Grafting an apple tree in spring - new varieties on an old tree! Learning to graft an apple tree in the summer

If the apple tree in your garden began to produce small and tasteless fruits, or, worse, completely ceased to bear fruit or began to wither, in this case the grafting procedure can help you. It is only necessary to take into account a number of features of a particular variety of this procedure. About them and will go further.

Procedure value

This procedure is a way vegetative propagation and is used for artificial splicing of parts of one tree with the shoots of another. For example, you can graft a branch of one apple variety to another or, in general, combine several varieties fruit trees on one stem. Grafting will allow you to save space on the site by avoiding planting new trees, help to significantly rejuvenate old trees, and also save you from years of waiting for fruits.

In what numbers to vaccinate

Spring is considered the most the right time for the vaccination process. The most favorable period falls from April 10 to 15 and lasts until May 20. It is better to choose a dry and cloudy day for work. Do not vaccinate on hot or rainy days.

Apple tree preparation

Like any business, vaccination requires preparation. The grafted tree, in this case the apple tree, acts as a rootstock, and the cutting grafted to it is the graft.

To get vaccinated you will need:

  • scion;
  • well sharpened gardening Tools(knife, pruner and saw);
  • garden pitch, putty or oil paint;
  • polyethylene film or electrical tape.

The stalk should be harvested from the beginning of winter after the first frost. Then there is no sap flow in the trees and they are at rest. You can prepare the scion at the beginning of spring, but then you need to have time until the buds swell.

As a scion, it is better to select even annual shoots, about the thickness of a pencil, located on the healthiest, strongest and most fruitful branches of the tree. The length of the workpiece should not exceed 35 cm. The lower edge of the handle will need to be cut along an oblique line at an acute angle. Correctly, if the length of the cut is three times the diameter of the handle. The upper edge should not be touched, it will remain "under the kidney."

Harvested cuttings are stored all winter in the basement or refrigerator, placing their lower edge in a wet cloth, sawdust or wet sand. And a couple of days before the scheduled vaccination, they are taken out and left to warm up at room temperature.

On the day of the vaccination, you need to take care of necessary tools, sharpen, clean and disinfect them to avoid accidental infection of the rootstock and scion. During grafting, do not touch the cuts with your hands. You also immediately need to prepare gloves, a clean rag, cellophane and garden pitch.

Ways

There are many options for grafting trees. The most commonly used methods are those that we will discuss next.

For the bark

The bark grafting method is quite in a simple way, but at the same time it is characterized by a very high survival rate of branches, so it is ideal for novice gardeners.

This method is most effective during the period of sap flow. It can be determined by the state of separation of the bark from the trunk, if the bark peels off easily, then the grafting procedure can be carried out.

For work it is better to use the largest cuttings. Select the desired grafting site on the apple tree and carefully cut off the old branch there, while leaving a small stump with a bevel. Be sure to clean the cut part of the hemp with a sharp knife. At the bottom of the cutting with several buds, make an oblique cut at a distance of 4-5 cm from the edge.

Then, at the end of the rootstock, carefully make a cut in the bark and slightly push it back. Insert the scion into this very place and attach it with an oblique cut to the trunk with a film or electrical tape. If the diameter of the hemp allows, then on the other hand, one more graft can be added to the bark.

Bark grafting is used to rejuvenate old fruit trees.

In split

The split grafting method is most often used when the stock is many times thicker than the scion. This usually happens when the crown dies of a tree, but the root remains alive, then in the fall the trunk is cut down, and in the spring they are grafted young cutting, for example, a new variety of apple trees right into the stump of an old tree. This method is also effective for different thickness branches.

With a sharp tool, a split of the desired rootstock is made across or crosswise, and cuttings with long oblique cuts from below are inserted into it. The junction is treated with garden pitch and covered with cellophane.

In side cut

In this grafting method, the cutting is inserted into a side incision. The graft is cut from both sides along the oblique, as if sharpening. On the stock, cutting through the bark and wood, make a cut. Then the scion is driven into the incision so that the cambium and both incisions coincide. If after a while you see that the grafted branch has taken root, then the upper side of the stock can be cut off.

cutting

Grafting by cuttings can be used to grow bonsai or in the case of grafting an overgrown rootstock. The thickness of the scion and the base when choosing this method must match. A long oblique cut is made on the tree. The stalk is cut on one side with a pruner, and on the other, it is cut in the same way as a stock. After that, the stock and scion are connected.

For this grafting option, it is better to take cuttings from a one-year growth, with four buds.

Care after

After the procedure, the place where the scion joins with the stock is treated with putty or garden pitch, thereby protecting the graft from excessive moisture, and wrapped with plastic wrap, which will help protect against pests and drying out.

Also, to preserve the fragile scion, you can put on it a cropped plastic bottle, in which it is first necessary to make holes so that the scion does not die from the greenhouse effect.

20 days after the procedure, the grafting site should be checked and the bandage loosened.

The tree after grafting is also weakened, so several times a season it needs to be fed with urea and superphosphates and watered abundantly, pouring at least 10 buckets at a time.

How to plant an apple tree in spring

Grafting apple trees in the spring is a very responsible process, which is often compared with surgical operation. If the procedure is carried out correctly, it is possible to significantly reduce the cost of purchasing seedlings by grafting a wild game with a varietal scion, to diversify the varieties on the site by crossing different cultures, and accelerate the fruiting of trees for several years.

Preparation of material and tools for grafting

Most often, trees are grafted to increase yields or replace them with a more valuable variety. On one rootstock (the tree to which the graft is grafted), even different types and varieties of scion (which is grafted onto the rootstock). For example, an apple tree and a pear tree.

Before planting an apple tree, you should prepare all the materials and tools necessary for this:

  • a healthy stock, the selected tree may be old, and therefore cut into a stump, but should not hurt;
  • scion - stalk of the desired variety;
  • garden saw;
  • grafting pruner or sharp knife;
  • garden var for processing (can be replaced oil paint from drying oil with the addition blue vitriol);
  • special tape for fastening (if not, you can use the canteen polyethylene film).

Vaccination must be carried out very quickly. The whole operation should take no more than a minute to prevent the cut from drying out. To moisten, the scion is often taken into the mouth and held there while the rootstock is prepared for the procedure.

When to plant in spring or fall

During the summer, you will be able to determine whether the scion has taken root or not. Getting vaccinated late autumn, there is a possibility that a young, fragile branch will freeze.

When and how to harvest cuttings

Cuttings should be harvested in late autumn. When the first frosts come, you can cut off long annual shoots, which are stored in the cellar or refrigerator throughout the winter, wrapped in damp cloth.

If you did not have time to do this in the fall, you need to hurry to prepare the cuttings in the spring before the buds swell. Before the procedure, you must thoroughly wash your hands and disinfect the blades of the instruments to prevent infection from entering the fresh cut.

How to plant an apple tree in spring: choose a method

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.

How to graft an apple tree in spring using the copulation method

Copulation is used in cases where the thickness of the rootstock and scion is the same. A simple way is to attach the slices to each other, the main thing is that they are equal circle.

With the help of a grafting pruner, identical cuts can be made, which later take root very well. It is necessary to vaccinate quickly, no more than a minute. If the cut on the rootstock dries out, engraftment will be more difficult.

A more laborious method of copulation involves the presence of another small incision on the cut itself, both on the rootstock and on the scion. The gaps are inserted into each other to the end, but without effort, so as not to provoke a break.

Thus, the fusion of the cambium (educational tissue - the layer between the bark and wood) is faster, and the stock and scion are better fixed with each other. The grafting site should be treated with a garden pitch and wrapped special tape or plastic wrap.

Grafting an apple tree in the spring in a split

This is one of the most common grafting methods, due to its high survival rate and the relative ease of the procedure. Scion and rootstock are selected with the same diameter, but can also be used with different ones. A thick branch of a tree is evenly cut with a garden file and a split is made sharp knife. Two cuttings with an oblique cut are inserted into the gap so that the cambium of the scion and rootstock are in close contact.

How to graft an apple tree in spring video: graft in a split

Grafting an apple tree by the bark

A simple method that is characterized by good fusion.

The scion is prepared as follows:

  • the stalk is cut along with the stump, with which it is attached to the branch (the cut must be perfectly even);
  • a vertical section of the bark is made on the scion, then it is carefully pushed back with a knife;
  • a scion is inserted under the bark, and the junction is treated with garden pitch and wrapped with tape from above and below.

How to graft an apple tree in the spring into a side cut

This method is similar to split grafting. The difference is that the split is made on a branch cut exactly, and a stalk is inserted into it, and when side cut, the parent branch is not removed (the stock and scion are attached to each other and form a horn). Before grafting an apple tree into a side cut, it is necessary to make two oblique cuts on the handle, which are connected at the bottom. Make an incision on the rootstock and bend it slightly, and then insert the graft so that the surfaces of the cambium are in close contact. Treat and wrap the vaccination site.

How to graft an apple tree in spring video

Species compatibility: is it possible to graft a pear on an apple tree

On one tree in the garden, you can combine not only various varieties but also plant species. There are several types of such vaccinations:

  • intraspecific (combination of several varieties of the same species);
  • interspecific (for example, grafting cherries on cherries);
  • intergeneric (for example, grafting a pear on an apple tree).

Not all fruit trees are compatible, so you need to know exactly which ones will take root and which ones you should not experiment with. For example, grafting a pear on an apple tree is permissible, with the correct procedure and the choice of a method with maximum fusion.

But not all trees different kinds also fit well. But grafting an apple tree onto a pear is unlikely to succeed, and the scion will be rejected.

Outcome

Knowing various ways apple tree vaccinations, you can easily choose the simplest and most suitable one for yourself. Beginners should use the split grafting method, which is fairly simple and effective, although more labor intensive.

A varietal apple tree is grafted onto a wild apple tree, since a wild apple tree is resistant to weather changes, drought, and frost.

Besides, the resulting trees bear fruit profusely.


A good and strong game is required for grafting, as it will produce with its roots nutrients from the earth.

spring vaccination it is done at a time when the buds have not yet begun to bloom, but the frosts have already passed (in March)¸ the second time during the period when active sap flow begins at the rootstock (in April and May).

April and May produce from the beginning of the movement of juices to the swelling of the kidneys. Exactly this the best time because vaccines take root very well.

In addition, if for some reason the tree has not adapted, then the vaccination can be done a second time in the summer. The graft itself is harvested in late autumn or early spring, and by the time of vaccination it is still sleeping.

Summer at the end of July there is a second period of sap flow. Therefore, it is done from the middle of summer. For the scion, buds and branches that have developed this season are taken. Vaccination is carried out from July 20 until the end of summer.


Autumn vaccination
should be done so that there is still time to prepare for the winter frosts.

Therefore, it is most suitable for vaccination beginning of September, since then the sap flow of the trees becomes more and more slow, the leaves fall off and the trees fall asleep.

The scion needs to adapt before the first frost, or it will die.

Advice! When grafting in the fall, you need to cut off a stalk from a 40 cm long shoot, which is only 1 year old. It is best to cut the cutting and plant in the morning on dry and cloudy days.

winter vaccination done in the apartment. At the same time, they grow together in the winter, and in the spring the grafted apple tree is planted.

How to grow a wild apple tree for vaccination?

If you already have a wild apple tree in your garden, you can use it. Or ask your neighbors if they have apple tree growth.

Growing a wild apple tree from seeds

  • Harvest from hardy apple trees grown in your area.
  • Collect seeds in autumn from the largest apples.
  • Rinse and dry them.
  • After January 15 to 25, start stratifying them.
  • Sprinkle them with sand and refrigerate.
  • You can also sow seeds in the garden in the fall to a depth of 3-4 cm. Then they will be covered with snow all winter, and will sprout in the spring. By autumn, healthy, strong seedlings will grow.
Growing apple sprouts.

Features of grafting an apple tree to a wild game at different times of the year

Important! The scion is prepared in the fall, cutting off the branches after the first frosts, and also cutting them into segments. In apple trees, from which branches are cut before frost, sap flow is slow, because of this, such cutting does not harm the tree.

It is best that the branches for the scion be 20-30 cm and have 5-6 buds. Store branches in a room with a temperature of 0 ° C, placing them in moistened sand, it needs to be moistened from time to time.

spring

Very early in the spring before sap flow graft an apple tree to a wild game:

  • "in a split",
  • at the beginning of sap production - “for the bark”,
  • budding with a growing eye,
  • "in the butt"
  • improved copulation.

Summer

In summer, with repeated sap flow, a cultivated apple tree is grafted onto a wild apple tree:

  • "for bark"
  • "in a split",
  • sleeping eye budding,
  • "for example",
  • improved copulation.

In the middle regions of Russia, budding is done at the end of July, and in the south - at the end of August.

autumn

Autumn is not the most best season for vaccination. But if worth warm weather, then at the beginning of autumn it is possible to make a budding on a wild game with a sleeping eye. At the beginning of autumn, they are grafted “in the butt” and make an improved copulation.

In September and October, you can graft "in the split", "in the butt", "for the bark." During this period, scions on young rootstocks adapt better. An adult wild game in the fall should not be vaccinated.

It is optimal to finish the inoculation by budding and “by the bark” 2-3 weeks before the air temperature reaches +15°C. But in the south you can graft in October.

How to graft an apple tree to a wild game. Vaccination methods

For the bark


The method is used if thin cuttings are grafted onto a large branch.

  • Carefully wipe the bark of a branch of a wild apple tree from dust and dirt.
  • Then cut the bark vertically with a sharp knife.
  • The grafting is done through an incision in the bark about 2-5 cm long.
  • You can even graft 5-6 cuttings like this, but make sure that they are spaced 4 cm apart.
  • At the existing cutting, cut the lower part obliquely,
  • firmly insert into the incision made in the bark,
  • then cover with garden pitch and wrap with a bandage.

Disadvantages:

  1. Grafts grafted in this way do not take root well, when compared with split grafting.
  2. The cutting is not firmly fused with the branch.

In split

It is used, and if the thickness of the stock coincides with the thickness of the scion and if they are different.
The stock is cut off a little, then it is split in the center, and a wooden wedge is driven into the split.

Cuttings are prepared 2.5 cm long, having 2 or 4 buds.


How to perform a split graft.

From below, the cutting is cut with a double-sided wedge. If the part of the wild apple tree to which you want to graft the cuttings has a larger diameter than the cutting, then the cutting is inserted and they try to move it deeper into the stump.

Then, when you take out the wedge, the handle will be firmly clamped. Next, tape the stalk to the stock and spread with garden pitch. Put a plastic bag on the handle.

Grafting pruner

Grafting pruner is special scissors that are used for vaccinations.

The more even the cuts on the rootstock and scion, the better they match, the more successful the grafting will be.

Important! The secateurs are made so that the cutout on the rootstock fits perfectly with the cutout on the scion.

Grafting an apple tree on a wild game in the summer by budding (bud)

This is the most common way. The graft is a single bud (eye). It is cut from a branch of a varietal apple tree and grafted onto a wild apple tree.

Cuttings are harvested in autumn or spring.

In the spring, a large kidney is cut from the handle, which grew last year. The bud will grow into a new branch in the same season - this is called a "sprouting eye".

In the summer, they cut off a kidney that has matured in the same season.. It adapts to frost, and begins to grow in the spring next year. This is called "sleeping eye budding".

Advantages

  • Since the rootstock uses a very small area, it is not injured.
  • If the vaccination did not work, then it is repeated.
  • A minimum amount is required.

Important! If you bought 1 cutting of a valuable variety, then with the help of 3-4 eyes you can plant 3-4 rootstocks!


Budding

Everything is done in a minimum amount of time.

For budding, use branches with a diameter of 0.7-1.5 cm, with flexible bark so that it can be safely cut. They pick up even internodes, without knots and swellings, and the kidneys are developed and absolutely ripe.

Simple copulation (for example)

It is done if the stock coincides in diameter with the scion.

  • Pick up a smooth place on the trunk of the game, where the diameter is the same as the handle.
  • Move "toward yourself" to make an oblique cut.
  • Take a branch of a varietal apple tree and cut a cutting.
  • Make an oblique cut on it.
  • When applying the rootstock and scion, the oblique cuts must absolutely match.
  • Do not touch the cut points with your hands.
  • Attach the stock to the scion, wrap it tightly with insulation, it should not adjoin the bark with the side with glue, but with the other.
  • Coat the top cut with garden pitch. If you are doing this in early spring, then put a plastic bag over the apple tree so that it does not touch the top cut.

Improved copulation

It's harder to do it.

  • With her, oblique cuts are first made on the handle of a varietal apple tree and on a wild game.
  • After that, "tongues" are cut out on them.
  • That is, a small longitudinal incision is made on the cut of the cutting.
  • Exactly the same incision is made on the rootstock.
  • As a result, these 2 "tongues" fit perfectly into each other, fastening the apple tree more securely.

Apple tree copulation: 1 - normal, 2 - improved copulation.

Vaccination Care

When new sprouts grow on the scion, you need to remove the tape that fixed the stock and the scion with a knife, as well as a plastic bag. All branches that have grown below the graft must be cut off; varietal apples will not be tied on them.

Columnar apple trees are not grafted onto wild, they are grafted exclusively on clonal dwarf rootstocks - M26, M9, 62-396, etc. And in order to grow a dwarf apple tree, you need a dwarf rootstock, so it is not grafted onto wild animals either.

Conclusion

In autumn, after frosts, cut varietal cuttings from the apple tree, then the apple tree will not be injured.

Store them in damp sand at a temperature zero degrees.

It is best to vaccinate with secateurs, as it is specially made to make perfectly even cuts on the rootstock and scion.

Useful videos:

Watch how to graft an apple tree to a wild game in the summer, a video lesson:

See how to plant an apple tree on a wild game - video tips:

See where to get a stock and how to plant apple trees in spring - video advice:

Watch about growing wild stock, what grafted apple trees are made of, video advice:

Grafting an apple tree onto a wild game results in a very hardy cultivar of tasty apple trees.


In contact with


Grafting of apple trees cannot be called necessary procedure. But it allows you to get two positive effects at once: grow several varieties of apples on one tree and save space on garden plot. There are different types of vaccinations. Any of them is easy to master, but for this you need to know the rules and the optimal time to complete these works.

What does grafting give to a tree and a gardener

Grafting is a proven breeding method that allows you to change appearance and the condition of the tree. Before proceeding with the study of the technique, it is important to understand how it is beneficial:

Terms you need to know

A novice gardener may not understand what experienced colleagues are talking about, because they do not know the terminology of vaccination. This is easy to fix by memorizing the meaning of a few words.

How to choose the time for vaccination

Grafting of apple trees can be performed year-round. But each species and variety has its own growing season, so recommendations have been developed for each season.

Winter

Winter vaccination is carried out at a positive air temperature: in a heated room. Due to the specifics, it is often called "desktop". Winter vaccination is relevant for young plants that plan to plant in the spring. There are rules for doing this:


Winter grafting of an apple tree is a troublesome task. So experienced gardeners prefer to perform this procedure at other times of the year.

Autumn

The period of preparation for winter, accompanied by a slowdown in sap flow, is not the most good time for grafting apple trees. It is at this time, rather forced than necessary. Performed in situations where there is a scion rare variety and there is no way to save it until spring.

Rules for the autumn vaccination of apple trees

  1. Performed in warm calm weather.
  2. From the beginning of September best way- budding.
  3. Until mid-autumn, it is permissible to graft apple trees in the “split”, “for bark” methods.
  4. During the performance of work, the air temperature should not be lower than -15°C.

The highest probability of survival of scions in young rootstocks.

Summer

Summer vaccination is well tolerated by plants. But it is desirable to carry it out, starting from the second period of sap flow - from the first decade of August. In regions with a warm climate, this is the optimal time for budding with a “sleeping” eye. It is also possible to perform other methods of vaccinations.

Spring

Spring is the best time for grafting not only apple trees, but also many other trees and shrubs. At the beginning of the season, the movement of juices begins in plants, immunity increases, periods of healing and recovery pass without complications. This applies not only to rootstock plants, but also to those that will act as donors.

Many gardeners in their work prefer to focus on moon calendar. In this regard, the best time to work with plants is the waxing moon.

Spring vaccination rules:

  • The air temperature should be positive, the weather should be calm;
  • The best time of day is morning or evening.

What is required to complete the work

To perform all the manipulations with the scion and stock, you will need a set of tools that are in the arsenal of every gardener:

  • a knife with a short sharpened blade;
  • grafting knife;
  • budding knife;
  • hacksaw or pruner.

Features and benefits of this tool:

  • less traumatic than usual;
  • allows you to make curly cuts so that the articulation of plant parts is perfect;
  • performs thin and precise cuts for budding.

There is different models grafting secateurs. Expensive ones differ more high quality steel from which knives are made.

Such a novelty as a grafting pruner and the knives included in its package caused a mass negative feedback. Therefore, it will be easier for inexperienced gardeners to start learning different methods of grafting using a standard set of tools: grafting or budding knives, garden pruners.

Materials for work

There is one feature in the use of garden pitch. Manufacturers of this product are trying to make it universal, suitable for use in regions with different, including harsh climates. Thus, companies seek to expand the sales market.

This approach affects the quality of products. In some climatic zones, a standard garden pitch cracks or drains from the treatment site after a while, exposing the injured area.

What kind of garden variety do you use?

PurchasedHomemade

If the drug purchased in the store turned out to be useless, you can prepare your own, high-quality one. There are several recipes self-manufacturing garden pitch. On the hastily you can make the one that is called "rustic":

  1. Take 1 part liquid cow dung and oily resin. Mix thoroughly.
  2. Add fluff and fine pet hair for density.

The result is a sticky and viscous mass with good healing properties.

To strengthen the scion on the rootstock, tying is necessary. For this purpose, narrow tapes cut from a plastic bag are used. Some gardeners apply duct tape by winding it around the branch with the sticky side facing out.

How to choose the right scion and rootstock

The result of vaccination directly depends on how correctly the donor plant and stock are chosen. For
The success of the event is guided by the recommendations:

  • plants must be healthy, without visible damage to the trunk;
  • if the purpose of the vaccination is to change the growth and crown of the tree, the optimal age of the rootstock plant is up to 3 years;
  • the best rootstock for this climate zone will be the variety that consistently gives good harvests in these climatic conditions;
  • it is advisable to harvest the scion from apple trees that bear fruit for at least two seasons.

The effectiveness of grafting work also depends on the relatedness of the varieties. The closer they are, the better result. But the choice of related varieties is not a prerequisite. You can also graft wild apple trees, thereby cultivating them.

How to prepare cuttings

An important point in harvesting cuttings is the choice of wood. It must be healthy and over a year old. It is desirable that the donor tree show its productivity, and the gardener knows what the taste of the fruit of this variety is.

Rules for the preparation and storage of cuttings:


If there is no basement or cellar, choose another storage method. Before the onset of cold weather, the cuttings are wrapped in wet burlap and placed in the coolest place at home. After snow falls, the burlap is replaced with plastic wrap so that top part the branch was free.

Next, the scion is transferred to a snowdrift and set so that the branches protrude from under the snow. This is important so that they do not “suffocate”. With the onset of spring, measures are taken to preserve the snowdrift and slow down its melting. To do this, a layer of sawdust or sand is poured over the snow. After the snowdrift melts, the cuttings are again placed in burlap and moistened.

Requirements for the quality of cuttings:

  • on the branch chosen for engraftment there should be 3-4 full-fledged buds without visible damage;
  • the best part of the branch for cuttings is the middle one;
  • the upper cut of the scion should be even and made obliquely;
  • the lower cut of the scion is made as required by the rules for performing the selected grafting method.

Methods for grafting apple trees

Among the types of apple tree grafts listed below, there are often and rarely used ones. The most effective ways:

  • budding;
  • in a split;
  • copulation.

Regardless of the method chosen, several requirements must be met:

  • prepare the instrument by disinfecting it and degreasing it;
  • wash your hands thoroughly;
  • during the execution of work, try not to touch the cut planes on the cuttings and rootstocks.

Budding

Budding is one of the most commonly used methods for grafting apple trees. This method is also called "bud grafting" or "eye grafting". Beginning gardeners often choose the wrong material for grafting. Therefore, it is important to remember two rules:

  • you can not use opened or half-opened buds, the scion must be "sleeping";
  • the best choice is last year's kidney.

This method shows good engraftment, is simple and fast. Therefore, it is recommended for inexperienced gardeners.

Optimal time performing the procedure - early spring or the second seasonal sap flow (early-mid-August, depending on the region).

You can find recommendations about vaccination with an awakened, blooming bud. These tips are wrong, because they do not take into account one point: the awakened kidney for further development it needs the juices it receives from the tree. When transplanting, a problem arises: the flow of juices stops, and obtaining new ones (on a rootstock) is difficult due to the long survival time. Therefore, grafting with a blossoming bud is often ineffective, since the graft simply dries up without having time to become part of the rootstock.

Scion harvesting requirements:

  1. The stalk with buds is harvested 1-2 days before the scheduled procedure.
  2. For storage, it is placed in a jar of water at room temperature.
  3. 3-5 days before the cuttings are taken, the donor tree is abundantly watered.
  4. The optimal cutting thickness is 10-15 mm.
  5. All leaves are removed from the cutting.
  6. Store the material for vaccination in a cool and poorly lit place.

Stages of budding:


After two weeks, the success of the procedure is checked. To do this, touch the eye and watch it. If it falls off easily, the vaccination was successful. If the kidney is held firmly, there is a high risk that it will dry out. Therefore, they do not waste time and repeat budding, choosing a place next to the first eye.

There are special budding knives for kidney grafting. This tool is equipped with a rounded blade, on one side of which there is a plastic or metal plate. It is necessary for cutting the bark. This knife is sharpened on both sides. In this case, the plant is less injured when cut.

Grafting in the incision

Grafting into a lateral incision is in many ways reminiscent of budding, but is performed using a cutting. For work, a special grafting knife is used, which is sharpened only on one side (from the one on which the chamfer is located).

Stages of work:

  1. At the prepared cutting, the lower tip is cut off again: it is updated.
  2. A branch is selected on the apple tree for engraftment of the scion and retreat from the place of its attachment to the trunk 200-250 mm.
  3. Bring the knife to the selected place and set it, slightly tilting down.
  4. An incision is made to a depth of 5-8 mm with an accurate and quick movement.
  5. The stalk is carefully inserted into the resulting incision.
  6. Coat the injured area with putty.
  7. Cover with plastic wrap.

Graft for the bark

This type of grafting is optimal for trees older than 3 years. It is optimal for acclimatization and increasing the yield of apple trees, which are reluctant to develop in this region. This method is classified as complex and requires precision movements and skill. Grafting is performed only in the spring, since at this time of the year it is easier to separate the bark from the fibers of the branch. Up to 4 cuttings can be grafted at the same time.

Stages of work:

  1. Choose a place on the apple tree, located at a distance of 1-1.2 m from the ground.
  2. Cut the wood with a knife, making an incision 4-5 cm long.
  3. Gently shift the bark.
  4. Cut off the lower end of the cutting.
  5. They wind him up by the bark.
  6. Wrap with polyethylene.

Beginning gardeners often make one mistake: when preparing a cutting, they do not take into account the direction of bud growth. Therefore, branches are sometimes engrafted, the eyes of which are directed downwards, and not upwards. You need to be careful when performing each stage of the work.

There is another point on which the success of the procedure depends - the speed of its implementation. For those who do not have experience, it is advisable to practice on unnecessary branches of other trees.

Copulation with tongue

This grafting method will require cuttings, the buds of which are in a state of awakening, but the leaves are not yet visible. As grafting material use branches annual plants. The optimal time for the procedure is early spring.

A prerequisite for this method of grafting is the same cross section (diameter) of the scion and rootstock branches. To perform the work, you will need a grafting pruner, on which a blade is installed that allows you to make a curly cut.

Work performance rules:

  1. In the selected place on the apple-rootstock, the bark is cut out with a pruner in a T-shape.
  2. At the bottom end of the scion, a curly T-shaped cutout is made.
  3. Align the cut planes on both plants so that they fit as closely as possible to each other.
  4. Tie the place of the graft with plastic tape.

This is hard way, therefore, as in the previous case, it is recommended for beginners to acquire some skill in advance in making curly cuts.

In split

In this method, it is important to observe one rule: the diameter of the branch chosen for engraftment of the scion should not exceed 50 mm. Otherwise, the risk of decay is high. To complete the task, you will need a sharply sharpened hatchet.

Stages of work:


Implantation

Grafting by implantation is in many ways similar to the “incision” method, but has its own characteristics. The main difference: the implantation technique requires the presence of scion and rootstock branches of the same thickness.

Stages of work:

  1. They choose a branch on the apple tree that is at least 25 cm from the ground, and cut it obliquely.
  2. A branch is chosen for the scion and a cutting is cut out in its middle.
  3. The lower end of the cutting is combined with a cut on an apple tree.
  4. They tie the junction of the branches so that the butt smeared with pitch remains free.
  5. They put on the resulting "stump" plastic bag and fix it with a tie.

The stalk is released from the package after the appearance of the first leaves.

Safety

Grafting apple trees is a procedure involving the use of traumatic tools. In order to
To minimize the risk of harm to yourself, follow a few simple rules:

  1. Work is carried out in dry calm weather.
  2. During the procedure, try not to be distracted.
  3. Make sure that when cutting branches left hand was not under the knife's edge.
  4. Before making a cut with a knife or splitting with an ax, mentally trace the trajectory of the tool.
  5. When cutting the end of the handle, the movement of the knife should be directed “away from you”.

Reasons for failure

In novice gardeners, the effectiveness of vaccinations is usually low. the main problem- premature drying of cuttings and buds due to the slow fusion of the scion and rootstock. This trouble is caused by a loose fit of the cut planes, which are made incorrectly, have waves or notches.

Another reason for poor survival is insufficient protection against bacteria and pests. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out quality processing injured places with garden pitch. It can be replaced with plasticine (less desirable) or clay.

Errors in the preparation of the scion and its attachment to the rootstock can be compensated to some extent by the installation of plastic bags. They are immediately put on the ends of the grafted branches. In order for the bags not to interfere with the growth of the scion, the length of the bags should be at least 15 cm.

If you don’t have suitable polyethylene on hand, you can use thick paper. It is rolled up in a roll so that a hollow cylinder 10-15 cm long is obtained. The roll is placed on a scion and the paper is fastened with twine.

After the scion takes root and becomes a full-fledged part of the stock, in the first season, all leaves and shoots are removed from the young branch. This is necessary in order for her to gain strength. They also make sure that neighboring branches do not obscure the scion.

Video instruction for grafting an apple tree

Many novice gardeners often do not know how to plant apple trees and when is the best time to work. We have collected for you the advice of experienced professionals who will help you vaccinate in the most simple method in a split

1 Why is vaccination needed and when is the best time to work?

Often, gardeners face the question of grafting apple trees. Why is this event even necessary? There may be several reasons:

  • poor harvest,
  • the desire to grow different varieties on the same tree (which also saves space on the site - instead of two apple trees different varieties you will grow one tree),
  • growing a seedling in spring without purchasing it from a nursery,
  • salvation from damage by frost or rodents,
  • increase in frost resistance of tender varieties of apple trees (we transplant to a winter-hardy tree).

You can graft an apple tree at least all year round, but it is best to carry out work in the spring. First of all, due to the fact that it is during this period that active sap flow begins, which means that the scion will quickly take root in a new place.

Grafting of apple and fruit trees

The second significant advantage of working in the spring is that even if the graft for some reason could not take root, you can repeat the work in the summer without wasting time. If you did not have time to carry out work in the spring, you can transfer them to the end of July, when the second phase of sap flow in plants begins. But in the fall, vaccination can only be carried out on young rootstocks - mature plant may not be able to tolerate the operation.

The main rule is that the timing of vaccination should coincide with the warm season, when the average daily temperature has risen to +15 ° C.

If the vaccination is carried out in the fall, it is better to do it before mid-October. With the onset of frost, it is better to transfer the work and spend it next spring.

2 Main advantages of split grafting

A lot of gardeners, studying the methods of grafting fruit trees, stop at the split method. With it, you can not only graft apple trees, but also graft grapes, berry bushes and some citrus plants. Why is this method so good? First of all, it can be successfully used if the others do not suit you. For example, when it comes to apple trees with bad condition bark or if the rootstock has been damaged by several attempts at grafting and has proved unusable.

Grafting a tree into a split

The second important plus is that this method allows the use of fruit-bearing plants and overgrown wilds as a stock (other methods of grafting in this case disappear). Moreover, the better developed root system overgrown game, the more resistant to diseases and adverse conditions the tree will turn out.

Also, this method is quite simple to implement: the vaccination process will not take much time and will not require careful preparation. Another important advantage is a high percentage of survival even when using a scion that is not of very high quality.

The disadvantage of this method is that with a low compatibility of the scion and rootstock, a small outgrowth may form at the grafting site. True, in a couple of years the influx will disappear. Doing the best job in early spring while the trees are dormant. In early March, you can work with stone fruits apple trees, from April - with pome trees.

3 Step-by-step instructions for grafting apple trees in a split

If you are going to work with a one- or two-year-old game or a branch of small diameter, then the operation will be very simple. But if you are going to graft skeletal branches, the process will be more complicated, requiring your attention and caution. The technology of work is simple and includes the same steps as with other vaccinations: preparation of the scion and stock, combination of "elements" and protection of the operation site.

Step 1. Cooking the rootstock

We clean the wildling selected as a stock from dirt and remove the old bark. We clean the cut with a knife. When cutting down the shoot, make sure that there are no defects in the form of branches or thickening at its end, which can adversely affect the split.

Step 2. Splitting the rootstock

If you have chosen a stock of small thickness, then use a sharp knife to make a small cut to a depth of 2–4 cm. If we are talking about a large supply, for example, a 15 cm stump, then splitting should be carried out by a different method. First, we make a cut on the bark along the split, which is necessary so that during the split the bark has smooth edges.

Rootstock splitting

After that, with a knife or a small hatchet, we split the stump to a depth of 7 cm. To prevent the split from closing, you need to carefully insert a wooden wedge or chisel into it. After that, using a chisel, expand the gap. If you need to get a cruciform split, repeat the procedure by making a perpendicular cut.

Step 3. Cooking the scion

Cuttings must be chosen so that at least 3 eyes remain above the place of combination with the stock. We cut the lower part of the scion into a wedge so that the length of the cut is about 50% of the diameter of the shoot. To avoid infecting the scion, do not touch the bare part of the tree with dirty hands. As before any important operation, you need to wash your hands, it is also advisable to work with gloves.

Step 4. How to connect the scion and rootstock?

When vaccinated young plant or a small branch, the prepared cutting must be inserted into the split, connecting the cambial layers. From above, you need to leave a small piece of the cut part of the cutting, which will allow the scion and stock to grow together faster. If you are grafting into a wide cut, then it is better to insert two cuttings into the split, placing them on opposite sides. And do not forget that the bark of the scion is thicker than the bark of the stock, therefore, when inserting the cutting into the split, they need to be combined along the cambium tissue.

Step 5. Protecting the vaccination site

Protection of the vaccination site - milestone, which is worth paying attention to if you want to get a good result. To do this, you need to use a strong cling film or elastic tape. After wrapping the operation site, be sure to anoint it with garden pitch to protect it from infections.

A few more tips for a successful vaccination:

  • the stock must be healthy, without damage to the wood and bark;
  • for vaccination it is worth choosing shoots growing vertically;
  • when deepening the scion into the stock, act carefully - too much deepening will lead to decay;
  • use clean tools so as not to cause diseases in the plant;
  • the stalk must have a sharp and even cut;
  • the ideal time for work is early morning or evening, if the weather is cloudy, vaccination can be carried out during the day.