What can be grafted on mountain ash? Grafting of chokeberry in the crown of wild ash

I made my first attempt to graft an apple tree about 25 years ago. We lived then in the village of Vostochny, Kirov Region. It has just begun to be rebuilt in a forest area, specialists came from different parts Soviet Union. From horticultural crops grown there mainly berry bushes: gooseberries, currants, strawberries. I brought sea buckthorn from Kazan and was the first in the village to bring it to fruition.

Saplings fruit trees there was nowhere to buy. A neighbor on the site brought apple trees from Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod). They took root and began to bear fruit. It became envious. No wonder they say that a garden without apple trees, that a wedding without an accordion. I agreed with a neighbor about cuttings, but there was no suitable stock. Therefore, I decided to plant an apple tree on a mountain ash, which grew with me. Grafted in the way for the bark in May. After a few days, leaves began to appear, but then quickly withered.

On the next year repeated the attempt - and again a failure, which I unraveled only a few years later: I used a cutting cut from an apple tree on the same day, it did not have time to grow to the rootstock before the leaves bloomed. They died due to lack of mineral nutrition.

Only 15 years later, I repeated my attempts to plant other cultures on mountain ash. Started with chokeberry, which now grows in the form of a tree, giving good harvests large and juicy berries. Then he planted a pear of the Lada variety on the same mountain ash, which bears fruit for the third year. This year, for the experiment, he grafted an apple tree White filling onto the same tree. Over the summer, a shoot 93 cm long has grown. I will wait for fruiting.

On the second mountain ash, I planted pears August dew and an unknown variety autumn term fruiting (the cutting was brought from Nizhnekamsk). Both varieties have been fruiting for several years. Every year their number increases.

Many years ago, in the club of amateur gardeners, organized in the editorial office of the newspaper "The Owner Himself", I was presented with a stalk of Nevezhinsky mountain ash. It was in August, so I had to do a budding (graft with a kidney in the butt).

I used irgu as a stock, the shoots of which I took from a neighbor a year ago. I planted it in a rotten corner, it did not grow well. Perhaps for this reason, the kidney woke up only in the middle of the next summer and gave a weak increase.

The grafted mountain ash developed poorly in the future, so after 2 years I decided to transplant it. The sapling was deliberately deepened in such a way that the graft was in depth, and the Nevezhinsky mountain ash formed its roots.

He kept the growing mountain ash on stretch marks for three years. But as soon as I took it off, a hurricane swept through that evening, breaking trees in a birch grove in Derbyshki. Fortunately for us, the mountain ash survived, but its trunk was tilted at an angle of 50 degrees. And so it grows bent over, bestowing delicious berries both us and our neighbors. The trunk diameter is currently 17 cm.

Ruslan CHECHETKIN,
Kazan

Blackthorn and sandy cherries. seedlings from seeds local forms ungrafted apricots, the so-called perches, are more winter-hardy than those grown from seeds of cultivars. Cherry plum as a rootstock is best used in cases where you are going to grow apricots on moist loamy soils. Under these conditions, its trees grow better and bear fruit precisely on the rootstocks of cherry plum than on poles.

Quince ordinary- seedlings of varieties and forms of common quince, the most winter-hardy in the area, are used as rootstocks.

Japanese quince (Chenomeles) - best forms genomeles are grafted onto stocks of common quince, pear, shadberry, hawthorn.

viburnum- cuttings and eyes of varietal viburnum can be grafted into the crown on seedlings of common viburnum.

Dogwood- Seedlings of cultivars or wild-growing dogwood are used as rootstocks.

Plum- for this crop, seedlings of local forms of cherry plum are most often used as rootstocks, less often of local red plum. Can be used for this purpose

Every gardener, like all passionate people, dreams of creating something new and interesting in his field - to grow an exotic plant, the most beautiful flower, the largest and most delicious fruit. This will help not only meticulous care, selection (breeding of new varieties), but also vaccinations.

What is it for?

With this technique, the graft plant is planted on the mother tree. The stock, as it were, shares its capabilities with a seedling that is more whimsical and demanding on growing conditions. The method is based on the restoration by the plant of its trunk and branches due to the middle layer of wood - the cambium, therefore, the cuts of the scion and rootstock must be of the appropriate depth, otherwise the fusion will not occur, while the stock and scion form one organism with unified system metabolism.

The benefits of vaccination:

growing a strong varietal plant with the desired characteristics in conditions that are not very suitable for it, for example, when planting a cultivated apple tree on a wild game;
possibility of accommodation a large number varieties in a limited area and embodiments of interesting design ideas, for example, a miracle lilac with a variety of flowers on one trunk;
quick replacement of a disliked variety with another;
getting fruits a few years earlier than with other growing methods;
the possibility of restoring a damaged plant (for this, grafting with a bridge is most often used, covering the site of damage);
obtaining a tree or bush of a more compact form.

In addition, grafting is a method of propagating a scion with certain varietal qualities, since the offspring obtained from seeds from generation to generation may lose the quality of the fruit.

Why rowan?

This tree in nature grows on such soils, where mainly spruce and pine trees feel comfortable, that is, marshy and acidic, and many have such a composition of the earth in plots. But I must say that when transplanted, mountain ash easily adapts to other conditions. It grows up to 15 m high, the crown has a thickened, compact shape. Frost-resistant, withstands temperatures up to -50 degrees.

All of these characteristics make it possible to consider mountain ash as a plant very suitable for the role of a stock.

What types of vaccinations and when?

The following types can be considered the most suitable for grafting on mountain ash: in a split and in a side cut.

In the first case, the stem of the stock is split and the cuttings of the scion are inserted into the gap. This method is within the power of even novice gardeners, as it has a large percentage of survival and does not require special preparatory work. It is only important to make sure that the cuts of the cuttings protrude slightly above the split and tightly pressed against the inner layer of wood, and protect all open places by covering them with garden pitch. With this method, it is not even necessary to wrap the plant around, but for reliability, you can do this.

The first two weeks it is desirable to provide shading to the grafted tree.

In the second case, special manipulations are also not required. On a handle with several buds (usually 2-3), a cut is made with a length three times the diameter of the branch itself. Then cut on the other side to get a double-sided wedge. A deep incision is made on the rootstock, up to the cambium, at an acute angle (15–30 degrees) and a scion is inserted into it, wrapped with twine, special grafting tape or cling film. At the same time, it is important to trace the position of the kidney so that growth goes in the right direction..

After 2–3 weeks, it is already possible to see whether the cutting will take root or not, the strapping is removed on the 4th–5th week, and after 6–8 the final result is clear. Thickening at the site of vaccination indicates that full compatibility failed to achieve. Then you can try to repeat the experience. If top branches appear, it is not recommended to cut them all, several shoots are left to protect the vaccine from the wind.

Optimal results are obtained by vaccinations performed in early spring at the very beginning of sap flow, while the cuttings are harvested two weeks before the procedure and stored in a cool place, grafted onto the stock for 2-3 years of life. But it is possible to achieve good survival and summer grafts green cuttings, and in autumn, and even in winter, on an unplanted stock - while the vaccination is carried out in a cold, but non-freezing room (at a temperature of 18–20 degrees), and root system the future seedling is covered with moist soil or sawdust, in the spring it is planted in open ground.

How to plant a pear?

Experiments with ordinary red rowan as a stock began to be carried out precisely to improve the fruiting of pears in the middle lane. Not all varieties were shown good compatibility with a rootstock. It so happened that the grafted cuttings (for example, varieties Naryadnaya, Efimova) froze after the first season. There is an opinion that those descended from the Ussuri pear best take root. If you first vaccinate this variety (Chizhovskaya, Lada, Cathedral), and then re-graft a less compatible variety on the resulting seedling next season, the result will be good.

There is another option - regrafting first with a variety of cultivated mountain ash (Ruby, Beauty) then with the desired variety of pear.

The rootstock can be found in the forest, most often next to spruce and pine trees. Next to the old rowan trees, from the young growth, choose a tree with a trunk diameter of about 2.5–3 cm at a level of 1 m from the ground. Roots after digging should be immediately wrapped in a tight bag. The best survival rate will be if the grafting method is carried out in a lateral incision or in a split.

Even if the vaccination was successful, it must be taken into account that the pear grows the trunk faster than the mountain ash, so there is a risk of getting a plant with a powerful crown on a thinner stem. Because of this discrepancy, there are known cases of scion falling off for the 5th - 6th season. There are two ways out of this situation:

just tie the plant to a support (it’s better to do this immediately with purchased grafted seedlings);
plant 2–3 small rowan trees nearby and grow them together with trunks, making cuts (grafting by ablactation).

Rowan branches must be removed so that the scion is not suppressed. But not all. The fact is that for the full development of the root system of mountain ash, it needs photosynthesis products from its own foliage. Therefore, about 25% of the crown should be rootstock branches.

Rowan is an unpretentious plant, however, its need for moisture is great. And if the year turns out to be dry, the grafted plant will definitely need to be watered. Otherwise, pear fruits may turn out to be of poor quality: small, dry with hard patches and not sweet enough.

Mulching will help to avoid increased evaporation of moisture from the soil.

What else can be grafted?

It is also possible to graft an apple tree on a mountain ash, but varieties descended from the plum-leaved apple tree (Kitayka) should be selected. In this case, compatibility is not bad.

Good survival rate with red mountain ash in black ash (chokeberry). Aronia grows strongly, and after grafting a compact bush is obtained, the taste and quality of the fruit are not lost. Rowan as a stock is also very suitable for shadberry and dogwood.

Everyone knows hawthorn as an ornamental culture. The scion for rowan turns out to be compact, grows less, as in the case of chokeberry.

Because of the close ground water in many areas, it can be difficult to grow cherries and plums, which are sensitive to soil moisture stagnation. Of course, they tried to graft them on mountain ash. But experiments have shown that compatibility is poor here. There is a way out - re-vaccination through cultivars rootstock.

the introduction of pathogens due to insufficient cleanliness during the grafting process, which will hinder the growth and development of the scion;
the time or weather for the vaccination was incorrectly chosen, the stalk could be overdried from the heat or frozen, strong wind also does not contribute to a good result;
inappropriate vaccination method;

Anton Gulyaev, Golutvin: “Pear grows poorly here, perhaps because there used to be swamps on the site of our plots. "even in winter. If the answer is yes, tell us about this miracle of nature."

It's no secret that most of our garden plots located on the former swamps, and in other places the soil is not sugar. So a technique was developed for using mountain ash as a stock, primarily for pears. At the same time, on rowan trees grafted into a stem at a height of 1-1.2 m, pears grow, remarkable in their palatability. And our frosts are not afraid of them.

The most interesting thing is that right now, on the snow that has already fallen, if the soil in the forest is thawed, you can prepare rootstocks from mountain ash. It grows, as a rule, in spruce-pine forests, and there are always young trees next to the trunk of an old tree. We need such that at a height of 1 m the diameter of the stem is 2.5-3 cm. After digging, the roots should be immediately wrapped in a damp cloth or placed in a tight bag.

The crown above 1.5 m can be cut off, and the cut can be covered with garden pitch. If you have pear cuttings, then you can vaccinate even in winter in a room where the temperature is 18-20 degrees. Before grafting, it is important not to dry the roots, so they must be sprinkled with wet sawdust or peat.

Remove the pear cuttings from the storage place, hold them indoors so that they defrost, and you can start grafting. There are many ways of it, but in this case it is better to use inoculations in the butt or in the side cut, they give a greater percentage of rooted cuttings.

You can postpone this work until spring, and store the rootstock of wild mountain ash dug in winter in the basement, sprinkling the roots with soil. If the soil in the garden is thawed, then you can dig in. Then pear cuttings are also stored until grafting in a cool place so that the kidneys do not wake up ahead of time.

Rice. Grafting in the side cut:
1 - preparation of the cutting; 2 - insertion of the handle; 3 - tying the vaccination site

In practice, there were cases when the vaccination failed. For example, pear cuttings Elegant Efimova grow one season and freeze out. For such varieties, an insert is needed, that is, first we graft a varietal to wild mountain ash from the forest, best of all hybrid variety Beauty, Ruby, or any of the Nevezhensky, and then, the next year, a varietal pear.

Such an insert always gives a good fusion of the stock with the scion.

One more nuance. The roots of the mountain ash, first of all, feed the mountain ash, and the leaves of the pear, located above the graft. Exchange, of course, occurs, but in different ways. If a small tumor forms at the site of fusion, this indicates an incomplete compatibility of the rootstock and scion.

Pear trees grafted onto mountain ash do not grow large, rarely exceed 3 m. The crown is also compact, so they can be planted after 1-1.5 m. Such trees begin to bear fruit already in the 2-3rd year after grafting and will delight high yield 20-25 years old.

By the way, mountain ash can still be a stock for chokeberry (chokeberry). At the same time, they form weeping forms crowns, which greatly decorates the garden.

If you manage to buy a pear already grafted on a mountain ash, then when planting, you need to dig a high and strong stake, to which you should tie both a stock (rowan) and a scion (pear). This is due to the fact that the pear grows and thickens faster than the mountain ash.

Planting rowan as a pollinator for apple trees is useless. Yes, these plants are very close relatives, but they do not pollinate. But it can be used as a rootstock.

rowan on rowan

Rowan is usually planted as ornamental culture and for medicinal fruits. You can kill two birds with one stone if you plant it on a mountain ash rowan chokeberry (chokeberry). They get along very well. Nearly 100% fusion.

For the best effect, you need to graft several branches in different parts crowns. Then the bush in the spring looks like a flowering ball, and in the fall it bends under the weight of the fruit. After a couple of years, a wonderful weeping and fruit-bearing tree of very compact size is obtained.

More from ornamental plants brilliant cotoneaster is grafted onto the mountain ash. Which is also interesting, although not so beautiful. Sometimes there is incompatibility.

Weak rootstock

But the main value of mountain ash is that it is a frost-resistant and low-growing stock for apple and pear trees. If in the South pears are grafted onto quince to get dwarfs, then in middle lane- on a rowan.

Mountain ash well withstands wet years. It is not afraid of frost and is perfectly compatible with most varieties of pears. And most importantly - mountain ash is unpretentious to soils, gives excellent harvests in almost any conditions. She transfers this property to the varieties grafted onto her.

As a rule, pears on such a rootstock are so productive that supports must be placed under each branch. Otherwise, they just break off. Often, the trunk itself has to be strengthened by driving a two-meter stake so that the pear does not fall off the mountain ash under the weight of the harvest.

True, in order for the pear harvest to be the best, the mountain ash itself is kept in a black body. That is, rowan twigs are regularly cut below the graft.

Quince on rowan

If the usual quince does not go to the North, then the Japanese (henomeles) grows quietly in the Middle lane and withstands the most severe conditions. She's just small in stature. And if you graft it onto a mountain ash, you get a real tree with a trunk of mountain ash.

Such vaccinations grow together well, but you should not expect a huge tree. Japanese quince and so it does not grow much, and on the mountain ash, the gains are even less. But almost no one has such an unusual "mountain ash".

What else to instill

Rowan can be grafted and exotic plants: German medlar and irga. But the apple tree - is grafted, but then dies off. But there are craftsmen who manage to make friends with an apple tree and mountain ash.