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[alexis <alexis@conev.org>]

Jerry et al,
My experience with grafting in various seasons follows. My intent in 
recent years has been to develop a set of grafting techniques that works 
reasonably easily on all fruiting plants as I grow eclectic orchards and 
teach propagation techniques. Early on in the process, I tried many 
different things, and killed hundreds of small trees in the process. I 
tried dormant grafting, with no great success. I budded all manner of 
plants at many different times of the year. Fall budding has some 
success for me, but is not as reliable.
The "universal grafting technique" I work with now is that I graft 
everything in the spring. Apples and pears can be grafted on rootstock 
straight out of the box, or established rootstock in the ground. Most 
other common fruits, if they are transplanted, need to wait at least a 
few weeks for the rootstock to recover from transplant. Some plants that 
recover slowly from transplant (pecans, pawpaws, persimmons) want to 
wait a year from transplant to graft. The vigorous rootstock is the most 
important part by far. In VA, pears, apples, peaches, plums, mulberries 
etc. are grafted in April. Pawpaws, pecans, and persimmons are grafted 
in May. Either way, I am waiting for that first burst of energy in the 
spring growth to graft. Generally, the shape of the cut doesn't seem to 
matter a whole lot. I adapt the cuts to the situation. Sticking with 
spring grafting, I get very high sucesss rate with all fruiting plants.
My success rate with grafting in other seasons is always lower. I 
sometimes wrap the whole scion in parafilm, as well as the grafted area. 
Even doing that, the success rate is low for grafting off-season. 
Controlling dehydration seems to fail much more easily in off-season 
grafting.
The pamphlet I have developed for teaching this is at
http://conev.org/fruitbook9.pdf
Take care,
Alexis