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View Full Version : Was I cheated? Should I be concerned?


Darkman
04-17-2012, 09:03 PM
I recently purchased some "Seedling" Loquats for grafting stock. They were about four to five feet tall and I assumed they were three to four years old. They came in a three gallon pot and were obviously root bound. I specifically asked the nursery if they were "seedlings" and they said yes.

Today I began the process of repotting which necessitated the removal of the circling roots. I had to trim one inch off all the sides and two inches off the bottom to remove all the mostly dead roots. I began to loosen the rootball and felt roots that were circling deeper in the root ball. I eventually figured the deeper circling roots were from an earlier repot that had been done poorly. They had been grown in a small (about five inch pot) until they were root bound and someone decided to repot them. They did not remove the circling roots and just stuck the root bound root ball in a bigger (three gallon pot) and called it good. By this time I have built up a bit of anger and that is when I found it. This was not a seedling. It was a limb cutting. They took a limb around an inch in caliper and jammed it into something to get roots to form and then its pot life began.

Now I have about one hundred dollars worth of NON SEEDLINGS that I need to graft on to. I have just received my scions for grafting and don't know what I should do. What is the opinion of the masses?

Graft unto the recently butchered rootball that I have repotted and don't worry about it?

Find some real seedlings to graft on?

Hold the scion (refrigerate) till the repots have had time to settle in?

Bang my head against the wall?

Scream and Holler?

______ --- ____ -- _____?

Richard
04-17-2012, 11:45 PM
The plants you bought have been ruggedized by their past treatment. Give those roots a slight amount of iron supplement -- about 1/4 the dosage listed on the product for a potted plant that size. I would go ahead with the grafting but be conservative. Wrap not only the graft but the entire scion with clear grafting "tape". Keep the roots happy and you will likely have success.

Yug
04-18-2012, 03:40 AM
I'm no expert, but I'd do the grafts since you already have the scions. Are seedlings more vigorous? I'm wondering why it makes a difference. Other than having been lied to, and cheated (yup you were cheated) will a rooted branch make a difference?

Another alternative is to make the grafts onto the plants you have, and as you acquire real seedlings what would prevent you from taking scions of the ones you are now grafting to the rooted branches?

Dalmatiansoap
04-18-2012, 02:08 PM
isnt it to late for grafting?

sunfish
04-18-2012, 02:40 PM
isnt it to late for grafting?

No

Dalmatiansoap
04-18-2012, 02:49 PM
so scions doesnt have to be dormant?

sunfish
04-18-2012, 03:07 PM
so scions doesnt have to be dormant?

Loquat is evergreen

Dalmatiansoap
04-18-2012, 03:10 PM
Hmm, right :)
Any online "how to"?

sunfish
04-18-2012, 03:13 PM
Hmm, right :)
Any online "how to"?

Loquat Propagation (http://chestofbooks.com/gardening-horticulture/fruit/Tropical-And-Subtropical-Fruits/Loquat-Propagation.html)


grafting loquats (http://www.cloudforest.com/cafe/forum/22295.html)

How to Graft a Loquat Tree | Garden Guides (http://www.gardenguides.com/88987-graft-loquat-tree.html)

Darkman
04-18-2012, 03:35 PM
The plants you bought have been ruggedized by their past treatment. Give those roots a slight amount of iron supplement -- about 1/4 the dosage listed on the product for a potted plant that size. I would go ahead with the grafting but be conservative. Wrap not only the graft but the entire scion with clear grafting "tape". Keep the roots happy and you will likely have success.

Richard that sounds reasonable. I'll most likely do that. I will hopefully be able to keep them alive and can always then cut new scion to graft on some real seedlings.

I'm no expert, but I'd do the grafts since you already have the scions. Are seedlings more vigorous? I'm wondering why it makes a difference. Other than having been lied to, and cheated (yup you were cheated) will a rooted branch make a difference?

I can only tell you what my gut thinks on this as I am just an amateur. I believe that a true seedling will have a better developed root system than a limb that has been rooted. Especially a limb that has been neglected and abused (letting it become root bound not once but twice) like this one. If it had been uppotted several times and each time it was done before there were circling roots I would have had a superior product. As it is I had to trim the roots so hard that I am not sure the trees have better than a fifty percent chance. I'm hoping that there were more roots higher on the root ball than just those I found near the bottom.


Another alternative is to make the grafts onto the plants you have, and as you acquire real seedlings what would prevent you from taking scions of the ones you are now grafting to the rooted branches?

That is exactly what I think my long term plans are! Maybe then in five years or so I can answer the question of whether or not there is a difference. Hopefully I can find some seedlings that have been growing near someone’s mature Loquat.

kgbenson
04-18-2012, 03:42 PM
Hopefully I can find some seedlings that have been growing near someone’s mature Loquat.

The seeds are ridiculously easy to grow when sown fresh. Get yourself some fruits, eat them, and plant the dozens of seeds that will result.

Keith

nullzero
04-18-2012, 04:35 PM
I heard people recommend loquat grafting, when it is pushing a new growth flush.

oakshadows
04-18-2012, 05:03 PM
Keith has the right idea, just start your own and shortly, about 2 to 3 yrs, you will have more than you need. Good luck

Darkman
04-18-2012, 06:04 PM
At my age two to three years is a long time. I hope I can find some two to three year old plants.

sunfish
04-18-2012, 06:34 PM
[QUOTE=At my age two to three years is a long time. .[/QUOTE]

I hear you .