Rules and features of grafting apple trees onto wild apple trees

Apple

Gardeners first buy seedlings for their gardens from nurseries. If, over the years, they develop a love of plant breeding, they learn how to graft. Wild stock is often used as rootstock. They choose a young tree that has grown naturally in the garden, often found in the forest. To master vegetative propagation, they use step-by-step instructions. Performing the first cleft graft on an apple tree using the budding method is easier if you have a photo or drawing of the process in front of you.

Why is an apple tree grafted onto a wild apple tree?

The idea of grafting a cultivated apple tree onto a wild one often occurs to gardeners. It's convenient when a small garden has a tree that bears fruit at different times. Grafting allows for the propagation of desired apple varieties. Homegrown seedlings are often sold or given as gifts.

There's a compelling argument in favor of this rootstock. Apple trees grafted onto wilding stock have a strong root system. Fruit trees rarely get sick and quickly adapt to weather changes. The goals of grafting an apple tree onto a wilding stock are:

the tree is not fruitful, re-grafting will increase the yield;
want to grow a seedling of the desired variety;
the tree's bark is eaten away and it needs to be saved;
They want to grow and plant a dwarf apple tree.

The characteristics of the future harvest are determined by the scion. Only branches from fruit-bearing apple trees are used for grafting. These branches can be of different varieties.

The advantages of this method are obvious. By grafting cultivated apple trees onto wild apple trees, we obtain abundant fruit bearing trees that are resilient to extreme weather conditions, winter-hardy, and drought-resistant. Seedlings grown from seeds or wild young trees are used as rootstocks.

Reference!

If the grafting done in the spring was unsuccessful, the apple tree is re-grafted in the summer.

Propagating trees by cuttings produces seedlings that begin bearing fruit early, with the first fruits harvested in the second or third year. Trees grown from seeds begin bearing fruit after five years. Cuttings of different varieties are grafted onto a single apple tree, creating an orchard tree. It produces apples of varying flavors, shapes, and colors.

What is needed for vaccinations?

It's impossible to graft an apple tree without sharp tools. Dull garden tools are unsuitable. The cuts must be smooth. The wood at the graft site must be intact, undamaged, and not dented. At the time of grafting, the gardener must have:

knife;
garden pruner;
grafting pruner;
hacksaw;
garden var;
Strong, elastic tape for wrapping, 7-20 mm wide.

How to grow a wild plant for grafting

In the fall, select the large seeds from ripe fruits of your favorite variety. Dry them naturally. Store them in a dry place until mid-winter. In January (10th-20th), place the seeds in the refrigerator for stratification:

They are washed before being placed in the containers;
wet sand or hydrogel is poured into a small transparent container;
the seed material is distributed over the surface;
The container is hermetically sealed with a lid or film and placed in the lower compartment of the refrigerator.

The term stratification is confusing for beginners. Simply put, it involves keeping seeds in a state of physiological dormancy in a moderately humid environment at a temperature of 0-5°C. This treatment mimics natural processes that occur in nature. After stratification, the seeds germinate.

Attention!

For rootstock, use seeds from winter-hardy varieties. Suitable apple varieties for the Moscow region include Letnee Polosatoe, Arkad Zhelty, Grushovka Moskovskaya, Podarok Grafskomu, Mayak Zagorya, Arkadik, and Korichnoe Polosatoe.

At temperatures close to 0°C, the seedlings are stratified for 3 months, then planted in containers. A fertile mixture is used as a substrate:

garden soil (1 part);
humus (1 part);
peat (1 part).

For 10 kg of such soil add ash - 1 tbsp, superphosphate - 1 tbsp, potassium sulfate - 1 tbsp.

When the seedlings emerge, they are transplanted into individual 500 ml pots at the second true leaf stage. When the root system has completely encircled the root ball, the apple seedling:

transplanted into another container of larger volume;
They are transferring to the school.

Grown-up one-year-old seedlings are used as rootstock.

Preparing the scion

Apple tree branches for grafting are harvested in the fall after the leaves have fallen. Don't wait until frost sets in. They are harvested throughout the winter, as long as the average daily temperature remains below -10°C. One-, two-, or three-year-old, healthy shoots with mature wood are selected for scion use.

Branches growing on the south side of the tree, in the middle part of the crown, are cut. The following requirements are observed during harvesting:

the length of the branch is not less than 30 cm;
diameter – 0.5-0.8 cm;
kidneys – 5-6 pcs.

If stored improperly, the grafting material will dry out over the winter. To prevent this, wrap the branches in a damp cloth, store them in a cellar, put them in a refrigerator, or take them outside. In the yard, cover the bundles with rags and then throw snow on top. Spread sawdust on top of the snowdrift. To prevent rats and mice from gnawing on the branches, wrap them in fiberglass.

Features of grafting an apple tree onto a wild apple at different times of the year

Gardeners graft trees year-round. To ensure the scion and rootstock fuse well, they use the appropriate method. When timing the procedure, consider that apple tree tissue fuses more quickly during periods of active sap flow.

Timing of grafting apple trees onto wild apples

https://youtu.be/PM42pDIsWnE

In spring, people listen to the weather forecast and observe the trees. If frost isn't predicted, they check the wildings. Their readiness for grafting is determined by three signs:

the buds swell;
the bark on the branches acquired a reddish-brown tint;
the bark is easily separated.

Grafting is difficult in summer. You need to time the start of the second stage of sap flow, which usually coincides with the ripening of the fruit.

In the spring

Spring grafting material is cut in the fall or winter. Cuttings and buds are grafted onto wild stock in the spring, after the sap begins to flow but before the buds swell. The best time for breeding is April and May. In the spring, wild stock can be grafted in two ways. Budding is the budding method. Cuttings can be grafted using cleft grafting, bark grafting, or simple copulation.

In summer

Summer grafting onto wild stock is typically done from mid-July to the end of the third ten-day period in August. Current season shoots are used as grafting material. Healthy branches with well-developed buds and mature wood are selected. Extra cuttings are prepared to allow for possible defects. The scion does not always take root, and re-grafting is often necessary.

In the fall

In the south, apple trees are grafted in the first ten days of October, in the northern regions from September 1st to 10th, and in the Moscow region from September 1st to 30th. These dates are approximate and depend on the weather. The tissues will have time to fuse if at least four weeks pass before the actual frost.

Methods of grafting

There are several ways to graft a good cultivar of apple tree onto a wilding stock. If the scion and rootstock are the same diameter, use the simple copulation method. A mature 2-3-year-old wilding stock can be cleft-grafted in the spring. Budding is easier for a novice gardener. This requires several buds, a budding knife, and electrical tape.

For the bark

Wild apple trees over three years old are grafted under the bark in the spring. This is a complex method, requiring precise, measured movements from the gardener. One to four scions are used per apple tree. They are spaced 3 cm apart. The grafting site is chosen at a height of 1-1.2 m. A knife is used to cut the bark, making a 4 cm incision.

The scion is prepared, the branches are cut into pieces with 3-5 buds, and the lower ends are cut at an angle. The bark on the rootstock is carefully pulled back, and the cut ends of the scions are tucked behind it. The area is wrapped with plastic tape.

Into the cleft

This method is used if the trunk (skeletal branch) diameter does not exceed 50 mm. First, the branch or trunk is sawed off, then split with a knife (axe) to a depth of 5-7 cm. A spacer (spike, awl, or nail) is temporarily inserted into the splits, then the scion is prepared:

branches are cut into cuttings with 3-5 buds;
the lower part is cut at an angle on one or both sides;
the length of the cuts is made equal to the depth of the split;
cuttings are inserted into the splits, the cambium is aligned;
sealed with pitch;
they tie it up.

Work is scheduled for the morning. A sunny, rain-free day is chosen.

With grafting shears

First, try the pruning shears on willow branches, other shrubs, or trees. Once they've learned to make quality cuts, they graft the apple tree onto the wild apple tree. Using the tool, make mirror-image cuts on the rootstock and scion:

"mother" (groove inside) on the rootstock;
"papu" (thorn outward) on the scion.

The "mother" and "father" cuts are carefully aligned, ensuring that the bark does not peel off. The scion is cut off above the bud. The joint is wrapped taut with tape. Many use photodegradable grafting tape for this purpose. The exposed cuts are sealed with a thin layer of garden pitch or clay mash. A plastic bag is placed over the graft and secured with electrical tape.

Advantages of grafting with grafting shears:

The set includes knives that allow you to make cuts of different shapes;
the grafted planes are connected perfectly;
The resulting connection is strong and can withstand the weight of a small bird.

Comment!

When securing the graft with tape, the sticky side faces outward. This makes it easier to remove. The bark doesn't peel off when unrolled.

By the end of the third week, after a successful operation, the buds on the seedling awaken. They begin to grow and increase in size. After another two weeks, the bag is removed. By this time, it is completely filled with new shoots. It is removed in the evening, when the sun sets.

Grafting an apple tree onto a wild apple tree in summer using bud budding

Budding is also a grafting technique, but instead of cuttings, buds with a small amount of wood are used. The procedure is performed in the first ten days of August. During the remaining two to three weeks of summer, the rootstock grows actively, allowing the buds to take root and overwinter well.

Budding is done in two ways:

in the butt;
for the bark.

The grafting material is prepared the day before. The apple tree is watered a week beforehand. Branches with a diameter of 10-15 mm are selected for cutting. The leaves are removed and placed in water. The jar is stored in a cool, semi-dark place. The rootstock bark at the graft site should be young and elastic.

Comment!

To ensure that the cuts are smooth and free of burrs, a budding knife is used.

For the bark

A strong branch is selected from the wilding (rootstock). A T-shaped cut is made in it with a sharp knife:

long stick – 20-25 mm;
short stick – 8-10 mm;
cutting depth: 2-3 mm.

The bark is carefully separated from the joint. A suitable cutting is taken from the jar. A bud is selected. It is cut off with a knife, along with the bark and some wood. The length of the cutting is 20-25 mm, and the thickness of the bark and wood is 1-2 mm. The bud is inserted into the T-shaped cut and pressed down. The grafting site is tightly wrapped with tape, leaving the bud open. The graft is checked after 10-14 days.

In addition

This method is easier to master. On a wilding branch, select a smooth internode and cut a piece of bark (a shield). In its place, place a bud with a piece of bark—a shield with a bud. The butt budding algorithm:

wipe the area of bark on the wilding with a damp cloth;
a longitudinal incision 20-25 mm long is made, after which a tongue is formed on the rootstock;
⅓-½ of the tongue is cut off;
on the cutting (scion) a bud is selected, a shield of the same size as on the rootstock is cut off;
the shield with the bud is inserted behind the tongue, one cut, or better yet both, are combined with the cut of the bark on the wilding;
The grafting site is wrapped with tape, leaving the bud outside.

Butt budding is done from July 10-15 to the end of August. The grafting results are checked after two weeks. The following spring, the shoot above the grafted bud is cut off.

Simple butt copulation

This method is used to graft apple trees in spring or winter. This procedure, performed during the winter months, is called table grafting. The procedure is the same at any time. Branches of a suitable diameter are selected from the prepared branches. The rootstock trunk should not be more than 2-2.5 cm thicker than the scion.

Comment!

Using the simple copulation method, 1-2 year old wildings are grafted.

Description of simple copulation technology:

First, use a knife to make a 3-4 cm long oblique cut on the rootstock;
then a similar cut is made on the scion;
align the cuts and press them tightly against each other;
at least on one side the bark of the rootstock is joined to the bark of the scion;
The joint is wrapped with tape and coated with pitch.

For safety, protect the grafting site with plastic. Place a bag over the grafting site and secure it with twine. Ensure that the top of the cutting does not touch the plastic.

Improved copulation

It's difficult for a beginner to graft an apple tree onto a wild apple tree using this method. The cuts on the rootstock and scion are complex. First, regular diagonal cuts are made, then "tongues" are cut into them. The rootstock and scion are joined by interlacing the tongues. The operation is complex, but the resulting connection is strong. The connection is always wrapped with tape.

Vaccination care

The graft, wrapped with elastic material, is checked every two weeks. If necessary, the bandage is loosened to prevent it from growing into the bark. The graft site is protected from birds. Throughout the summer, shoots on the rootstock are pinched.

This is interesting!

For apple trees grafted in spring or summer, the bandage is removed after 2 months; for wild apple trees grafted in autumn, the tape is removed in spring after the snow melts.

Once the graft takes hold, the buds awaken and shoots form. Don't leave all of them behind. Choose the strongest one. The top shoot is usually left. In late July or early August, the shoot tips are removed from the scion.

This method inhibits the intensive growth of the grafted scion in length and stimulates its growth in width. This technique accelerates the fusion of the scion and rootstock. Shoots growing below the graft are cut off, as they rob the scion of nutrients.

Reasons for failures

Beginners graft wild stock onto an awakened bud. The result is almost always disastrous. The scion dries out before it can become part of the rootstock. The explanation for this failure is simple: a budding plant requires plant juices immediately, and they will only flow after the tissues have fused.

A common mistake made by novice gardeners is grafting with an inverted scion. Beginners don't assess the direction of the bud, so they insert the scion upside down. The buds should always face upward.

The scion doesn't take and dries out if the cuts aren't tightly aligned, or because the surfaces of the scion and rootstock are uneven and jagged. Gardeners often forget to remove the tie tape promptly, causing a constriction on the trunk. After watching this video, any gardener will be able to properly graft an apple tree onto a wild apple.