Grafting is a time-honored method to propagate fruit trees, combining the best characteristics of two plants—rootstock (for vigor and disease resistance) and scion (for fruit quality). Whether you want to create multi-variety apple trees or reproduce a beloved peach cultivar, these straightforward grafting techniques make it achievable in your backyard.
Why Grafting?
- True-to-Type Propagation: Ensures the new tree bears identical fruit to the parent scion.
- Disease Resistance: Rootstocks can impart tolerance to soil-borne diseases or poor soils.
- Size Control: Choose dwarfing rootstocks to keep trees manageable in small gardens.
- Multi-Grafting: Grow multiple varieties on a single rootstock to extend harvest or cross-pollinate.
Best Time to Graft
- Dormant Season Grafting (Whip-and-Tongue, Cleft): Late winter to early spring, just before sap flow starts—when buds begin to swell.
- Summer Grafting (Bark or Side Veneer): Mid-growing season (June–July) on actively growing shoots; faster callus formation but lower success than dormant grafts.
Materials You’ll Need
- Sharp Grafting Knife: For clean, precise cuts.
- Grafting Tape or ParaFilm: Holds scion and stock tightly and seals moisture.
- Pruning Shears: To prepare scionwood and rootstock.
- Pruning Sealant (Optional): Protects union from desiccation.
- Rootstock: Young, vigorous, straight-trunked trees or rootstocks of desired size class.
- Scionwood: One-year-old dormant wood from healthy, disease-free trees, cut into 15–20 cm (6–8 in) pieces with 3–5 buds each.
Technique 1: Whip-and-Tongue Graft
Ideal for rootstock and scion of similar diameter (8–12 mm).
- Prepare the Stock:
- Make a sloping cut about 3–5 cm long on the rootstock.
- Create the Graft Tongue on the Stock:
- On the underside of the cut, slice down 1/3 of the wood thickness along the cut’s midpoint to form a tongue.
- Prepare the Scion:
- Mirror the same sloping cut and tongue on the scion piece.
- Interlock Tongues:
- Slide scion’s tongue into the stock’s tongue, aligning cambial layers (just beneath the bark) on one side.
- Secure the Union:
- Wrap grafting tape snugly around the joint to seal.
- Optionally, apply a thin layer of sealant over exposed areas.
Technique 2: Cleft Graft
Suitable when scion wood is narrower than rootstock, or for top-working older trees.
- Split the Stock:
- Cut the rootstock horizontally and split the center 5–7 cm using a wedge or grafting tool.
- Shape the Scion:
- Whittle the base into a wedge matching the split’s width.
- Insert Scion:
- Position one or two scions into the cleft, ensuring cambium contact on at least one side.
- Stabilize and Seal:
- Fill gaps with grafting wax or sealant, then wrap with tape.
Post-Grafting Care
- Keep Union Moist: Inspect tape monthly; rewrap if it dries out.
- Protect from Stress: Shelter graft from strong winds and direct sun until callus formation (3–4 weeks).
- Remove Competing Shoots: Cut back any shoots growing below the graft union.
- Training: After successful union, train the strongest scion shoot as the new main leader.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
| Issue | Possible Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Union Fails to Callus | Poor cambial contact | Re-graft with tighter cambium alignment |
| Desiccation of Scion | Inadequate sealing | Use fresh tape and graft sealant |
| Infection or Rot | Moisture trapped under tape | Ensure proper wrap; use breathable parafilm |
| Excessive Suckering Below Graft | Rootstock vigor | Regularly remove suckers to direct energy |
Mastering these simple grafting techniques lets you expand your fruit tree collection, preserve heirloom varieties, and enjoy a diverse harvest from a single tree. With practice and attention to detail—especially cambial alignment and post-graft care—your grafts will flourish into healthy, productive specimens.