Grafting an apple tree in spring. How to graft an apple tree in spring: timing and methods How to graft an adult apple tree

Your own apple orchard, fragrant with a fabulous aroma in spring and giving a magnificent harvest in autumn, is the dream of any gardener. In practice, you often have to deal with various unpleasant surprises, including: poor resistance of existing varieties of apple trees to weather conditions, the taste of fruits that do not match your preferences, poor fruiting, the presence of old trees that are a pity to cut down, and the harvest is no longer happy. Grafting apple trees will solve all these problems by having an orchard that would become your pride.

How to properly prepare a scion (stalk) for grafting

With the onset of the first, truly cold winter days, when the branches of the apple tree have already entered a state of rest, the young (1-2 years old) branches growing upwards are cut at an acute angle. The length of the cutting should be 30-40 cm, and the diameter should be at least 1 cm. You can store the shoots of apple trees in the basement under a layer of wet sand or in the refrigerator, after placing them in a plastic bag.

If the winter was warm enough, and the young branches suitable for grafting did not freeze, then it is better to cut the scion fresh, just before grafting.

Grafting fruit trees: concept and types

The method of engrafting a small shoot (scion) or bud of one plant onto another (stock) is called grafting. Being engaged in the cultivation of fruit trees for more than one century, gardeners have accumulated tremendous experience in this matter. Today, more than fifty types of this process are successfully used. We will consider the most traditional and proven among them.

Simple copulation

The essence of this method is to splice the cutting with the stock, provided that they have the same diameter and thickness.

Before starting work, you need to wash your hands and the necessary tools with laundry soap.
Next, we prepare the rootstock. To do this, with a sharp grafting knife, we make an oblique cut 3-4 cm long, smooth, even. It is very important to carry it out in one pass, directing the tool towards yourself. You can't touch the cut!
A ready-made shoot about 10 cm long, having 2-4 leafy buds, is applied to an apple tree branch and tightly connected to each other, as if rubbing.
We fasten the union of the scion and stock with plastic wrap.
We coat the vaccination site with garden pitch, which can either be purchased at a specialized store or made independently.

Despite the simplicity and ease of this method, you should take into account all the nuances and strictly adhere to the execution technology.

Improved copulation

The name of this method speaks for itself. Its use will allow you to get a more reliable connection between the cutting and the receiving branch.

the material used and the initial preparation for this method are the same as in the case of simple copulation;
further, the oblique cut on the rootstock must be visually divided into three parts and, retreating about 1.5 cm (1/3 part) from its lower edge, make a notch about 1 cm deep;
on an oblique cut of the cutting, retreat 1.5-2.0 cm from the upper edge and make an incision also 1.0-1.5 cm deep (the so-called tongues should turn out);
we connect them together, like puzzle pieces and fasten them with plastic wrap;
we process with garden pitch.

During the period of active fruiting, the developed cutting, grafted in this way, will be reliably protected from fracture at the fusion site. Both methods of copulation are best done in early spring, before active sap flow begins in the trees.

How to graft an apple tree into a split

Often, novice gardeners face the question: “how to plant an apple tree correctly if the branches used are of different diameters?” In fact, it is very easy, and even a beginner can do it.

As a stock, you can use both a branch and a stump, about 15 cm high from the ground. With the previously rough side of the glove intended for gardening, we clean off the old bark from it.
Then with a sharp grafting knife we clean the end cut and make a split. If the stock is wide enough, the first step is to cut the bark in the direction of the future split. Then, gently tapping the knife with a hammer, split the stump to a depth of 5-8 cm. So that both parts of the finished split do not close, they are blocked with a screwdriver or a wedge.
In a thin stock, a split is made to a depth of no more than three of its diameters.
We take a cutting with 3-5 leafy buds. At the bottom of the scion, we make a cut with a length equal to three of its diameters.
It is very important not to touch the cut with your hands and knife! This can lead to infection.
On a wide stump, 2-4 cuttings are usually grafted.
Next, we insert the cuttings sharpened with a wedge into the split, pressing it to the stock.
Next, we tightly bandage the grafting site with cling film or special tape and process it with garden pitch.

All of the above grafting techniques are applicable to young (2-10 years old) apple trees. But sometimes an old tree can serve as an excellent stock for one or more new varieties. A huge plus of such a plant, oddly enough, is in its minus - age. Over the years, it has taken root well and can easily provide the young scion with the necessary amount of moisture and nutrients.

Graft for the bark

This method is the most suitable if you decide to breathe new life into an old tree. The technology of this grafting is quite straightforward and it is better to carry it out in autumn or early spring, when the bark moves well from the trunk. The methodology consists of the following steps:

we cut down most of the skeletal branches (leaving 3-4 to provide the tree with juice) at a distance of 50-100 cm from the trunk;
the place of saw cut must be cleaned with a grafting knife to a smooth and even state;
in the upper part of the rootstock on the bark we make a vertical incision about 5 cm long, touching the wood, but not injuring it;
gently with the back of the knife we hook and push the bark away. This will allow the cutting to more easily penetrate under it;
a pre-prepared scion with 3-4 buds in the lower part is cut into a wedge and slightly sharpened on the reverse side. The length of the cut is traditionally equal to three diameters of the handle;
we insert the cutting behind the bark in such a way that 2 mm of the cut remain above the cut of the stock;
we fix the grafting site with plastic wrap or twine, treat it with garden pitch.

Autumn grafting of an apple tree

With the advent of autumn, the vital activity of many fruit trees reaches its peak. Having dropped ripe fruits to the ground, the plants are preparing to go into a state of rest: the movement of juice slows down, the leaves turn yellow and fall, the intensity of internal metabolic processes decreases. Therefore, vaccinations during this period are best done, given the following nuances:

so that the graft (stalk) has time to grow together with the stock (host plant) before the onset of cold weather, it is advisable to complete all grafting work no later than the first days of October;
you also need to consider that the best time for this very exciting and useful activity is the early morning of a cloudy but not rainy day;
despite the huge number of known methods of grafting, at this time of the year, priority should be given to split grafting, or bark grafting.
Having completed all the work in stages, it is important to properly insulate the place where the scion is spliced with the stock. And for the winter, it is advisable to protect the cutting itself from frost by wrapping it with a film or woven material.

Experienced gardeners still advise the first attempts to obtain high-quality varieties of apple trees by grafting to be carried out not in the fall, but in the spring. Since the cold season, which is dangerous for immature plants, will be left behind, and the chances that everything will turn out well will be much higher.

Spring grafting of an apple tree

With the onset of spring, there may still be snow on the ground. Dampness and cool freshness still dominate the air, although the sun's rays are more and more insistently breaking through the clouds. Despite the seeming peace of nature, life begins to boil inside every even the smallest plant. Perhaps this is the best time to carry out work on grafting apple trees in your own garden.

A few simple tips will help you achieve the desired result:

in the spring, all work related to the grafting of new varieties should preferably be completed by the time the leaf buds begin to swell;
you can use almost any technique at your discretion (simple or improved copulation, split grafting, etc.);
the weather should be dry, but not too hot.

Spring grafting of an apple tree (video)

How to plant an apple tree in winter

In the snowy and frosty period, it would seem that there is nothing to do in the garden. All preparatory work for wintering is completed in November, and the time for spring worries will not come soon. But modern gardeners are increasingly starting to work on grafting fruit trees from the end of December.

cuttings must be used prepared in advance, or if the frosts were mild, then cut them off immediately before grafting;
the scion and stock will grow together better during this period as a result of simple or improved copulation;
the vaccination site must be very tightly fastened with insulating material and treated with garden pitch;

As you have already noticed, weather conditions are not an obstacle for a true lover of his craft. Try new technologies in non-standard conditions and, perhaps, your result will go down in gardening history.

Finally, it only remains to add that gardening is also an art that you need to feel and love. Then all your hard work will pay off.

Summer vaccination with an eye (video)

Trees are grafted for a variety of reasons. Some gardeners want to rejuvenate a tree, others want to grow several varieties of apples on it at once. In itself, grafting an apple tree in spring is a simple procedure, but you need to know when, with what and under what conditions to perform it.

Why graft an apple tree

Grafting an apple tree in spring can be done in several ways, the choice depends on the age of the tree and its condition.

Grafting is a selection method that allows you to get some positive results for the grower. One of them is saving space in the garden. It is achieved by growing several varieties of apples on one tree. Many gardeners do not require a large number of fruits with the same taste. Therefore, other varieties are grafted to the selected apple tree. Moreover, they can ripen at different times and the family will always be with fresh fruit.

Grafting can change the appearance of a tree, making it squat, making it easier to harvest. It is also possible to rejuvenate a long-bearing plant. Another positive effect of grafting is that it can be used to save an injured tree: to graft its cuttings to another plant.

What you need to know to complete

An example of a scion and a rootstock when grafted into a split

In specialized literature, there are often terms that are incomprehensible to a beginner. This interferes with the assimilation of information and can lead to errors. Therefore, it is necessary to know what terminology experienced gardeners use.

A graft is a part of a donor plant (branch, cutting or bud) that will be grafted onto the selected tree.
Rootstock- the plant to which the scion will be attached.
Copulation- grafting using cuttings.
Budding- Vaccination with one kidney.

When to vaccinate: timing of work

The timing of the work depends on the region, weather conditions and the health of the apple tree

Apple trees can be grafted all year round. But in the cold season it is done in one way, and in the warm season in another way. In winter, seedlings must be brought into the room, they are given time to acclimatize, and only after that they begin breeding work. This approach is associated with certain troubles and inconveniences. Therefore, it is better to postpone these matters for the warm season.

Grafting an apple tree in the spring will give better results, will be carried out more quickly and successfully. In winter, the trees are weakened and dormant. In the spring, the movement of juices begins and the stock will more easily endure the vaccination, since this procedure is associated with injury. The same can be said about the donor tree. It will more easily tolerate the removal of the cuttings and kidneys.

Russia is a country with several climatic zones. Therefore, the optimal timing of vaccination for each region is different. The best time for the procedure is the period of the beginning of sap flow and swelling of the kidneys. Many gardeners also take into account the lunar calendar. According to him, the best time for breeding work is the growing moon.

The weather is also important. It should be warm, windless and not rainy. The best time of the day is morning or evening.

Tools and materials

To complete the task, you will need a small set of tools and materials:

hacksaw for cutting thick branches:
sharp knife;
polyethylene;
garden var.

With the help of these tools, trees were grafted from the very beginning of breeding work. But progress does not stand still, and today a specialized tool has been developed and successfully used to minimize the risk of injury to plants - a grafting pruner. It is necessary for both beginners and professionals.

Fused cuts on the trunk made with a grafting pruner

The grafting pruner differs from the usual blade shape. On it, it is such that it allows you to perform a figured cut, which provides the best pairing of the stock and scion. With this pruner, you can perform three operations:

make a cut with a groove in which the cutting will be installed;
cut the cutting so that it fits exactly into the groove;
perform budding.

The trading network offers different models of grafting pruners, amateur and professional. Any of these tools are easy to use. But amateur ones differ from professional ones in that they can cut branches of a smaller diameter and are not equipped with a spare blade. The main difference is in the quality of the steel and the assembly of the tool.

Often, manufacturers of inexpensive amateur models complete them with various attachments designed to increase the functionality of the secateurs and expand its capabilities. However, all these devices cause a lot of criticism from experienced gardeners. Therefore, a beginner is advised to use only a pruner knife.

Rules for choosing scion and rootstock

The choice of rootstock for a beginner is best done with the help of an experienced fellow gardener.

The success of vaccination directly depends on the correct choice of scion and rootstock. First choose a rootstock. The tree must be healthy, without damage to the bark and dry branches, and have good winter hardiness. Adult and young plants can be grafted. If the purpose of breeding is to modify a tree, a young one, up to 3 years old, is chosen.

There are varieties that are ideal for rootstock. These are most often those apple trees that develop well and bear fruit in these climatic conditions. Therefore, each region has its own rootstock varieties.

The choice of a donor tree also requires care. The apple tree must be mature, fruiting for at least two years. This is the only way to understand what the taste of fruits is and how productive and hardy the variety is. Optimally, the rootstock and scion should be close, related varieties. This will provide better compatibility. But this is an optional condition, since with the help of vaccination it is possible to cultivate a wild game.

How to prepare cuttings

Cuttings can be prepared independently, but more often they are bought

Branches for taking cuttings must be older than one year, with intact bark, without signs of disease. It is best to stock up on cuttings at the beginning of winter, when the air temperature reaches -10 ° C. In this case, the branches will be more hardened.

Such cuttings can be fearlessly stored at a temperature of -2 ° C in a refrigerator or basement until spring. If it is not possible to store in the above ways, the cuttings are wrapped with a damp cloth and placed in a cool place. After the snow falls, they are immersed in a container with sawdust or peat, and buried in a snowdrift.

Procurement rules

There should be 3-4 intact buds on the handle.
The best part of the branch is the middle one.
The top cut should be made obliquely and located at the level of the top eye.
The lower cut is performed in accordance with the selected grafting method.

Types of grafting apple trees in spring

Popular ways to graft fruit trees

There are several types of grafting apple trees.

Implantation in a lateral incision.
Bark vaccination.
Copulation with tongue.
Split grafting.
Implantation in the example.
Budding.

Grafting in the incision

The easiest way to graft is in the side cut. You will need a sharp knife to do the job.

Prepare the lower end of the cutting by cutting it obliquely.
On the selected branch of the stock, 20-25 cm recede from its base.
Place the knife at an angle of 20–25°.
An incision is made through the bark and a few millimeters of wood are cut through.
The lower end of the cutting is inserted into the cut on the rootstock. Strive to achieve the perfect fit. The result should be a horn.
Bandage the place of articulation with plastic wrap.
Coated with garden var.

Method "for the bark"

This method of grafting is considered the best for mature trees, which they want to graft a winter-hardy and productive variety. Thus, the rootstock is made stronger and more resilient. The procedure helps to acclimatize a variety that does not develop well in these climatic conditions.

Bark grafting is the most complex and meticulous. Requires precision movements and attention. The difficulty lies in the fact that the lower end of the cutting, due to the specifics of the method, cannot fit snugly against the rootstock branch.

This method is used only in the spring, during the movement of juices inside the tree. During this period of the year, the bark is easiest to separate from the wood.

In order for the rootstock branch to grow evenly, up to 4 cuttings can be grafted to it. Subsequently, the most powerful of them is left, the rest are removed.
Grafting is carried out at a height of 100-110 cm from the ground surface.
With a sharp knife, cut the bark so that it separates from the wood. The incision should be 4–5 cm long.
Slightly shift the bark, exposing the wood.
In the lower part of the cutting, an oblique cut is made, the length of which should correspond to 3-4 diameters of this scion. It is important that the cut on the handle is as smooth and even as possible. The kidneys should be directed upwards. This is an important point, since many beginners confuse the upper end of the cutting with the lower one during grafting. This is an invalid error.
Plant a cutting under the bark.
Press as tight as possible.
They tie up.
Fix the bandage with garden pitch.

In this method of vaccination, the speed of work is important. Therefore, inexperienced gardeners are advised to practice cutting on unnecessary branches. For strapping, it is desirable to use strips of polyethylene. But duct tape is also suitable, which is wrapped around the branch with the sticky side up.

Copulation with tongue

Simple copulation and tongue copulation

For copulation with a tongue, cuttings are harvested from annual healthy branches. At the time of cuttings, swollen buds should be present on them. Therefore, the apple tree is grafted in the spring.

A prerequisite for successful tongue copulation is the same diameter of scion and rootstock. A slight excess of the rootstock section is allowed. But the stalk must be thinner. The graft is pre-cleaned of foliage, if any. You can leave only the petioles of the leaves.

This method of grafting requires a grafting pruner. With this tool, you can make curly notches and protrusions in the branches. Wood is cut on the stock, bark on the scion. The recess on the rootstock should be the same length as the protrusion (tongue) on the scion. Then proceed according to the standard scheme:

lead the scion into the cutout on the rootstock;
perform binding;
smear the place of articulation with garden pitch.

Tongue copulation is one of the most difficult ways to graft an apple tree in the spring. Therefore, it is advisable for beginners to pre-train in performing cuts and joints.

In split

Methods of grafting in full and semi-split

Splitting is the best grafting method for young trees aged 3–5 years. It is important that the diameter of the rootstock branch does not exceed 5 cm. Otherwise, the incision will drag on for a long time and begin to rot. Grafting is performed at a height of 20–25 cm from the ground on a strong skeletal branch. It is difficult to make an even and precise cut on a thick branch with a knife. Therefore, a sharp ax is used to perform this task.

With a quick movement, the stock is split to a depth of 8–10 cm.
The lower end of the scion is cut at an acute angle so that the length of the cut coincides with the depth of the split. The cut can be one-sided or two-sided. The work is done with a sharp knife.
The gap on the rootstock is opened by inserting a suitable spacer into it: an awl, a screwdriver, a branch.
The scion is inserted into the rootstock so that the places of desalinization coincide. Up to 4 cuttings can be installed in one split. In this case, you will need to make a cruciform split.
Take out the spacer.
Make a twine tie. The use of polyethylene tape is optional.
Treat the grafting site with garden pitch.
The gap on the rootstock is covered with plasticine or clay.

How to make such a vaccination: a video method

Implantation

For grafting an apple tree by the method of implantation, the diameters of the branches of the rootstock and scion must match.

A branch of the stock is cut off at a height of 15–20 cm from the ground.
The resulting stump is cut obliquely, stepping back from the end of the branch 2 cm.
The upper end of the cutting is coated with garden pitch.
The lower end of the cutting is cut so that the cutting planes of the scion and rootstock coincide.
Press the stalk to the rootstock.
Tied with a tape made of polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride. The second option is the most convenient, since the PVC tape tends to stretch, which will ensure the free growth of the tree at the grafting site.
They put a plastic bag on the stump with a handle and tie it up. When the first leaves appear, the package is removed.

Budding

Scheme of budding

Budding is otherwise called "bud grafting" or "eye grafting". This method is recommended for beginners, it is so easy to perform and shows a high percentage of survival.

The best results are obtained by summer vaccination, performed during the second sap flow in apple trees. This is early-mid August. At this time, the bark is elastic and well incised. A one- or two-year-old branch is used as a stock, the optimal thickness of which is 10–15 mm. A few days before grafting, the tree is well watered.

Cuttings are prepared in advance, a few days before the vaccination. Leaves are removed from them, leaving petioles. Cut the cuttings in the morning, put them in a container of water, and place in a shaded place.

Graft:

Having retreated 20–25 cm from the ground level, a T-shaped cut is made on the selected branch with a knife. Horizontal incision - 10 mm long, vertical - 25 mm.
With the tip of a knife, lift the bark of a vertical cut.
They take a cutting, blow off the dust from it, choose a well-formed kidney.
Cut it so that a thin layer of bark 25 mm long is removed.
The scion is pressed to the place of the incision on the rootstock.
Make a strapping with plastic tape so that the bud of the scion remains open.

After 14–15 days, they check whether the scion has taken root. To do this, they touch the cortex near the kidney, and if it falls off easily, engraftment was successful. If the bark is firmly held, the kidney may later dry out. In this case, you can repeat the procedure by engrafting the second kidney below the first or to the side of it.

The method of budding apple trees in spring: video

Mistakes of beginner gardeners

The most common mistake made by beginners during budding is the wrong choice of kidney. You can not take the awakened (revealed). The best choice is the eye that formed last season.

Another common mistake is using dirty inventory. The knife, pruner or ax must be clean. It is advisable to degrease the blades and wipe dry with a rag.

To perform grafting in a lateral incision, beginners often take cuttings with 1-2 buds. It is necessary to use a scion with 3-4 eyes.

Grafted Tree Care

An established vaccine requires attention and care. Its goal is to provide the young branch with optimal conditions for development. Therefore, remove all the leaves and shoots that cover the sunlight and draw nutrients onto themselves.

The harness is regularly inspected and, if necessary, corrected or changed. With the active growth of the cutting, the bandage is loosened. Injured places on the rootstock should be completely overgrown 2.5-3 weeks after vaccination. The fact that the stalk is developing well is evidenced by live buds and smooth bark.

A beginner should definitely focus on the recommendations of experienced gardeners, which will help to avoid mistakes in grafting an apple tree in the spring. Gradually, the skill of forming incisions will appear, and the selection procedure will become not only easy, but also pleasant.

How to plant an apple tree in spring on an old tree? Every gardener wants his garden to produce a high-quality and large-scale crop. But it often happens that an apple tree does not bring a few apples for a couple of years, or, in terms of taste, may not meet expectations.

In this case, grafting an apple tree in the spring will help. This will save time on planting and growing a new tree and will help expand the variety of fruits your garden produces. In our article we will tell you how to plant an apple tree in spring on an old tree.

What you will learn from this article:

When to plant an apple tree

Grafting apple trees in the spring is recommended by professional gardeners, as it injures the tree less. It is important to be in time before the active movement of the juice begins. During the summer, you will be able to determine whether the scion has taken root or not. When grafting in late autumn, there is a chance that a young, fragile branch will freeze.

Why are apple trees vaccinated in the spring

With the help of grafting, it is possible to have many different varieties of different fruits in a small garden plot. For example, grafting a pear branch onto an apple tree in spring will allow you to have two types of fruit from one tree at once.

It is possible to get several varieties of apples from one tree. That is, this method provides unlimited opportunities for the gardener, but for this you need to know how to plant an apple tree in the spring. The most popular methods are copulation and budding.

The first method helps to restore damaged fruit trees, quickly replace varieties or create a multi-varietal tree.

On which tree can an apple tree be grafted

To get the desired result, it is important to know what can be grafted onto. For example, if an ordinary wild game has grown in your garden, then you can graft a stalk or bud from a mother plant into it, and it will begin to bear noble fruits.

The best rootstock is considered to be the same type of plant as the scion branch. The easiest way is to graft an apple tree in the fall to an apple tree, a pear to a pear. But breeding work has expanded the boundaries of this rule.

An important role is played by the compatibility of the stock and scion, so you need to choose the right thing to plant an apple tree on. Quince belongs to the same "family" as pear or apple, but there are a number of varieties incompatible with it.

The closer the relationship of trees, the better. Even if the scion has taken root well, it is not a fact that it will be durable. So, most stone fruits take root well with apricots, but only the apricot itself lives on it for a long time. The same rule determines what can be grafted onto an apple tree.

Tools needed for grafting an apple tree

For high-quality vaccination, it is necessary to properly prepare the required tools. Most gardeners use a garden knife for this procedure. But this is not entirely advisable, because such equipment is necessary for trimming or cleaning wounds.

But budding knives are actively used for budding. This type of vaccination is carried out with a peephole or shield. It is carried out in the middle of summer. A distinctive feature of the presented tool is the presence of a curved blade, a bone at the base of the tool, with which the bark is pushed apart.

You also need to buy a grafting knife for grafting. Its design assumes the presence of a straight blade, and its sharpening is performed on one side. The other side is flat. This will allow you to get even cuts, and making them will be much easier.

All knives that you bought in the store must be sharpened. If the tool is blunt, then it is worth using bars with small and large grains, which are pre-wetted.

Methods for grafting an apple tree

Grafting apple trees with cuttings in the spring can be done in several ways:

budding;
copulation (simple and improved, with tongue);
in a split;
for the bark;
bridge.

Less commonly used is the budding method, which involves the use of buds instead of a cutting.

Step-by-step instructions for grafting an apple tree

Before you plant an apple tree in the spring, you need to familiarize yourself with the methods of vaccination. To not only try to carry out this procedure, but also to do it correctly. You can plant apple trees in dry, not very hot weather. Work is best done in the evening or in the morning. Step by step, this procedure looks something like this:

first, a suitable branch is selected on the selected tree;
then they make an oblique cut at the bottom of the branch 3-4 cm in size. The buds on the branch should look up;
you need to plant an apple tree at a height of 1.5 meters. The grafted cutting must be tightly wrapped. Its cambial layer and rootstock should be in even contact;
it is not necessary to cut off all the old branches to a stock immediately after vaccination. This will worsen the condition of the root system.

When studying the question of how to graft apple trees, we are faced with different methods of grafting. In all types of vaccinations, the main thing is to make an even oblique cut up to 4 cm in size. The top of the cutting must be cut directly above the buds, while no hemp should remain on the branch. It is better not to touch the cut at the bottom of the cutting with your hands. This may worsen the result of the vaccination.

Caring for a grafted apple tree

The place of scion must not be left unattended. It needs proper care. To protect the area where the cuttings are closing from pests and drying out, it is required to carefully tie this area with plastic wrap.
Also, the scion site must be protected from moisture penetration. For that purpose, it is usually processed. In addition, this solution is usually also applied to the surface of the film.
Some gardeners use simple electrical tape for garters, which is not correct. After all, it will interfere with the growth of the scion and stock. In addition, it will interfere with the normal development of the callus.
The grafting site should not be wrapped in a plastic bag, which will create the effect of a greenhouse, which will accelerate bud break, and this can lead to the death of the scion.
To provide the scion with a reliable stop, it is recommended to insert it on the top of the branch. This will avoid damage to the scion when the fruit ripens.
To prevent birds from landing on a newly grafted branch and thereby breaking it, hang a bright ribbon on it that will scare away uninvited flying guests.

Diseases of the grafted apple tree

The grafting itself is the infliction of injury, damage to the tree. Even if you do everything carefully, the plant will still experience stress. Although the tree itself will heal the wounds quite quickly - when sap flow begins, the cells of the bark, wood and cambium grow together.

No additional assistance is usually required, however, the plant needs increased attention. Check the vaccination site, remove wild shoots. In the future, as for all trees, they monitor the correct formation of the crown.

Care should be taken in advance that no diseases appear on the grafted fruit tree. You must be absolutely sure that neither the scion nor the rootstock suffer from any diseases, especially viral ones. To do this, you need to observe both plants from last year. Sometimes gardeners confuse the manifestations of a viral disease and the usual lack of nutrients. You can distinguish them this way - the virus is most pronounced at the very beginning of the growing season, and by the middle of summer its signs are weakening. But the lack of nutrients during the growing season is invisible, but over time it becomes more and more obvious.

Grafting is a painstaking and rather time-consuming task, but it saves time on growing a new tree. In this article, we will talk about the correct implementation of this procedure, as well as learn how to care for a grafted tree.

Vaccination is done for:

rejuvenation of an old tree;
preservation of the quality of the variety;
accelerate the growth of trees;
increase the resistance of the new variety due to the old rootstock.

It is necessary to do such operations while the tree is at rest - in spring or autumn. Each season has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Did you know? The fruits of wild apple trees have been consumed by people since the Neolithic. Wild apples have been found in the sites of ancient people. But the idea to cultivate a wild plant came to people much later.. Most gardeners agree that it is more favorable to carry out work in the spring:

the scion takes root better;
all methods of vaccination can be used;
if the scion has not taken root, there is time to make a new vaccination.

But autumn also has its advantages:

more moisture and no particular drought;
seedlings take root better and tolerate transplanting more easily;
seedling hardening and increased survival.

You will certainly be interested to familiarize yourself with the basic rules for grafting fruit trees in spring and summer, as well as to find out why and when it is better to graft fruit trees. Optimal time to complete the work:

in spring - early April, before bud break, at an air temperature of + 7-9 ° С;
in autumn - September-early October, so that the vaccine has a reserve of 20-30 days of warm weather (+ 10-15 ° C).

Possible ways

There are several ways to graft cuttings - budding and copulation.

Budding

This method is used in spring or summer, when the bark is well moving away from the wood. It is carried out by grafting a kidney with a shield. Serves for obtaining seedlings. The best time for such a procedure is spring and summer. It is not advisable to do it in the fall.

Copulation

With this method, the cutting is connected to the rootstock. The method is quite simple, with a high survival rate of cuttings, suitable for beginner gardeners.

Important! When copulating, it is imperative to observe the same thickness of the scion and rootstock.

Allocate copulation:

simple- scion and stock are cut equally obliquely, applied to each other and wrapped. The whole operation should take less than a minute - until the slice has oxidized. It is used for young (1-2 years) branches;
improved- a longitudinal incision is made on the scion and rootstock, the cuttings are connected and wrapped. Suitable for branches of different diameters, the main thing is that they have the same bark, on the one hand;
in split- a transverse incision is made on the stock, where the scion is inserted with an oblique cut. Suitable for branches of different ages and different diameters;
per bark- as a stock, a cut of a branch is used, into the cut of the bark of which the scion is carefully inserted with an oblique cut. Suitable for branches of various sizes, two scions can even be grafted onto a thick stock (more than 5 cm in diameter). This method is recommended for novice gardeners because of its simplicity and high survival rate of petioles.

Video: ways to graft fruit trees

Necessary tools for grafting an apple tree

Proper operation depends largely on good instruments. Did you know? The famous Avalon (or paradise in the myths of King Arthur) in Celtic means« country of apples». We will need the following inventory:

sharp garden knife. It is best to take a special knife for copulation;

secateurs. Make sure the blade is carefully sharpened;
grafting hatchet;
screwdriver or wooden wedge;
film. It is better to stock up on a special vaccination, but you can also use bags or pharmaceutical film for compresses. Such a film must be cut into strips 1 cm wide;
garden var. Or clay, plasticine, minium;
clean cloth - to wipe hands and cut points.

How to plant an apple tree on an old tree: a diagram

For grafting on an old tree in the fall, only two methods of copulation are suitable - for the bark and for splitting. Budding will not work, because the bud simply does not have time to take root before the cold weather and will die, and other copulation options are designed for young branches, and not old thick trunks. We advise you to read about the spring grafting of apple, pear and grapes.

Work should be done in the morning, in dry and not sunny weather, at an air temperature of 15-20°C. Precipitation and air humidity are not favorable for such work - the stalk may rot.

When choosing varieties for grafting, it should be borne in mind that summer varieties should be grafted onto summer apple trees, and winter or autumn varieties should be grafted onto winter apple trees. Otherwise, there will be a difference during the growing season and preparation for winter of the grafted branch and the main tree.

Good rootstocks for an apple tree would be:

pear;
quince;
apple trees of varieties "Antonovka", "Anis", "Borovinka", "Brown striped", "Grushovka Moscow".

For bark

For proper vaccination, the following rules must be observed:

the scion is needed no older than 3-4 years;
before starting work, check how easily the bark moves away from the wood;
the scion must be smaller than the rootstock.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

cutting preparation - a suitable branch is selected and an oblique cut is made on it from below (approximately equal to three diameters of the cutting) and from above, 2-4 buds must be left.
stock preparation - the selected branches are cut down, the places of cuts are cleaned. A longitudinal cut up to 5 cm long is made in the bark (in this case, the knife should not cut the wood of the branch). The bark gently folds away from the wood.
grafting - the cutting is carefully inserted into the incision site and tightly wrapped with a film. The junction is smeared with garden pitch.

Grafting an apple tree by the bark. a - stalk prepared for grafting; b - a cutting inserted behind the bark; c - rootstock with a grafted cutting in cross section; g - grafting with two cuttings. Important! Several cuttings should be grafted onto one branch, depending on the thickness of the scion.-from 3 to 5. This should be done to increase survival and the possibility of further selection of a stronger and stronger ve tv.

This method is simple and suitable for beginners.

In split

The conditions for successful vaccination are as follows:

the thickness of the grafted part is no more than 5-6 cm;
no more than 3-4 branches remain on the tree before the work, the rest are removed.

The procedure will look like this:

cutting preparation - a suitable branch is selected and an oblique cut is made on it from below (approximately equal to three diameters of the cutting) and from above, 2-4 buds are left;
rootstock preparation - the selected branch is cut and cleaned, the cut point is neatly split in the middle to a depth of 4-8 cm. The depth of the split depends on the thickness of the cutting - the thinner the scion, the smaller the depth. The split is done with an ax and a wedge (or a screwdriver);
grafting - the cuttings are inserted into the split and wrapped with a film. Everything is carefully coated with garden pitch or plasticine.

Grafting an apple tree in full split. a - cuttings; b - split into stock; c - stock with inserted cuttings.

But the work doesn't end there. Even if the grafting is done in accordance with all the rules, it is necessary to properly care for the tree so that the cutting takes root.

Rules for caring for a tree after grafting

After any type of vaccination, after a week or two, you need to check the condition of the cutting - whether it has dried up or not, whether the split has dragged on. It may happen that the stalk has not grown together, in which case it is removed, and the wound is closed with pitch or clay. We recommend reading about how to make an apple tree bear fruit, how to spray an apple tree from pests, how to process an apple tree in the fall, how to properly prune an old apple tree, and also how to cover an apple tree for the winter from frost and protect it from hares. In the spring, you can try your luck again and repeat all the operations with new cuttings. It is important to loosen the bandage in a timely manner (after 10-15 days) so that it does not pinch the branches. But it will be possible to completely remove it only in the spring.

Video: how to care for a scion

Before the onset of cold weather, the tree needs to be spudded and watered. It will be good to fill the trunk circle with compost or humus. This will serve as fertilizer and retain moisture in the ground. To prevent weak branches from damaging the birds, you can install arcs or tie strips of red fabric - it will scare away the birds.

Just before the cold weather, the vaccine must be insulated with a special covering material or simply with a plastic bag, wrapped with paper on top to prevent overheating from sunlight.

Fruit grafting: the main mistakes of novice gardeners

Beginner gardeners are not immune from mistakes and make them quite often. The main mistake is the wrong choice of tool. Many people neglect the purchase of specialized equipment (grafting knives, hatchets, good secateurs) and use ordinary table knives, tourist axes.

With this approach, the cuts on the cuttings or the usual part turn out to be uneven, shaggy. And such a graft will not take root. For grafting trees and shrubs, a special tool is also used - a grafting pruner.
Secateurs and knives for grafting trees

purchase of a grafting knife and its careful sharpening;
before harvesting cuttings, you should first practice on wild or non-fruit branches.

The second mistake is the wrong choice of cutting. The stalk is cut off from the upper part of the branch, but it has just appeared, has not yet really matured and is not fully provided with food. From such a weak cutting, the graft will come out bad. Therefore, for the scion, choose one-year-old mature branches, with developed buds. It will be useful for beginner gardeners to read about how to process an apple tree after flowering, as well as how to cut, feed and whiten an apple tree in spring. Another mistake is the wrong choice of vaccination site. Many feel sorry for cutting off entire developed branches and therefore graft on young, often not quite mature branches. And even after taking root, the vaccine gives a frail growth.

The grafting site should be as close as possible to the main trunk or on a skeletal branch. It is also not necessary to transplant a grafted tree. Such a weak plant will grow poorly and will not bring any benefit.
Vaccination is a rather complicated operation and requires careful preparation. But its correct implementation allows you to speed up the harvest, rejuvenate the garden and save valuable apple varieties from degeneration.

Grafting an apple tree in the spring is the most convenient way to get or keep your favorite variety. The gardener does not always have an affordable opportunity to buy the desired seedling. If a neighbor has a good apple tree, it is enough to ask him to cut a couple of branches. By simple manipulations with the stock and scion, the gardener will receive the same tree on his site.

Goals and objectives of apple tree grafting

To effectively vaccinate an apple tree in the spring, several workouts will be required. Vaccination does not belong to the category of mandatory procedures, it’s just that with its help you can solve many problems:

accelerate the reproduction of your favorite variety;
grow a new apple tree on the stump of a sawn tree using the stock root;
quickly get a new variety without looking for where to buy a seedling;
increase the variety of varieties on one tree without planting a small area with several seedlings;
improve the characteristics and immunity of the variety.

In addition to the options listed, grafting solves an important problem associated with saving a mechanically damaged culture.

When is the best time to graft an apple tree: in spring or autumn

You can graft an apple tree all year round. In winter, the procedure is available to owners of large greenhouses and greenhouses. In summer, young shoots are grafted, freshly cut from the tree. You can train indefinitely until you get a positive result. Autumn vaccinations also take root well, but there is a threat of freezing of the scion with improper care. It is best to traditionally graft an apple tree in the spring before the start of the growing season. With the onset of heat, active processes begin in the tree. The stalk with the stock grow together faster and over the summer they manage to get stronger before the onset of winter frosts.

Timing of grafting apple trees in the spring

Experienced gardeners determine the timing of the spring grafting of an apple tree intuitively. It is important to catch the moment when the sap flow has not yet begun in full swing, but the tree has already begun to awaken from winter calm. Usually such a period in the spring lasts from March to April, and it begins immediately after the snow melts and the end of frost.

Preparation of tools and materials

Even before the time for grafting apple trees in the spring comes, the gardener must prepare a tool. The survival rate of a scion with a stock depends on its quality, sharpness of sharpening and sterility. To work, you will need a hacksaw, pruner, a special garden knife with one-sided sharpening of the blade. The sharpness of the tool is checked on any branches. The cut with a pruner or knife should be smooth without torn bark and wood. If the cut quality is poor, the tool is sharpened.

During vaccination in the spring, the infection should not get into the cut. Immediately before the procedure itself, the instrument is disinfected with alcohol or a 3% solution of copper sulfate. Additionally, from the materials you will need a fixing tape. It can be replaced with electrical tape, only the vaccination site is wrapped with a non-adhesive side. To process the open cuts remaining on the tree, garden var, oil paint, clay and mullein mash, wax or paraffin putty are prepared. It is better to prepare garden pitch with natural resins than using a purchased product made from oil waste.

Important! Tape cannot be used as a fixing tape, as it does not stretch. If the vaccination site is poorly sealed, an infection will get into the wounds or the graft will simply dry out from the rapid evaporation of moisture.

Scion selection and preparation

Apple tree cuttings are cut from one-year-old branches. It is important to first examine their appearance. The branches should have an elastic living bark without mechanical damage, cracks, signs of disease damage. Usually, gardeners harvest the graft in late autumn or early winter, when light frosts begin at least -10 o C on the street. The cuttings will already have time to harden in natural conditions. They will only have to be put in a cellar or refrigerator for storage until spring. Another storage method is based on burying the cuttings in a snowdrift, but first they are put in a box and covered with sawdust or peat.

Attention! The best cuttings are obtained from the middle part of the branch. There must be at least 3 live buds per scion.

What to choose as a rootstock

The base where the cutting will be grafted in the spring is called the stock. In order for the grafting of an apple tree in spring to give a positive result, the graft must be a close relative of the rootstock. It is optimal to plant an apple tree on a native bole. Combination of unrelated varieties is allowed. It is important to choose the scion and rootstock so that they belong to the same family. The apple tree is well grafted onto the pear, wild apple tree and other pome trees. Rowan or quince is suitable as a stock, but the percentage of engraftment of the scion is reduced.

When choosing a stock, they are guided by the purpose of grafting in the spring. If a variety needs to increase its resistance to frost or drought, then it is better to graft the cuttings onto a wild apple or pear tree. At the same time, such mating will shorten the ripening period of the fruit. When there is no room for a garden on the site, different varieties of apple trees are grafted onto one young tree, differing even in terms of ripening.

Advice! After a frosty winter, the aerial part of the tree most often freezes out. It can be cut down, and a live stump can be used in the spring as a stock for a new apple tree.

Ways to graft an apple tree in spring

It is time to look at the photo ways to graft apple trees in the spring and learn the whole process step by step.

Copulation

A difficult method of grafting for beginners is called copulation. Cuttings are harvested in spring from annual branches. The scion should have awakened buds ready for leafing out. The cutting can be taken a little thinner than the stock, but it is better to stick to the same thickness.

Simple copulation in the spring is done with a sharp knife. On the rootstock and scion, oblique cuts are made at the same angle. When two parts are combined, a single branch is obtained.

A more complex but improved copulation is performed with a tongue. It is impossible to make a curly cut with a knife. Here, from the tools you will need a grafting pruner. A recess is cut into the wood stock. On the scion, the bark is cut off and a tongue is made. Its size should match the recess on the rootstock. Now it remains to connect the elements, wrap with tape, grease with garden pitch.

Budding

The best spring grafting scheme for apple trees for a beginner is budding. The process is based on engraftment to the rootstock of the kidney. The graft is cut in the spring from a healthy branch with part of the bark and wood. The bud should not yet begin to bloom. On the rootstock, cut the bark with the letter “T” with a knife, carefully bend the side shelves and insert the kidney into the resulting window. The place of operation is smeared with garden pitch, wrapped with tape.

Attention! The success of budding in the spring depends on the sterility of the entire operation. You can not touch the cut of the kidney and the bark deployed on the rootstock with your fingers. Instruments are subjected to additional sterilization. The cut kidney is inserted into the window as quickly as possible and wrapped with tape.

For bark

Using the “for bark” method, it is necessary to plant an apple tree in the spring in the month of April, closer to the beginning of May, when sap flow is already in full swing. The procedure allows you to graft several thin branches onto a large cut. The step by step process consists of the following steps:

on the hemp bark, the required number of cuts are made with a knife (usually there are 2 of them);
on the edge of the cuttings make oblique cuts 3 cm long;
the bark of the rootstock is carefully folded back, cuttings are introduced with a cut;
the grafting site is tightly tied with a rope, wrapped with tape, treated with garden pitch.

The grafting behind the hemp bark will take a long time to take root. In the second year, the strongest shoot is left, and the rest are shortened with secateurs. After 3 years, only one powerful apple tree is left, and the remaining weak growths are completely removed.

Into the side cut

A novice gardener does not even have to read the instructions or watch a video on how to plant an apple tree in the spring if you choose the simplest method “in a side cut”. Of the tools for vaccination, only a knife is needed. The lower part of the cutting of the apple tree is cut at an acute angle. At the rootstock, the cut is made 25 cm higher than the base. The knife blade is leaned at an angle of 25 °, and with a strong hand pressure, the bark is cut along with a thin layer of wood. Now it remains to insert the stalk into the resulting pocket, pull off the graft with tape, grease with garden pitch.

In split

Vaccination in the spring can be done in two ways:

Full split. The rootstock is completely split along with a knife.
Semi-split. At the rootstock, only one side is split longitudinally.

Cuttings of an apple tree with 3 buds from below are cut with a wedge 3 cm long, inserted into a split pocket, the joint is treated with garden pitch, and the graft is wrapped with tape on top.

Advice! The best month for grafting in the spring "in the split" is April.

bridge

Grafting with a bridge is a complex process, but it allows you to save an apple tree in the spring, whose bark was gnawed by hares in winter. On a tree trunk with a knife, a smooth edge of the bark is made from below and above the damaged area. Cuttings are cut from thin branches of an apple tree. The amount depends on the thickness of the apple tree trunk. On both sides on the cuttings, oblique cuts are made in the same plane. All kidneys break off. On the lower and upper edges of the rootstock bark, cuts are made against each other. Cuttings are inserted under the bark with cuts, lubricated with garden pitch, and the graft is wrapped with tape.

Benefits of using a grafting pruner

For gardeners who decide to seriously engage in grafting apple trees, it is advisable to have a special grafting pruner in the arsenal. The tool is expensive. However, its beauty lies in the presence of interchangeable knives that allow you to cut the desired configuration. The cut of the rootstock and scion exactly coincides, which increases the percentage of survival rate of the vaccine. When using a grafting pruner, an important condition is the selection of the same diameter of the cutting and rootstock. The maximum difference in thickness is 2 mm.

When faced with a tool for the first time, a video about working with a pruner will help plant an apple tree in the spring:

Post-care for grafted apple trees

Careful care of the graft will help to take root faster in the spring of an apple tree cutting:

Birds love to sit on tree branches in spring. So that one such individual does not break the stalk, a thin bar with colored ribbons is fixed to the stock to scare away feathered pets from vaccination.
If after 15 days the stalk of the apple tree has not taken root, it is removed. The cut is smeared with garden pitch. The rootstock is fed.
In the case of successful engraftment of the cuttings of the apple tree in the spring, the foliage that creates a shadow is removed near the graft.
The shoots that appeared in the spring on the rootstock are removed so that all the force goes into the growth of the apple tree cuttings.
Strong growth of a cutting grafted in spring is also undesirable. To limit, pinch the tops of the shoots.
The long stock is directed upwards and fixed to the support every 25 cm.
A tree with apple cuttings grafted in spring for 2 years is abundantly watered and fed.

After 2 years, the wood on the sections of the graft will reliably grow together. The bandage of ribbons is removed and they are waiting for a new apple tree to grow.

The video talks about caring for the grafting of an apple tree:

The most common mistakes made by beginners

Most often, novice gardeners make mistakes when choosing spring buds for budding. She shouldn't open up. The peephole is taken by the one that was formed last season.

The second mistake is to use apple cuttings with 1 or 2 buds in the spring for grafting. Eyes should be at least 3, and preferably 4 pieces.

The third mistake is related to unsanitary conditions. A dirty tool brings an infection into the cut. Do not touch the cut side of the scion or stock to the body. The human body releases fat. The film formed on the cut worsens the survival rate of the graft.

Conclusion

Grafting an apple tree in the spring is a difficult task, but only for the first time. After a few workouts, the process will become simple at any time of the year.

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