North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Scott Weber and Muffy Barrett" <bluestem_farm@juno.com>]

David,
I don't have refrigerated storage for rootstocks, so my experience might be 
relevant.  The rootstocks are shipped to me dormant, but at least in recent 
years three to five days in warm transit often will start them into growth.  
So I graft dormant onto growing (usually still somewhat behind where the ones 
in the field are).   I may take a while to finish what I start, so some of 
the rootstocks are pretty well along.  I don't think that heeling them in 
would be a good idea, since they  put energy into growing roots that will 
then get broken off when you dig them for the workshop.  They  seem to be 
able to tolerate hanging out together in the bag they are shipped in.  They 
will still grow new roots, but you'll break fewer of them than if they have 
gone through planting and unplanting.   I keep them as cool as I can (weather 
dependent).   The first year I grafted I tried callousing them as most 
directions say that you should, but since then I've planted them right out as 
soon after grafting as I can and they do fine.   They often will be going out 
when the other trees are well along; no problem.    
In sum:  as long as the scionwood is dormant, the grafts have a good chance 
of taking.  They can be planted out immediately after grafting.  I suspect 
that it's a bad idea to heel them in. 
Muffy Barrett
Wisconsin

---------- Original Message ----------
<  Do any of you experienced orchardists have any advice 
to offer on the wisdom of grafting onto dormant rootstocks, to be planted in 
the ground 
immediately afterwards, at a time when most trees have long since broken 
dormancy, and 
indeed may well be in flower?  What think you of the idea of actually heeling 
in the rootstocks 
when, (and presumably if), I get them ahead of the workshop, and allowing 
them to break 
dormancy prior to the workshop?  (ie now, instead of grafting dormant scions 
on dormant 
rootstocks - which ultimately is not really different fom winter grafting - I 
will be grafting onto 
actively growing rootstocks, (more akin to field grafting, except that the 
poor rootstocks are 
going to be rudely ripped from their beds and replanted elsewhere, at a time 
they are 
desperately trying to heal catastophic (at least from the perspective of an 
apple tree) 
wounds.)>
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