I hate waiting but wait it is.
I decided that while I wait I can prepare though. The piece has a spot on it that will be perfect for another orchard the only problem is is that when He finally gives us the green light we will be so broke paying for it that I won't have the funds to buy the new trees. I don't want to buy the trees now because I have no place to store them until we get it... it's a mess, really. So I decided to use the fruit trees that we already have and love. I will graft branches from them to rootstock in preparation for the property. They will be small so thus easier to stash until the Lord sees fit to bless us.
Grafting is a lot easier than it sounds. first, you need rootstock. you can find them online for a fair price and buying them ensures that you can control the height of your tree. Or you can buy seeds to grow grafting stock here.
The cheapest way is to just plant seeds from the fruit you are eating. The girls and I are constantly throwing fruit seeds and pits in random pots of dirt and forgetting about them until they are big enough to graft... or in some cases bear fruit. don't laugh, someday you may be eating a Holverson apple and lovin' it. The only drawback to this is most of them are standard roots so they will be tall. It doesn't bother me, I figure I can either trim trees or my husband's wallet and I would rather trim trees, the trimmings make good grafting starts. Yes, it's a never-ending cycle.
Today, I am grafting apple. I grab my rootstock.
A dormant plant is ideal but today, this is what I had. Life is full of compromises, girls
full. of. them.
I also grab a fresh limb from the tree I wish to duplicate... at least one of them is dormant. You want the branches to be as evenly matched in size as possible... if one has to be bigger make sure the root side is the bigger diameter. A small root cannot support a large tree.
I then cut the root and the limb at an angle to expose as much cambium as I can. Cambium is the green layer under the bark and before the wood. That is the part that grows so you want to line up both layers of cambium touching as much as possible.
yes, I have pulled my rootstock out of the pot. This is a much more graceful process when you don't have to photograph the entire thing with your cell phone, I promise.
It helps to cut a second groove into the backside of the branches this will allow you to slip them together like tongue and groove. Giving added support. I had to recut this branch after I pulled it apart to show you the slice. It should not be this dramatic just a thin strip to wedge together.
Gently slide the two pieces together until they are well matched.
When the cambium matches up as best as possible wrap it tightly with a rubber band (it will weather and crack off). On the last wrap tuck the tip under the loop and it will hold itself.
Next you will want to heat some bees wax. If you don't have bees you can get some here for a good price. I use a dessert dish in a pot of boiling water like a double boiler.
once it is melted I can lift it out and pour it over the rubber band to seal it, unless I am grafting a branch onto a mature tree and then I use a paint brush to brush it on.
make sure both sides are coated. This will all crack off and weather over the next year. Don't pick at it for at least twelve months and then if it is growing well and you feel that you need to you can help it a little but it is really not necessary.
Then replant it being careful to keep the graft above the dirt line.
It is important to graft several trees even if you only want one.... any time you are dealing with living things you should expect a certain amount of failure. Having to find another spot to put a tree is much easier to swallow than not being able to dig a hole for any.
And that is just another easy way to fill your paradise with safe, wonderful, food. Have a great weekend!
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