apple and pear rootstock and grafting practicalities

Just a few observations about handling apple and pear rootstocks.
The quince A rootstocks by the way are the standard rootstock used to graft pears, quinces can also be grafted on them, but not apples.

You can 'bench graft' stocks before planting just as they arrive from the nursery, and this is very convenient as you can work with them while sitting comfortably indoors and then plant the little graftlings out later. But I think you are more likely to succeed grafting on to a more substantial stock that has been growing in situ for a year. But I'm happy to be corrected on this if anyone knows better and can show us.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• apple
• pear
• quince
• root
• stock
• rootstock
• graft
• pencil
• scion
• fruitwise
• stephen
• hayes

[chuck2585]

where can i buy rootstock?

[stephenhayesuk]

@chuck2585 I get mine from Blackmoor nurseries. They mail to anywhere in UK. Overseas, I can only suggest you Google on wholesale fruit tree nurseries.

you can raise your own rootstocks if you have some starter material, I will post a video of this during the winter.

[FLORINOID]

IT'S TRENCH LAYERING GOOD TO PRODUCE MORE ROOTSTOCK?THANKS.

[stephenhayesuk]

@FLORINOID yes, I will put up a video about producing rootstocks

[Teorispa]

Is the quince rootstock used to avoid disease that the pear rootstock is more susceptible to?

I know that this is a technique used in vine for that same reason.

[stephenhayesuk]

I'm not sure. All I know is that for many years quince rootstocks have been routinely used to graft pears on to. Quince A is the most often used, quince C is smaller.

Seedling pear is biggest, I have planted some perry pears on this, they should get up to 60 feet tall eventually, but will not crop for years. Perry pears, it doesn't mater if they are too tall to pick, the pears are picked up off the ground when they fall and crushed for juice, which makes perry.

[trahanaman]

Just a quick question: what's the reason for putting the pencils in the fridge first? Thanks

[mcgrimes]

Thanks for your help stephen, think what i might do is try and graft 1 of the rootstocks this year, and the next in 2011. i suppose the best way to learn is to practice!

Thanks again!

[stephenhayesuk]

PS I will stress this point about timing. I'm not a professional, but one thing I really have found makes a difference to success is to graft when the sap is rising.

If you graft now, your graft will be sitting there doing nothing for another 6 weeks or so before spring brings the stock back to life after winter dormancy. Germs can grow and the cut surfaces dry out in that time, dried out grafts will die. Graft union will only take when active growth is taking place-so graft in early spring.

[stephenhayesuk]

I think it is better to let teh stock grow for a year before grafting, however some people do graft on delivery and then plant out, or store the stocks cool and wet and graft just before growth starts in April.

I hesitate to give strong advice as I am not sure. Try a search on bench grafting. I remember seeing an old man grafting this way for his nursery and his trees were OK.

You have little to lose by trying. But I would NOT graft this early-there is no sap flowing yet.