Pear grafting: how, when and what the procedure can be done

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Yakov Pavlovich

Professor, Head of the Department of Vegetable Growing

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If you have a garden at your dacha, then information on how to properly plant a pear tree will be helpful. There are many ways. For each there is a brief instruction with a photo (diagram). The reasons for resorting to vaccination are different. Most often it is used to obtain a seedling of a certain variety, rescue or rejuvenate an adult tree.

Necessity of vaccination

The garden ages with age, and the yield of trees decreases. Due to bad weather, frost, and winter thaws, the crown suffers. Branches break off under the weight of snow and crops; wounds and cracks form from frost damage and sunburn.

Gardeners who have mastered the technique of grafting with cuttings rejuvenate old pears, restoring their fruiting, and saving damaged trees. Selection does not stand still; new, more winter-hardy, scab- and rust-resistant varieties appear every year.

Having purchased fresh grafting material from the nursery, gardeners grow new varieties using suitable crops as rootstocks. Cuttings of a new variety grafted into the crown of an old tree eliminate its defects and improve the taste of the fruit.

Common Newbie Mistakes

Quite often, experimenters, regardless of experience, try to graft a new late variety onto an adult pear with early fruiting. During the growing season, the tree develops well and bears fruit until the first frost.

Which pleases gardeners, but disappointment will come in early spring, when the pear does not leave its sleep. Reason: the tree did not have time to go to sleep, which is why it died.

The second mistake beginners make is the desire to experiment with the choice of rootstock. Only the crops listed above are suitable as mother material.

No amount of fertilizers or fertilizing will help develop new varieties of pears on other crops. Even if you select a branch of the rootstock according to the timing of flowering and fruiting.

Autumn preparations are checked without fail. If there is mold, damage or other unfavorable conditions, the cuttings are removed and nearby branches are disinfected.

Dates

The scion should lag behind the rootstock in development. If this condition is met, the operations are successful. In winter, vaccinations are carried out indoors; in other seasons, the timing is correlated with weather conditions, sap flow, and method.

in spring

Wait until moderately warm weather sets in.

Vaccinations are given if the temperature is about 15°C during the day and does not drop below 0°C at night. Cuttings take root well during the period of active sap flow; its onset is determined by external signs:

• the buds begin to swell;
• the bark acquires a warm, slightly pinkish tint and lags behind well.

Expert opinion

Stanislav Pavlovich

Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert

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Advice! Use a sharp blade to make a small cut in the bark of the trunk, and use the tip of the knife to unscrew the edge. It lags behind easily, which means it’s time to vaccinate the pear.

In the spring, it is precisely by the second sign that gardeners determine the vaccination period. It is not tied to a specific date because it depends on the weather.

In summer

Not all vaccinations given in the spring take root. In this case, the pears are re-grafted during the summer sap flow. The period suitable for the operation is determined by the cortex. In July and August, young, healthy pear shoots are taken, they are cut off on the day of the operation, this is a plus for summer vaccinations.

There are also disadvantages:

• heat;
• bright sun.

In order for the cutting to take root, the gardener has to protect the operation site from sunlight.

in autumn

You need to know weather statistics for several years. It can be used to determine when frost may begin. Finish vaccinations one month before their due date. Errors in calculations affect the results. Cuttings that do not have time to take root die from the first frosts.

in winter

Seedlings are grafted for spring planting. They are preparing for surgery in the fall. The rootstock and scion are prepared. This method is not suitable for everyone. To store grafted plants, you need to have a room suitable for temperature and air humidity.

What can a pear be grafted onto?

The characteristics of the future tree depend on the quality of the rootstock: early fruiting, longevity, resistance to low temperatures, heat, drought, speed of adaptation to weather changes, requirements for soil, and agricultural technology. When choosing a scion and rootstock, take into account their compatibility with vegetation cycles.

Go wild

The fruits of the wild pear are small, but it is adapted to local conditions.

Grafting into cleft

Wild rootstock is obtained in two ways:

• they dig up a 1-2 year old tree in the forest, transplant it into the garden, and graft it in a year;
• Seeds are taken from wild fruits and sown before winter; one-year-old seedlings are used to produce a new variety of pear.

Comment! A tree grows up to 6 m high if a wild one is taken for the rootstock.

To a pear of a different variety

Small-fruited cultivated varieties that are resistant to adverse weather factors are suitable:

• Thumbelina;
• Veselinka;
• Kuyumskaya;
• Subject.

They are grafted onto varieties with large fruits and similar ripening periods. For many varieties, the best rootstock is the Ussuri pear.

See also: When and how to prune a pear tree correctly

To the mountain ash

The advantages of the rootstock are frost resistance, can grow in waterlogged soil, and an easy-to-maintain crown. Only late-ripening varieties are grafted onto rowan. A fruit-bearing tree requires support; the rootstock is thinner than the established scion.

Pear fruits have a peculiar, slightly tart taste.

In Irgu

The frost resistance of serviceberry is high, it can withstand frosts of 50 degrees, the flowers tolerate frosts down to -7°C, an important plus is that it grows on any type of soil. For pears, two types of shadberry are taken as a rootstock:

• spicate;
• round-leaved.

The cuttings are taking root well. Minus - the tree does not have longevity.

For cotoneaster

If you want to grow a frost-resistant, undemanding pear with a tart taste of the pulp, then take cotoneaster. This is a low plant. The seedling quickly takes root and adapts to local climatic conditions.

On the hawthorn

Plus the rootstock is drought-resistant. Varietal pears grafted onto hawthorn can grow on light, sandy soils. The downside is the thorns that are on the rootstock.

On black rowan

The height of chokeberry is less than 2 m, so the crown of a tree grown on such a rootstock is small. The pear tree is short and does not live long. The above-ground part of the grafted crop develops quickly; the root system of rowan cannot cope. The fruits have not juicy, tart pulp.

To quince

If they want to grow a low tree, they take quince. This option is not practiced in regions with cold winters and frequent recurrent frosts. The pear begins to bear fruit early, but has low frost resistance. In the conditions of the Middle Zone, a pear grafted onto a quince is protected from frost. This is not difficult to do because the crown is small.

For plum and cherry plum

Both varieties are compatible with pear. But the best results in terms of survival rate are given by the cherry plum rootstock. The material for grafting is cut after the first frost. A small tree grows from a seedling, which begins to bear fruit early, has a compact crown, and does not require special care.

To the apple tree

This is an option for those who like experimenting. Not everyone manages to grow an unusual tree. Those who, by grafting cuttings into the crown, get a unique garden tree are truly lucky. Vaccinations made using copulation methods and the eye are more likely to take root.

Features of plum

Plum grown from seed has a number of positive properties:

• the plant forms a powerful root system, which can provide nutrition for a productive tree;
• plum is a flexible stone fruit that can interact not only with plums or other stone fruit trees. Pome crops also take root on this scion;
• The scion has high winter hardiness. Its roots do not freeze even during severe frosts, which are observed in December in the absence of snow cover;
• Tall and dwarf trees are found in nature. Using one type or another allows gardeners to create different types of gardens.

Required tools and materials

A gardener has several knives in his arsenal. One ordinary garden one. They use it when cuttings are prepared. Using a budding knife, a high-quality eye graft is made. To push back the bark, it has a special protrusion, and the blade is concave-convex with a sharp end.

It is convenient to graft with cuttings using a copulating knife with a straight, sharp blade. Oblique cuts are smooth and of the required length. You need quality tools with a carbon steel blade.

Branches of large diameter are sawed off with a garden saw with a blade of at least 35 cm. The graft is tied with electrical tape, plastic film, or special tape that decomposes over time. The cuts are covered:

• varom;
• paint;
• mullein mixed with clay in a 1:1 ratio.

Cuttings purchased from a nursery are labeled with the pear variety.

How to vaccinate

First, they practice making smooth cuts. When skills appear, vaccinations begin. The method is selected by assessing the thickness of the grafting material. Spring grafting is often done by cuttings, summer grafting by buds.

The grafting material is prepared in late autumn, early winter, before severe frosts set in. Store them in a cool (0-5°C), dark place, protecting them from drying out. At the time of grafting, the development of the scion should lag behind the rootstock.

Copulation

The method is used when the parameters of the rootstock and scion match in diameter (2.5-5 cm). Operation technology step by step:

• The grafting site is wiped with a rag;
• cut the rootstock, bringing the knife towards you, make the oblique cut sharp (30 °);
• the same length is used to make the lower cut on the cutting (under the lower bud);
• above the upper bud, 2 mm away from it, cut straight;
• connect the scion and rootstock, combining the cambial layers;
• fix the grafting site with electrical tape, the winding is overlapped, leaving no gaps;
• Cover the wound on the scion with varnish so that the top bud of the scion does not dry out.

Improved copulation
Using the copulation method, pear seedlings are grafted in the spring before the buds open. When leaves appear on the scion, the bandage cannot be removed; it must fix the operation site for at least 2 months. Loosen periodically so that a pinch does not form on the bark. When the tissues of the scion and rootstock grow together, the winding is removed.

Into the cleft

This method is chosen when the diameter of the rootstock is several times larger than that of the scion. First, the trunk is cut down, then a knife is driven into the cut, forming a horizontal split 5 cm deep. Prepare 2 cuttings. The lower cuts are made in the form of a wedge 3-4 cm long. The blanks are inserted along the edges of the split, aligning the cambial layers.

Old trees with severely damaged crowns are grafted into the cleft. If the diameter of the trunk is large, make 2 cuts in the form of a cross and insert 4 cuttings. The grafting site is wrapped with several layers of electrical tape. The cut is coated with varnish.

Budding

A method for beginner gardeners. It is the simplest and most reliable. For grafting you need a budding knife. In the spring, cuttings prepared in the fall are taken and grafted with a germinating eye. In the summer, young shoots of the current year are taken and grafted with a dormant bud.

Expert opinion

Stanislav Pavlovich

A gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert See also: The best pear varieties

Ask a Question

Comment! The budding method is used if the rootstock is a young pear seedling or a skeletal branch of an adult tree.

When budding using the first method (germinating eye), the result of the operation is assessed at the end of the season. The summer graft overwinters, and the dormant bud germinates in the spring of next year. The operation is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. The soil is removed from the bottom of the trunk.
2. Wipe the root collar area with a clean rag.
3. An incision is made in the shape of the letter T, with a vertical incision of at least 3 cm.
4. A shield with a well-developed eye is cut out from the central part of the scion; ideally, the length of the shield is equal to the length of the T-shaped cut.
5. Carefully pushing aside the rootstock bark, insert the workpiece.
6. The grafting site is secured with electrical tape and the bud is left outside.

The success of the operation depends on the quality of the shield. It is cut off in one motion. The budding knife is applied 1.5 cm above the bud and moved downwards in a smooth motion, grabbing the thinnest layer of wood.

For the bark

In April, the trunk (skeletal branch) of the pear tree is cut down. The cut is cleaned. Cuttings with 2-3 eyes are cut from branches harvested in the fall. They start with the rootstock. A vertical incision (3 cm) is made. The lower part of the cutting is cut into a wedge, leaving a strip of cambium, and inserted behind the bark.

The grafting site is secured with tape, and the wounds are coated with varnish. The graft takes root by the end of 3 months. Young leaves are forming. Up to 6 cuttings are grafted onto a thick rootstock. To form the skeleton of the pear, the strongest one is left, the others are cut out.

Side cut

Universal method. The sizes of the rootstock and scion are not important. The method is used in several cases:

• adult pears are re-grafted to increase productivity and improve the taste of the fruit;
• receive a seedling of a new variety;
• save a pear from death when the above-ground part is dead but the root is alive.

It is not difficult to graft into a side incision; the survival rate is high. The tree is grafted while it is dormant with cuttings taken in the fall. For summer grafting, young shoots taken from pear trees are used.

Operation description:

• take a cutting with 3 buds;
• The lower part is cut off with two oblique cuts to obtain a wedge;
• the upper part is cut straight, 10 mm away from the upper bud;
• a side cut is made on the rootstock at an angle of 15-30°, grabbing a layer of wood, the length of the cut is equal to the length of the wedge;
• the cutting is inserted into the cut, pressed, the cambial layer is combined on one or both sides, its upper part is coated with varnish, and the grafting site is wrapped with tape.

Comment! By grafting into a side cut, the correct crown is formed. Direct one scion bud in the desired direction.

By the bridge

Bridge grafting saves pears from death due to ring damage to the bark by hares and other rodents. The gardener cannot know for sure that the pear tree will require resuscitation measures, so just in case, he tries to prepare cuttings in the fall.

Comment! Through established cuttings, the pear crown receives nutrition. They grow over the years, completely covering the wound.

The surface of the wound is cleaned. Several vertical cuts of 3 cm in length are made along the lower and upper edges of the bark. The bottom and top of the cuttings are cut at an angle and inserted into the cuts located opposite each other. The thicker the rootstock, the more cuttings are grafted. The operation area is wrapped with tape, open wounds are covered with varnish.

Ablactation

In the spring, before the leaves bloom, the tree crowns are examined. Damaged areas are restored using ablation method:

• remove a thin layer of bark on the rootstock, the width of the cut is equal to the thickness of the cutting;
• apply a cut of the cuttings to a cut of the rootstock, combining the cambial layers;
• wrap;
• open wounds are coated with varnish.

The bandage is removed after 3 weeks. The formed growth is cut out.

Preparatory activities

There are several ways to graft a pear. Before starting the procedure, they choose a rootstock - this is what they will graft on. Pear cuttings are harvested in spring and autumn. In areas with harsh winters, preference is given to autumn harvesting, since in winter the branches often freeze very much, and by spring it will not be possible to cut anything. Cuttings are taken after the leaves fall, before the onset of frost.

For spring grafting material, you need to take annual branches growing on the south side, whose wood has matured. It is not recommended to cut off fatty shoots; they are distinguished by the green color of the bark and the significant distance between the ovaries. It will take a long time to wait for the harvest to appear on them. The diameter of the harvested shoots should be approximately 7 mm, length 30 cm, the buds should be well ripened. For cutting, use a sharp pruner or knife. The grafting material can be stored in the snow until spring. Spruce branches are laid at the bottom of a hole 35 cm deep, cuttings are placed on them, covered again with spruce branches and sprinkled with straw or soil. A meter-long layer of snow is thrown on top of the floor.