Grafting plants allows several varieties to be grown on a single tree. This agricultural technique increases the yield of garden crops. With its help, it's possible to cultivate heat-loving fruit trees like peaches, even in regions with unfavorable climates. However, spring grafting of peaches is a difficult task and requires experience and certain skills.
Benefits of Peach Grafting
Those with small garden plots should consider grafting peach trees onto other trees in their orchard. This technique allows for more space for other plantings. Another advantage is the ability to transform a wild peach tree growing on the plot into a cultivated plant. If the bark of a fruit tree has been damaged by rodents, grafting can help save it. This way, you can always propagate a particularly popular variety. Grafting a peach onto a peach tree solves multiple problems at once.
Peach grafting, like other plant species, has several purposes. The main ones include:
- acceleration of the onset of fruiting;
- obtaining higher quality fruits;
- obtaining different varieties of peaches from one tree or even different types of fruit;
- increasing plant resistance to cold;
- rejuvenation of old wood;
- restoration of a tree with damaged bark;
- growing a heat-loving crop in a climate unsuitable for it;
All these goals can be achieved with grafting if done correctly. This video discusses spring peach grafting, including the timing and application dates.
Suitable timing
For grafting to be successful and achieve the desired effect, choosing the right time is crucial. Spring is considered the best time to perform the grafting procedure. This is due to the early start of the growing season for peach trees. It is recommended to do this early in the morning. If the plants have already entered the flowering stage, grafting is possible, but all existing buds must be removed first. Temperatures should not fall below 6°C. The ideal time is considered to be from early March to late April. It is important to try to complete the grafting before the buds open. Otherwise, subsequent frosts can cause the scion to fail. Ideally, the maturation periods of the scion and rootstock should coincide.
In summer, grafting should only be done by budding. This is done from late July to early August. During this time, the buds have already matured, and the shoots have stopped growing. Peach trees should not be grafted by other methods in summer. If grafting is delayed, frosts that begin in the fall can destroy the grafted shoots and prevent them from establishing properly. However, it's always important to consider weather conditions, as they can vary from year to year.
Choosing the best rootstock for a peach tree
Peaches can be grafted onto various fruit tree species. Peach on peach is the most suitable option. However, a more resistant peach variety or a wild peach is used. Apricot, almond, plum, or quince seedlings are best used as rootstocks for peach trees. Grafting a peach onto an apricot is always a good idea. Peaches from other cultivars can also be grafted. Cherry trees also produce good results. Peaches can also be grafted onto cherry plums.
The selected shoots must be of high quality. Otherwise, they will not take root on the tree or will not produce abundant harvests. Young plants, just a few years old, are best used as rootstocks. However, older trees can also be used, as long as they are no more than 10 years old. Older trees make it much more difficult for shoots to establish themselves. In most regions of Russia, frost-resistant varieties are recommended for this purpose. Peach trees are sometimes grafted onto cherries, but not often.
Grafting a peach onto a wild apricot tree produces very good results. Rejection is extremely rare. This tree grows well even in challenging conditions, producing small but very sweet fruits. It requires little care. Grafting a peach onto an apricot is not difficult at all. Gardeners need to apply minimal effort. The resulting plant is resistant to cool weather and produces fruit vigorously. It has a neat appearance, free of unsightly growths. Grafted peaches begin to bear fruit within two years of grafting. Peaches and apricots are wary of returning frosts in the spring, so this should be taken into account.
https://youtu.be/PDlGr7QgdFE
Cherry plum is a relatively low-maintenance crop. It's virtually disease-free and rarely suffers from pests. However, this tree is prone to excessive growth near the trunk. This growth complicates care. Excessive new growth near the roots interferes with normal sap flow, so it must be removed regularly. Cherry plum is advantageous because it doesn't suffer from waterlogged soil and tolerates frequent rainfall well. Peaches can be grafted onto cherry plums without fear of rain damage. However, there have been cases where incompatibility between the grafted plants has become apparent after a few years. Grafting peaches onto cherry plums is common.
You can graft a peach onto a wild almond. However, it's only used for this purpose in the south. Growing such a tree in central Russia is impossible. Almonds have another important quality: they don't require much soil moisture and can tolerate drought well. Experts say grafting a peach onto a plum is another good option. This medium-sized tree is easy to maintain. However, it's best to choose the most resilient plum varieties.
Rules and preparation of scion and rootstock
Gardeners inexperienced in this field should first try their hand at grafting on other, less delicate trees. This practice will make the job easier. Initial attempts may not be entirely successful. Grafting several scions onto the same tree at once can improve your chances. It's best to prepare the scion in the fall, before the cold weather sets in. Select the strongest stems, approximately 5 mm in diameter and 20-40 cm long. Cuttings are best taken from one-year-old branches located at the top of the crown, from the middle of the shoot. Branches growing on the south or west side are best. Ensure that the selected stems have at least 10 live buds. However, these should be vegetative, not fruiting. A sprouting shoot will not produce anything good.
It's recommended to store the scion material at a temperature between 0 and 2°C. A basement or even a vegetable drawer in a refrigerator is suitable for this purpose. You can also bury them in the snow in a private yard. However, they should be removed and inspected once a month to detect mold or fungus. The shoots can dry out; to prevent this, simply wrap them in a damp cloth and place them in a plastic bag. There should be no signs of damage or frostbite. You can verify this by examining the cut surfaces of the scions.
What tools and materials will you need?
To perform grafting, you'll need several tools and materials. The most important is a sharp knife or special pruning shears. These allow you to make T-shaped cuts on the shoots. It's recommended to thoroughly wash and disinfect the tools before grafting. You'll also need electrical tape or plastic wrap. You can also find special film at specialty stores that breaks down in the sun, leaving it in place. To treat the graft site, you'll need garden pitch.
There are several methods for grafting peach trees. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Immediately before grafting, the prepared scions are pruned so that two buds remain on each.
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Simple and improved copulation
Simple copulation is so named because of the simplicity of the process. It is done in the spring, before the trees begin actively flowing sap. If the rootstock is slightly thicker, all layers will need to be carefully aligned. First, an oblique cut is made on the rootstock at an acute angle. A similar cut is made on the scion, just below the lowest bud. Then, the two cuts are aligned and firmly secured with tape.
The improved method is more popular. Grafted shoots take root faster due to the larger contact area. The risk of grafting is minimized. However, this technique is complex and therefore not entirely suitable for gardening novices. Beginner gardeners are best advised to try simple copulation. Make the cuts as in the first method. After this, step back a third from the top edge of the rootstock and make 10-12 cm deep cuts. Repeat the same steps on the scion. Then insert the tongues into each other. The remaining steps are the same as the previous method. A more detailed description of the correct grafting method can be found in the video.
Into the cleft and behind the bark
The cleft grafting method is typically used for thicker branches. On a particularly thick branch, it's convenient to place two scions at once. The main difference is creating a depression in the rootstock into which the scion is placed. It is first sharpened at both ends. The cleft is made with a sharp knife. The depth of the cleft depends on the diameter of the rootstock, but is typically between 2 and 5 cm. To make the process easier, a wedge can be inserted into the cleft. The top of the scion is trimmed off, and the grafting site is securely fixed. The exposed areas are sealed with tar.
Bark grafting is done before the trees begin to bloom. This method is used on older trees because it rejuvenates them. The main trunk should be cut at a height of about 100 cm. Cuts of several centimeters are made in the bark. The bark layer can be pushed away from the wood by driving in stakes. The lower part of the scion should be cut at an angle to facilitate insertion into the cut. Several shoots are inserted behind the bark, but they should not touch each other. The thicker the trunk, the more scions can be accommodated. The junction is then secured with tape and treated with pitch. This method has a significant drawback: if the grafted branches are not supported, they will break under the weight of the fruit.
In the side cut
The best time to perform the operation is the second half of spring. The scion must be dormant. This method is used to rejuvenate peach trees. A lateral incision is made in the rootstock, into which the scion is inserted. This ensures very tight contact between the cut surfaces.
The knife should be positioned at an angle so that the cut covers not only the bark but also the wood. A diagonal cut is made at the bottom of the scion, leaving two buds at the top. The length of the cut should match the depth of the cut in the rootstock. All layers should be aligned. This method is suitable for amateurs due to its simplicity.
Budding
Budding should be done in late summer. If you don't wait until the buds are ripe, there's a risk they will sprout in the fall. A shoot with a sprouting bud is unsuitable; it won't survive the winter. If you wait too long, the scion won't have enough time to take root, as the amount of sap in the cambium layers decreases significantly in the fall. Budding peach trees is suitable for young one-year-old shoots and older branches. Don't graft the entire shoot, but only a bud from it. Water the seedling in the evening before the morning procedure.
Carefully clear the scion site of any excess branches and wash it. The optimal height for grafting is 5 to 25 cm above the ground. Avoid grafting higher, as this will impede the seedling's growth. The bark in the chosen location should be cut into a "T" shape. Another option is butt grafting. To do this, make a deep lower cut at a 45-degree angle. Then, make an upper cut down to the lower one. Cut the bud and place it in a pocket-like formation on the rootstock. Wrap the graft with tape, but leave the bud open.
By bridge
Bridge grafting is necessary for peach trees that have been damaged by rodents. However, it can only be used for circumferential damage. Grafting restores the tree's nutrition. To do this, create a bridge-like structure from the scions. A single bridge doesn't always take, so it's best to create two. The bark should be stripped back to a healthy area. Then, make cuts several centimeters long under the bark. Remove all buds from the scion and make diagonal cuts on both sides. Bend the bark slightly to make it easier to insert the scions into the prepared cuts. The resulting bridge should be shaped like an arch. Secure it with tape.
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Caring for a peach tree after grafting
After grafting, the plant will require care. Once the work is completed, the graft site must be carefully secured with a bandage. To prevent fungal or viral infections, it should be coated with garden pitch. After a month, remove the bandage and treat the graft site again with pitch. Prune the shoot above the junction. Timely watering helps the young plant establish itself in its new location as quickly as possible.
Regular fertilizing has a similar effect. Trees can be fed with complex fertilizers, which significantly reduces the risk of rejection. Removing shoots below the graft will allow the grafted shoot to receive more moisture and nutrients. Experts recommend inspecting trees periodically for signs of pests or diseases. Early detection makes them much easier to eliminate.
Peach is a heat-loving and rather delicate garden crop, difficult to grow in central Russia. However, grafting a peach scion onto a more robust tree can solve this problem and yield a harvest of this southern fruit. If grafted correctly and within the recommended timeframe, the survival rate is very high. Caring for grafted trees is quite simple.
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