.  Guess I didn't know 
enough to 'be scared' of them, at the time.

I don't think they're all that difficult to graft - BUT!!!  Aftercare is 
VERY important!  You  have to check them almost daily - repeat, almost 
daily - to keep new shoots from the rootstock rubbed off, or they'll 
rapidly overgrow and prevent callusing and scion growth.  Be sure to check 
daily(I can't emphasize that enough!) to remove competing rootstock shoots.

I now just do a simple bark graft on most of my persimmons, at any time 
after the rootstocks begin leafing out, and have good success.  Did a 
couple of whip & tongue grafts last year with some large caliper scionwood, 
and they took just fine.

Lucky Pittman
USDA Zone 6
Hopkinsville, KY