To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Spring grafting
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2010 08:17:50 -0500
Last year someone brought me branches from her grandmother's pear tree in
June, and I picked off all the leaves and did a nice splice graft of the
tip, with a plastic bag and some wet newpaper in there to make sure it
didn't dry out. It was a wet cool year anyway, and I got a good take plus a
chip bud took as well. You'd be surprised how much you can break the rules
if you are careful to keep your scion from drying out before the part have
time to join up. The warmer the temps, the faster it happens. Cool temps
merely give us time to be leisurely about handling the scions and getting
around to checking on things later. When temps are high, esp when it's hot
and sunny, you have to be much more careful about things drying out.
I'm glad I did so much pear grafting last year, as this year we are hot
and sunny and it's not raining. I've been watering trees I plan to graft or
have already grafted.
Donna