North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Jwlehman@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/22/2008 6:03:34 AM Eastern Daylight Time, alandhaigh@gmail.com writes:

> I've long been puzzled by the inconsistency of some of my grafting projects where 2/3rds of the sites I do grafting I get almost 90% success and another 3rd I'll get only 50%.  I wonder if it is related to using wood with poorly developed buds.  Anyone out there with more info on this?


Let me pass along my observations on persimmon buds on this subject. I've cut hundreds of scion sticks and grafted hundreds. But haven't done scientific records keeping. This is nearly 20 years of observation. 

Generally, on a single year's growth the buds further out or closer to the tip are more developed than the first buds that developed when growth began. These early buds are less developed and act as secondary or back-up buds. On persimmon the outer more developed, or fatter buds are the ones that grow the following year. Now if the growing tip is broken off or a late freeze, as in last year, the secondary (less developed) buds then break out and grow. For sure the smaller buds take longer to break dormancy. I've grafted many two year old buds, when the prior years wood is too small*, with success. It does take maybe two weeks longer for those dormant buds to become active and break out and grow. 

So yes, with persimmon, fat buds make better grafting material then small buds. 

Something else I've done with success. I've taken scion wood in July after growth is well underway.  Cut off the growing tip and graft the secondary or reserve buds, works quite well. I've done it with plum, apple, mulberry and persimmon.

* With persimmon, generally trees that bear heavy crops have less energy to grow wood therefore difficult to find scion wood with good diameter And some varieties just aren't good wood producers. 

Jerry 


**************
Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S. used car listings at AOL Autos.
      (http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=aolcmp00300000002851)