When to graft apple trees: best timing

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Grafting is a selection technique that allows you to get a good harvest all season long, even in a small area. Knowing how to plant an apple tree in the fall or spring, you can significantly save on purchasing seedlings and grow hardy trees that will bear fruit every year.

The scion makes it possible to preserve the variety on old trees

When to graft apple trees: best time?

Grafting plays an important role in the formation of a garden:

Allows you not only to diversify,
Rejuvenate old trees
Get a bigger harvest,
Become the owner of a culture that is non-traditional for a given area.

The filigree grafting technique will not help if this procedure is performed at the wrong time. The graft will not take root, the tree may begin to hurt, sometimes even die .

Let's consider important aspects so that you can decide for yourself when it is better to plant an apple tree: in spring or autumn.

How to graft an apple tree onto a wild one

You can graft an apple tree not only onto varietal or related plants (for example, a pear), but also onto other plants. The most popular method of vaccination is for wild animals (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Grafting onto wildflowers helps increase the frost resistance of a tree

This option is ideal for those cases when you need to increase the frost resistance of a varietal apple tree. Wild animals are extremely resistant to negative environmental factors, so the resulting crop will be distinguished not only by high yield, but also by amazing vitality.

Subtleties of spring vaccination

plant growers recommend carrying out work related to damage to tree bark . While the buds on the apple trees have not yet awakened, and the sap flow has barely begun.

When the apple tree is in a dormant state, processes occur aimed only at maintaining vital functions.

A new cutting will not be able to take root if the growing season has not begun and the plant has not directed its energy to growth and development.

You can determine the favorable period to plant an apple tree in the spring based on the following signs::

The buds are slightly swollen, but have not yet begun to grow;
The branches of the apple tree turned red;
When mechanical damage occurs, the bark separates and the cambium (green tissue under the bark) remains on it.

Depending on weather conditions, the growing season of fruit trees begins in late March - early April.

If you postpone grafting to a later date, the excess of nutrients and regenerative substances will not allow the tree to mistake the graft for part of the body.
There is a high probability that the cutting will be rejected. TIP: Plant apple trees in the early morning; sap flow at this time of day is optimal for rapid fusion of the cambium. After sunrise, the intensity of sap movement increases every hour.

How to properly prepare cuttings

First of all, you need to choose an apple tree from which cuttings will be taken. The tree must be tested; it has already had to be harvested several times in order to know what the taste and quality of the fruits are like.

Preparation and storage rules:

You need to cut shoots for cuttings in the fall at a temperature not lower than -10;
Do not touch the cut areas with your hands; if debris gets on them, it is better to renew the cuts;
Before cutting, the branch must be wiped dry, and if it is old, inspected for damage;
For storage, the cut cuttings are placed vertically, the lower parts are wrapped with a wet cloth and placed in the cellar.

Often they prefer to store their tips in sawdust, so it will be easier to keep them moist.

There are a number of requirements that apply to the cuttings themselves.

The cut should be taken from the middle of the branch.
There should be 3-4 buds on the shoot.
The top cut must be made obliquely, in one deft movement.

Once the rootstock has been determined, the cuttings and all the necessary materials have been prepared, you need to proceed directly to the procedure.

Vaccination work in summer

Most gardeners do not graft trees in the summer. It is believed that the survival rate of the scion is very low, and summer grafting will do more harm than good to the apple tree.

It is not always possible to carry out spring grafting work . In early spring, for various reasons, there may simply be no access to the site: the roads washed out, the orchard was flooded with groundwater, there was no time.

Guided by the above postulate, you will have to lose a whole year.

The statement that vaccination is impossible in the summer is incorrect, especially if it concerns young apple trees.

There is a period in summer that is extremely favorable for grafting work. This is the time when the second stage of juice movement occurs in the body of the apple tree.

Indicators for determining the timing of apple tree grafting in the summer:

The apple tree begins to bear fruit;
The apical bud of the shoots is fully formed;
In annual branches, the internodes of the upper part have decreased;
The bark comes off the wood easily (just like in the spring).

The active stage of summer sap flow occurs at the end of July - the first weeks of August, therefore it is recommended to vaccinate the apple tree in July.

ATTENTION: Grafting work should not be carried out in the heat and under the scorching sun. The sections dry out quickly, grafting attempts will be unsuccessful. It will be possible to check the results of vaccination work in the fall.

What you need for work

Prepare all the necessary equipment in advance so that you don’t have to use just anything. Ideally, purchase a small kit and use it only for grafting work. If you use improvised options, then thoroughly disinfect them with alcohol or another composition. You need the following:

Garden saw with fine teeth. The cleaner the cut, the better; the same option is often used as for pruning trees.
Knives for budding or copulating. You can’t buy them everywhere; when you can’t find them, a regular option with a small thin blade that needs to be sharpened very sharp will do.
Garden var. It is used to seal all open areas of wood for its rapid drying and healing. Or replace it with oil paint if the composition is not at hand.
Special pruning shears. To cut cuttings of the desired shape and make a notch in the rootstock, a special tool is often used. It is ideal for work and often has replaceable attachments for different types of grafting.
To tie the grafted areas, you can use different materials; it is better to use bast washcloth or linen twine. Or replace it with more modern options: adhesive tape, fabric tape. When using options with a sticky layer, before wrapping them, you need to cover the surface with garden varnish so that when removing the bandage you do not damage the bark.

The set of tools and materials may be different, it all depends on the grafting method. Often a small hatchet or chisel is used to split the top of the rootstock. If there is nothing to tie, use ordinary tape, although this is not recommended.

Secrets of grafting apple trees in the fall

Autumn is not the best time to graft fruit trees in the middle zone. Early frosts may come and ruin all the work.

If in spring and summer there is not enough time to graft apple trees, it is allowed to do this at the very beginning of autumn, namely, in the first ten days of September .

Until mid-October, vaccinations can be done in areas where winters are warm and frosts come late.

IMPORTANT: You cannot be late with vaccination in the fall. Before the onset of frost, autumn scions must take root so as not to die from the cold.

Since plant growth is slowing down, the accuracy of the work is of great importance.

Grafting apple trees in the fall is for professionals . The sections must be perfectly adjusted, and the procedure itself must take a minimum of time.

Autumn does not forgive mistakes in grafting techniques. Any careless movement and the percentage of scion survival will be reduced to a minimum.

In the fall, the optimal time comes for harvesting scion cuttings for the next season . This period is suitable for preparing rootstocks for “desktop” grafting.

Tools and materials for gardening

The tools for work are sharp and disinfected. Blades are treated with a weak solution of manganese or alcohol.

To carry out garden vaccination you must have:

A sharp saw, pruning shears or garden knife. Dull blades will crush the bark, which means survival will be worse.
Budding, copulating or universal knives are a special device for grafting. The copulating blade has an elongated blade with a straight blade, the budding blade has a curved blade with double-sided sharpening, and the universal blade has a variety of shapes with a “bone” on the handle for easy shifting of the bark at the cut site.
Garden varnish for covering the cut area.
Electrical tape for tightly fastening the rootstock and scion.

Winter grafting time for apple trees is not a myth

Winter grafting of fruit trees is known as “tabletop”. All manipulations with plants are carried out indoors.

Material for winter vaccination must be prepared in advance:

Rootstocks of 1 and 2 years should be dug up in late autumn, placed in a cool, frost-free room, providing the plants with relative humidity;
Scion cuttings with 2-4 buds must be prepared in late autumn-early winter.

A week before the start of grafting work, the rootstock is moved to a warm place. The cuttings are taken out 2-3 days before the scheduled procedure.

Vaccination in winter is carried out indoors.

You can start vaccination starting from the second half of December.

ATTENTION! It will be possible to plant grafted seedlings in open ground with the onset of persistent above-zero temperatures. The vaccination process must be completed 1-2 months before this date. Approximately in the second half of March.

Moistened grafted apple trees are left warm at a temperature of 20-25 degrees for up to 3 weeks. After this, they are again put in the cold until planting. Ideal storage conditions are from 0 to -4 degrees.

The method is often used by fruit plant nurseries to obtain a large number of varietal seedlings.

Necessary tools and means for treating the vaccination site

Tools you will need: pruning shears or a sharp garden knife, garden tape or plastic film, garden pitch. For grafting, there is a special garden pruner with a special blade shape. Some sets include a set of replacement blades. Compared to conventional pruning shears, grafting pruners injure the seedling less. It is designed in such a way that its cuts perfectly coincide on the scion and rootstock, which significantly increases the likelihood of material fusion.

The joint must be treated with a special putty or garden varnish. You can buy them in specialized stores or prepare them yourself. There are several methods of preparation, most often they prepare the Zhukovsky and Pashkevich var. The composition of Zhukovsky var includes three components in equal quantities:

yellow wax;
melted lamb fat;
rosin.

All components are melted in a water bath in separate containers. While hot, mix until smooth. After cooling, the mixture is poured into a container of cold water, collected from the surface, forming a ball. In appearance, the mixture is similar to plasticine. It is used immediately or wrapped in oiled paper. Store in a cool place away from sunlight. The composition of Pashkevich's var includes 4 components:

rosin – 200 g;
yellow wax – 400 g;
turpentine – 400 g;
melted fat – 100 g.

The wax is melted, rosin and turpentine are added, and mixed until smooth. Pour in the melted fat and stir. Pour into a container with cold water and collect from the surface. Apply immediately to treat wounds on trees or store as Zhukovsky var.

Important!

Garden varnish can be used to cover up any damage to the trunk and branches of trees.

What should be the temperature during vaccination?

In order not to make a mistake with the choice of timing, you can focus on the weather.

To carry out spring work, it is necessary that the average daily temperature exceed 5 degrees.

It is necessary to take into account the possibility of return frosts. If they are possible, grafting apple trees should be postponed.

In summer, work should be planned for cloudy or cloudy days without precipitation. If it is hot, you should try to complete the operation before sunrise.

In autumn, you need to carefully monitor the weather forecast. Vaccination activities should be completed at least 2 weeks before the temperature drops to +10 (+15) degrees.

Depending on climatic conditions, the timing of vaccination work may differ for different regions.

Features in different regions

There are several differences when carrying out the grafting procedure in different climatic regions.

In the southern regions, vaccination can be carried out earlier than in the northern regions, approximately 14 days.
In summer, vaccination should be carried out, on the contrary, in the northern regions earlier than in the south.
In the north, all types of grafting are prohibited in autumn; they will not bring any benefit, they can only harm the entire rootstock.

Otherwise, there are no exact instructions on the timing of the manipulation.

Apple tree grafting dates for regions

Central Russia

In central Russia , the time when an apple tree needs to be grafted is usually mid-April - early May.

Summer grafting is carried out from the end of July and in the first ten days of August.

The first 2 weeks of September are the deadline for autumn vaccinations.

Vaccination in central Russia.

In central regions , such as the Moscow region, the climate is temperate continental. Residents of these regions should be guided by the deadlines indicated for the middle zone.

In the north-west, with a temperate maritime climate, the timing of grafting differs, but not much. Cold spring shifts the time for grafting apple trees from mid to late April. You can finish summer and autumn vaccinations a week later. Autumn in the northwest is longer and longer than in the center.

Ural, Siberia and Karelia

for residents of the Urals and Siberia to complete all work in the spring . A popular method for determining when to plant an apple tree is to evaluate the soil. If the soil at a depth of 2 shovels has thawed, you can begin grafting.

The vaccination site should be carefully protected from cold. Autumn frosts come early. If grafting is done in the summer, the work should be completed in the first week of August. During the short summer, vaccinations given later will not have time to take root.

If conditions permit, a good choice for Siberians is winter grafting .

Growing apple trees in Karelia is not an easy task. It is difficult for plantings to recover after extreme winters. Therefore, the ideal answer to the question: “When is the best time to graft an apple tree?” - this is winter.

Apple trees in Karelia.

You should not choose early varieties for grafting . Spring frosts put most of the crop at risk.

The timing of vaccination work should be selected especially carefully.

Rootstocks should be grown by spring and summer green cuttings.

It is better to do vaccinations in winter using protected soil.

Ukraine

The growing season in Ukraine is longer than in central Russia.

The timing of when to vaccinate an apple tree is wider..

In spring, vaccination can begin in mid-March - early April, and in some years even in early March.
Summer work continues for a month, starting in the second ten days of July.
Work in the fall, when apple trees can be grafted, can be completed before mid-October.

How to care for the vaccine

You may be interested in: When apple trees bloom in Kolomensky Park in 2022 How to properly graft an apple tree: timing, methods, features and care Why scab appears on apple trees and how to get rid of it

The fruits of the wild apple tree will be large if the tree is provided with the necessary conditions. After the procedure, the planting needs care. The fixing tape must be removed when new shoots grow. After manipulation, you should regularly cut off the branches growing below the grafting site.

Until final engraftment, the vaccination site should be regularly inspected. The garter needs to be loosened periodically. If necessary, it is replaced.

Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied to the grafted plants. It is necessary to provide the tree with sufficient moisture. In the first winter, the plant is covered. This will protect the planting from frost.

Dependence of grafting timing on rootstock

The choice of timing for grafting is influenced by the type of rootstock chosen.

If the apple tree is grafted onto a wild plant , then work can be done in the spring, right up to the start of flowering.

This applies only to those cases where the grafting is done at the site where the tree grows.

IMPORTANT: You should not graft an apple tree onto a newly transplanted rootstock.

If it is necessary to separate the root shoots or dig up seedlings grown from seeds (seedlings) and replant them, the work should be postponed until the summer.

In the fall, grafting is also possible, but it is not very productive.

Many summer residents try to graft an apple tree onto a pear tree . The goal is usually to combine the fruits of both crops on one tree.

This vaccination can be done in spring and summer.

The grafting takes root well, but often it does not reach fruiting . Therefore, it is better to combine a pear scion with a pear rootstock. And for the apple tree, choose a more suitable material.

Rowan grafting gives good results in terms of frost resistance and yield Rowan rootstock should be used for small-fruited apple trees, such as china and its varieties.

, budding or splitting methods will be successful Such a tree will form a compact, low crown.

It is not worth grafting large-fruited varieties of apple trees onto rowan. The scion grows much faster than the rootstock. There is a high probability of death of grafted shoots.

Experienced gardeners know how to graft apple trees onto rootstocks of other species . Beginners also experiment. The shoots of plum, cherry, chokeberry, chokeberry, etc. are often used as a rootstock.

Such experiments can be carried out in the spring by grafting into clefts and in the summer by budding.

The chances that the vaccinations will take root are average, but they exist. The durability of such grafting is low ; fruiting may not be expected at all.

IMPORTANT: The best rootstock for an apple tree is a local apple tree.

The timing of grafting depends on the rootstock.

What is the advantage of fruit grafting?

If the apple trees have degenerated over time, there are no necessary varieties, or a plot without fruit trees has been purchased, a gardener without experience will rush to the market or nursery to buy seedlings. This solution to the problem has the following disadvantages:

you will have to wait 5-6 years for the harvest;
a considerable amount will be required for planting material;
new trees will take up space that could be used for other crops.

A gardener who has mastered grafting technology has other opportunities:

The tree will bear fruit in the 3-4th year after the procedure.
On one rootstock you can place from 3 to 5 varieties of apples of different ripening periods. This will make it possible to collect and process the fruits gradually, without loss of product during the harvest season.
The graft will allow you to preserve the variety on old trees.

The result of spring work
Apple trees of any age, condition and variety are suitable as a rootstock, including wild apple trees and stumps from cut crops.
The gardener has the opportunity to acclimatize varieties that do not tolerate cold or grow dwarf specimens from ordinary tall apple trees.

SPRING

Advantages

The regenerating ability of trees during these periods is increased, so the percentage of survival of cuttings in the spring is the highest.
In early spring, the tree does not yet spend much energy on life-sustaining growth of foliage and fruits - the apple tree is less injured.
Minor inaccuracies in the grafting technique are compensated by the ability for rapid fusion of the cambium during this period.
You can re-graft and rejuvenate old apple trees.
You can evaluate the results within 2-3 months.
If the scion does not take root, there is time to repeat the vaccination in the summer and not waste a year.

Flaws

It is difficult to assess the condition of the rootstock after winter;
Due to natural factors, there may be no access to the site;
The working conditions are not very comfortable - at this time it is still quite cool outside.

Methods

Great variability in grafting methods is allowed. The choice is limited only by the desire and skill of the person doing the grafting.

The following grafting techniques are suitable for spring work:

For the bark
Into the cleft
In the side cut,
Bridge,
Kidney,
With an eye,
Klin,
copulation,
Budding.

IMPORTANT: Grafting with cuttings is carried out shortly before the start of the growing season, approximately at the end of March - beginning of April!

Watch the video on how to plant an apple tree in the spring:

Apple tree care after the procedure

The grafting, if not carefully monitored, can grow into the bark or crush the growing cuttings. To prevent this from happening, it is checked every 2 weeks and, if necessary, unwound and loosened a little.

If the constriction does appear, the bandage is temporarily removed. Several longitudinal cuts are made on the bark down to the wood and again wrapped with tape. When callus grows on the cuts, the banding is changed and made weaker. It is untied when shoots 12-15 cm long are formed.

Caring for grafting of bark cuttings is simple:

wait for shoots 8-10 cm long to form from the scion buds;
One strong one is left, the tops of the rest are pinched.

Grafted cuttings protect from birds and wind. To prevent birds from landing on them, bent rods are strengthened above it. To protect them from strong gusts of wind, they are tied to stakes. If the cutting grafted in the spring does not take root, in the summer the apple tree is regrafted with eyes from a freshly cut scion.

SUMMER

Advantages

There is no need to specially prepare scion cuttings.
Large selection of cuttings, both in variety and quantity. If it is not possible to cut the variety you like from your neighbors, you can easily buy cuttings at this time of year.
You can clearly see how the rootstock seedlings emerged from winter, whether there is damage, frostbite, whether all the buds have awakened.
The place of summer grafting is almost invisible, the branches are not deformed.
Possibility to check the result in the current season.
Possibility to try again if grafting fails in spring.

Watch the video on how to plant an apple tree in the summer:

Flaws

Grafting is recommended only for young apple trees ;
Summer grafting is not done on branches larger than 1.5 cm in diameter;
In very hot summers it is difficult to choose the time for grafting - the heat significantly reduces the result of grafting.

Methods

In summer, you can use any grafting technology.

As in spring, these could be techniques:

For the bark
Into the cleft
In the side cut,
Bridge,
Cherenko,
Kidney,
With an eye,
Klin,
copulation,
Budding.

Watch the video for the best ways to graft apple trees:

How to select and store a scion

Next, we will describe in detail how to properly prepare a scion in the fall and store it until spring grafting.

Important! The scion must have the same vitality as the rootstock or even be stronger. Only then will the procedure be successful.

Characteristics of a quality scion

The success of the apple tree grafting itself depends on the quality of the scion.

Cuttings for the scion are harvested from one-year or, in extreme cases, two-year branches located in the upper part of the crown on the south or west side. Only the middle part of the shoot is cut. The cut is made on the annual ring between this and last year's growth.

A high-quality scion has the following characteristics:

in diameter 8-10 mm;
20-40 cm long. It is cut to the required level during grafting, leaving 2-3 buds.

Important! For grafting it is necessary to use cuttings with vegetative buds. Cuttings are not used with fruit buds.

Fresh, without signs of freezing or damage. The cut color should be light green.

Important! If the cutting bends easily, then it is suitable for rootstock.

Scion harvesting time

It is best to harvest cuttings in the fall, before the onset of frost.

Important! Rootstocks are cut exclusively from fruit-bearing trees.

However, you can cut cuttings before grafting when pruning an apple tree in spring.

The main thing is to carry out this procedure before the sap begins to flow and the buds open. At this time, the tree should still be in the dormant stage.

Watch the video! Cuttings for grafting - how, where and when to cut?

Storage rules

When harvesting cuttings in the autumn, they must be preserved until spring, and the growing season must not be allowed to begin.

It is best to wrap them in a damp cloth, moss or sawdust, and put them in a perforated bag. They can also be stored outside in the ground or under the snow.

The main thing is to maintain low temperatures and make sure that the cuttings do not dry out.

Therefore, it is still worth storing cuttings in a basement, cellar or refrigerator, where the air temperature is kept within 0..+4 degrees.

Advice! Periodically, at least once a month, the cuttings are taken out and inspected. Those that become moldy and have fungi appear on them are thrown away.

AUTUMN

Advantages

The main advantage of vaccination in the fall is that it can be done at all . On this basis, additional advantages are formed:

If vaccinations in spring and summer fail, you don’t have to waste a year.
Seedlings grafted in the fall will develop faster than seedlings grafted in the spring of next year.
A successful autumn grafting will increase the frost resistance of the seedling.

Flaws

Low survival rate of cuttings;
Wounds inflicted on an apple tree are difficult to heal;
Errors in grafting technique are not allowed.;
It will be possible to check the result only next season;
Possibility of frostbite at vaccination sites.

Way

In the autumn, vaccination methods are limited .

The main technique for achieving a good result in the fall is considered to be grafting “into the cleft.” You can also use: “budding” and “bark” grafting.

Step-by-step diagram of budding with a shield.

Methods and sequence of vaccination

Experienced gardeners use different methods of implanting a scion into a rootstock. Several methods are considered the most common:

budding,
copulation is familiar to many,
grafting into the cleft and “behind the bark”,
implantation.

Grafting an apple tree in the fall, spring or at other times of the year with a bud is called budding. In the southern regions, it is recommended to carry out the procedure in the last days of March or early April, as soon as the first leaves appear. In the central and northern regions, where frosts are possible in early spring, budding is carried out from the beginning (mid) of August to the beginning of September with last year's dormant eye.

The best survival rate is shown by a dormant scion. An already awakened bud, cut from the uterine shoot, without receiving juices, often dries out.

The easiest way to graft a bud from a donor apple tree is to follow the following instructions step by step:

On the rootstock, choose a branch growing at least half a meter from the ground.
Using a sharp knife, make a T-shaped cut 2-3 mm deep on it. The length of the horizontal line should be 1 cm, the vertical line should be 2-2.5 cm.
A pre-cut stalk without leaves is removed from a jar of water and the eye is cut off from it along with a piece of wood 1-2 mm thick and 2.-2.5 cm long.
At the intersection of the cuts on the rootstock, the bark is lifted and the scion is applied to the exposed trunk.
The grafting site is wrapped in cellophane so that the bud remains open.

If the operation was successful, after 2 weeks the eye will easily fall off when touched.

If it continues to firmly adhere to the “substrate”, the procedure should be repeated, choosing a place not far from the previous one.

Copulation for young apple trees

Copulation becomes popular when it is necessary to graft a young apple tree with cuttings 2-2.5 cm in diameter. The method is universal, as it can be used in any season, including winter. Copying is carried out in the following sequence:

A cutting of the same thickness is selected for the rootstock.
On both shoots, oblique cuts 3-4 cm long are made.
The donor branch is applied to the rootstock so that the cuts coincide.

Cutting with improved copulation
The grafting site is wrapped with tape or polyethylene, and open areas are treated with garden pitch.

There is also an improved version of this method. Its difference is that cuts 1 cm deep are made on the cutting and the scion branch. Then the resulting zigzag edges are connected so that they catch on each other.

Grafting into the cleft and “behind the bark”

This method is applied in early spring or at the height of summer and until mid-autumn (depending on the region) to trees 3-6 years old. They do it like this:

In a skeletal branch from 2 to 5 cm thick, use an ax to make a split 5-7 cm deep and insert a spacer into it, for example, a nail or an awl.
The end of the scion cutting is cut to the same length.
The handle is inserted into the slot and the spacer is removed.
The grafting site is covered with garden pitch, clay or plasticine and tied.

Sequence of work

Using the “by the bark” method, gardeners usually rejuvenate an old apple tree, the bark of which is easily separated from the trunk. When working, adhere to the following sequence of actions:

2-3 skeletal branches are left on the tree. The rest are cut down, leaving stumps 50-70 cm long.
The cut areas are cleaned until smooth.
The bark near the cut is cut by 4-6 cm and carefully moved using the handle of a knife.
An oblique cut 4-5 cm long is made on the scion cutting and pressed against the trunk so that the cut part rises 1 mm above the cut.
The grafting site is secured with tape and treated with garden varnish.

When is the best time to use this method to successfully graft an apple tree? In mid-autumn or early spring, as well as split grafting.

Implantation

The method is based on the use of scion and rootstock branches of the same diameter. They begin work by selecting a branch on the apple tree, which is located at least 20-25 cm from the ground. The cut is made at an angle of 45°. Then they select a shoot for the scion and cut out a cutting in its middle. The lower edge of the workpiece is combined with a cut prepared in advance on the apple tree, the upper edge is coated with garden varnish.

The cuttings and rootstock are tied with plastic tape, leaving the end with the garden varnish free. A plastic bag is attached to the resulting “stump” using a tie. Remove the bag when the first leaves appear on the branch.

WINTER

Advantages

Artificially created conditions create complete control over the grafting process. The influence of weather conditions is excluded.
High survival rate of cuttings.
The growing season is extended by almost 2 months. Seedlings grow and strengthen faster than those that were grafted in spring and summer .
Comfortable working conditions: warm, dry.
Possibility to simultaneously obtain a large amount of planting material.
Vaccination is carried out at a time when one summer season has already ended and another has not yet begun. There is an opportunity to do everything without rushing, and free up spring and summer for other gardening chores.

Flaws

Preparation takes a lot of time:

Digging and storing rootstock seedlings,
Preparation of scion cuttings;
A lot of space is needed for storing materials and for carrying out work, where the specified temperature must be maintained.

Methods

For winter, methods that are designed for merging thin branches .

The main grafting technique is copulation with a gap. You can also use budding.

Watch the video on how winter grafting of fruit trees is performed:

Where can I get wild wood?

A wild apple tree for grafting can be selected from those growing nearby, choosing the youngest and most viable specimens. Experienced gardeners advise digging up a wild apple tree in the forest or in a neglected garden . The smoothest and strongest trees without signs of disease, frostbite or damage will do.

Or you can grow a wild apple tree from seeds yourself. To do this, fruits that are fully ripe and without signs of damage are selected from trees in the fall. It is advised to remove fruits for seeds from the periphery, where there is more sun and better conditions for pollination.

Preparing seeds for planting is as follows::

Selected seeds are washed, dried in the open air and stored in a dry place.
At the peak of winter (January 15-25), seed stratification is carried out (hardening under conditions simulating the influence of winter weather factors). The seeds are placed in damp sand and stored in a sealed container on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
After 2 months, the seeds are ready to be planted in containers for germination.

Another storage method is natural stratification. Seeds are planted in the fall directly into the soil to a depth of 4 cm . They will remain dormant in the winter and sprout in the spring. Next fall they will turn into healthy, strong seedlings. They can be used as a rootstock in 1-2 years.

What should it be?

Only a healthy, young tree with a strong root system is suitable as a scion. It is important that it has sufficient frost resistance and grows in the same area where the grafting will be carried out. There are a number of other specific requirements:

Both trees must have the same growing season and be compatible in growth rates.
Harvest ripening dates should also be approximately the same.
It is recommended to choose a tree grown from a seed as a rootstock. It has a stronger root system and is resistant to disease and frost.

There are a number of requirements for the scion.

Scion cuttings can be taken from mature trees that have been bearing fruit for at least two years. This will help ensure high taste and commercial quality of the fruit.
Cuttings selected for scioning should have healthy, flexible bark. On a fresh cut, a layer of green cambium (a layer of connective tissue between the phloem and the woody layer) should be visible.