North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>]

Title: Re: [NAFEX] using old scionwood

If it's alive and the grafts take, there is a good chance that the scions could at least push some adventitious buds from the base of the existing buds, even if they are dead.  At very least, it's a way to get some new information.
-Lon Rombough
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> Last year was a crazy year for me.  I had a big remodel done on my house.  Everything my family owned was either sent off to storage or packed into a few small rooms untouched by the remodel.  I had a bundle of pear scionwood arrive last Spring that went unused.  These were stored for a time in the frig, but then I lost track of them in the construction mess.  Somehow they ended up in my shed.  I found them yesterday while cleaning-up.  Some of the sticks were shriveled up, and most of the buds look lifeless, but when I cut into some of the wood, I found green and healthy looking layers. 
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> My question is would there be any point in trying to propagate this scionwood if the buds are dead?  It will be at least another year before I can get some of these varieties again, but without buds on the scions I don¹t think I will get a head start on just waiting for new wood next year.  Any thoughts?