North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Mark & Helen Angermayer" <hangermayer@isp.com>]

Last summer I grafted an unknown sour cherry variety to an unknown cherry
seedling.  The cherry seedling was found under a sour cherry tree.  The
graft came from an old cherry tree that had good fruit.

As I mentioned I grafted it last summer with budwood.  The grafts took and
laid dormant through the winter.

My problem:  The original rootstock was VERY vigorous.  Last summer I bet
there was 4 ft. of growth on the rootstock.  This spring I cut the rootstock
off just above the grafts and the grafts are slowly showing only a small
amount of activity.  They're about 1/2 green.  I know the old rootstock by
now would have rocketed 4 inches of new growth.  In fact I have to keep
rubbing buds off the rootstock, that seem to grow overnight.  Meanwhile the
new chipgrafts pretty much just sit there.  Is it possible I'm facing some
compatabilty problem or are seedling cherries that much more vigorous than
grafts?  Appreciate your thoughts.

Mark
Kansas