Mark Lee wrote
[...]
5. I expect new growth from the bud (Is this wrong?). The only that
has happened so far is that the budwood shrinks up, and the T cut
heal over.
[...]
I have a 100% failure rate with peach tree budding with buds from
actively growing wood (non-dormant).
I have a peach tree that's probably about 20 years old and on its last
legs. Thought it would die two or three years ago after serious borer
attacks, but although about 50% of the remaining tree dies per year, it
keeps trying. It fruits reliably here and has nice peaches so I'm trying
to save it.
Any advice on _successfully_ budding peaches? I seem to do ok with
apples, but my peach record suggests that I'm missing something. In my
case, I discovered in the spring that the buds had all dried up. (The
budding was done right before I left the area.)
Possible issues:
* You can't bud peaches from actively growing wood. I don't think that
is true, but maybe I'm wrong.
* I used the wrong sized buds. That's possible. The bud cuttings I made
were about an inch long and 1/4-1/3 inch wide. Left just a bit of wood
underneath the bud.
* I let the buds dry out in transit. Don't think that's a problem. They
went straight from cutting to my mouth, and were taken out only when
ready to be inserted.
* The buds dried out on the tree. That's possible. I did use parafilm. I
left the leaf petiole (correct word for leaf stem?), but removed the
leaf proper. I didn't use Doc Farwell's grafting paint, but I now have it.
* Other thoughts?
-- sb Zone 5b. Happily eating my way through my first batch of asian pears. The flowered last year, but no fruit set. Just got a Stark Bros.
catalog and thinking with a bit of envy of those who will be visiting Stark Bros. this week during the NAFEX meeting. Enjoy! :-)