North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Heron Breen <breen@fedcoseeds.com>]

Hi all,
Just throwing out some possibly untried theories for Persimmon propagation. I 
was 
reading through RJ Garner's Grafter's Handbook, which is a great book, and 
some of 
the techniques seemed like worth a try, although not mentioned for persimmon.
To establish own-root plants on a home-scale, maybe trying Nurse-grafting, 
which is 
in-arch grafting a long scion to a already established tree, with 1/3 of the 
scion 
buried in the ground. Garner says this has been done to root difficult to 
root 
cultivars or species, with a Ribston Pippin scion in the illustration. The 
graft is 
basically temporary, although you must disconnect it, and for a year or two, 
the 
scion is nurished from the other plant, will its heel end forms roots. Never 
done, 
don't know how it would work, but I am interested in trying it, except I 
would have 
to get a tree established before trying it. It is hard to describe this 
graft, so I 
won't try. Maybe buying/borrowing this book, or another one, is a better way 
to 
learn it because since I haven't done it, I would only be reciting. 
Playing What-If,
Heron Breen
Maine, zone 4