North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

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

At 10:46 PM 11/19/2005, Mark wrote:
> I have had zero success with persimmons.  I wonder if  it has to do with my
> rootstock.  I have a persimmon seedling that is a full tree.  I graft onto a
> few branches and let the rest of the tree just grow normally.  I don't try
> to check the new growth on the rest of the tree.  I can get away with this
> on apples.  Do I need to do things differently with persimmon grafts?

I'll defer to Jerry for the definitive answer, but like yourself, I've had 
dismally poor results - if not total failure, in trying to foster grafts 
onto branches of mature persimmons.
Even with young seedlings, I've had trouble keeping topworked grafts 
growing well, if the rootstock has branches present below the graft.  Did 
manage it with one seedling in the orchard this year, but I had to 
consistently - about twice a week - pinch out terminal buds or break over 
new growth that kept sprouting out on the branches below the graft - and 
I'll probably prune those limbs off whenever growth initiates this spring.
All in all, I prefer a rootstock with no branching, so that it's putting 
all its energy into pushing growth on the grafted scion - and I'll say it 
again - you've got to follow up; at least every couple of days, you've got 
to rub off any new shoots pushing out on the scion - and you may have to 
continue to do this for weeks.

LLP