View Full Version : What Did Yo Graft Today?
bencelest
02-19-2009, 11:04 AM
I grafted 3 Tachima plums to my satsuma plum yesterday given to me by Joe Real last year. Those Tachimas took but the sticks are too long so I decided to cut it and to have new plants.
Patty in Wisc
02-19-2009, 04:15 PM
Hi Benny, did you do Cleft graft? If you just grafted it yesterday, how do you know that it 'took' already LOL
Caloosamusa
02-19-2009, 05:18 PM
We usually know about six weeks later. In this area this is not the right time of year to graft or t-Bud. We do many different types of grafts depending on scion and root stock size, and species.
Best wishes, I hope they are all takes.
bencelest
02-19-2009, 07:25 PM
Patty: Those are the Tachima plums that Joe Real gave me last year. He said that they are particularly much bigger than a regular plum and much sweeter. I was saying that those tachimas took and now they are just one long stick. My experience was I have problems with them when they fruited. They usually bend and break before the fruit ripens so the next best thing to do is to cut them short and the cuttings I grafted them back to other trees.
Sorry if I misled you. I guess it is my English. Eh?
No, I don't do cleft graft anymore. In my view the union looks ugly so most of my grafts are bark graft. About 80 % of my grafts are like that because I am most successful on those. It seems like I can do no wrong. They all take in 99% of the time. That is if the mother tree has a bigger diameter than the scion I am inserting. But if both branches are the same diameter I do tongue and ....(I forgot the term) which is I am also successful. So I only do those 2 grafts now for all of my trees.
In my area they are now blooming with flower buds. I am cutting so much branches with so much flowers being wasted but it has to be done.
Patty in Wisc
02-19-2009, 08:57 PM
You go guy! I liked that whip & tongue too except I took the tape off too soon.
I'll have to look at Joe Reals tutorial on bark graft again. Good luck.
bencelest
02-20-2009, 02:03 AM
Here's some samples of bark graft.
These are Tachima plums that were grafted to an Italian plum
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/4268/joestachimaeuropeanplumcw4.jpg (http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=joestachimaeuropeanplumcw4.jpg)
bencelest
02-20-2009, 02:07 AM
Here are samples of whip and tongue graft. I leave the tape there till it disintegrates itself. It can stay there for a year or so. I don't bother to remove it.
These were clemenules , a mandarin from Spain that were grafted to a pommelo.
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/3528/31108clem1aaxm4.jpg (http://img245.imageshack.us/my.php?image=31108clem1aaxm4.jpg)
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/31108clem1aaxm4.jpg/1/w936.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img245/31108clem1aaxm4.jpg/1/)
bencelest
02-20-2009, 02:27 AM
Another sample of whip and tongue graft.
In this case another persimmon grafted to my fuyo persimmon. Notice the grafting tape was left on indefinitely to the scionwood.
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/9527/1a7507persimmon15mn7.jpg (http://img123.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1a7507persimmon15mn7.jpg)
Patty in Wisc
02-20-2009, 03:47 AM
Nice job & thanks for showing that! I'm motivated even more now. I did take the tape off too soon on the whip & tongue but I won't next time!
I'm impressed. Is that 3 bark grafts on the same plum host?--same branch?
Wow Benny, I remember when you were just learning this.
I want to graft avocado, loquat, citrus (of course) and apple. Am thinking of whip & tongue or cleft for the apple. What do you think?
bencelest
02-20-2009, 10:08 AM
Yes. I cut the Italian plum drastically because it becomes too large and too tall for my sprayer to reach. It becomes the source of aphids and sooty molds for my other plants. Besides I can't reach the fruit. It is not the same branch but only one main trunk and one tree. This time though I am trimming all of my plants into reachable heights. I am cutting a few of my grafts by doing so.
Before, I did a lot of experimenting, I tried that banana graft that I believe you introduced, budding, etc...... but I settled with 2 grafts I described above because it is easy to learn, fastest to do and to grow and easy to take. And once it took, you have a branch that is ready to flower in the same year.
I had my shortcomings before but in apples and peaches I found out that they are the easiest to take. You can't do any wrong on those trees.
Yes, you can do either way grafting on your apples. Both whip and tongue or cleft graft are perfect. Bark grafting sometimes are weak graft because the scion is only attach to the bark. A strong wind can dislodge a bark graft easily. And accidental pulling, that it happened to me many times before. CG and W&T graft are very strong graft against the wind or accidental pulling. But after a year or two you are safe once the union takes place permanently.
I don't have a chance to graft avocado and loquat yet. I love both fruits and love to have them but I don't have the space to grow them anymore.
I wonder if I can grow them in bigger pots? Like a wine barrel? I have plenty of those.
bencelest
02-20-2009, 12:14 PM
Here's what I grafted this morning:
Sandowner apples,
golden russet,
and Cox Orange Pippin apples
and Nugget apricots.
Those are some scions that Joe Real and I got from Scion Exchange on Jan 12, 2009 I believe.
I have a lot more grafting to go.
bencelest
02-20-2009, 03:03 PM
Later on during the day I grafted:
golden nectarine
banana flower apple ( I have no idea why it is called like this) maybe the apple looks like a banana flower? The same way as a peach that looks like a doughnut.
Dawson Cherry
As usual I got these scions at the scion exchange.
Patty in Wisc
02-20-2009, 03:45 PM
Apricot?? I love apricots. I will ask Joe if I can graft apricot to my loquat since loquats are similar - sort of. Thanks again.
The 5 in 1 apple tree I bought for Mike is still frozen & in snow so no grafting for awhile.
bencelest
02-20-2009, 06:15 PM
Patty:
I found apricot just last summer when I was doing an electrical job in a Blynhym apricot field. I also ate one of the sweetest and juiciest apricot given to my wife with one of her coworkers who was a member of Rare fruit growers locally. I was sold to grow some. So I did ask my wife to get a branch from Maryann, her coworker. When I got some, I made a lot of apricot grafts to my matured plout and satsuma plum and Santa Rosa plums. They all took. I am now seeing a lot of blooming flowers on Maryann's apricot. I called it that since it was unknown- Maryann apricot. Better than Blynhym for sure.
I'll post some pics soon. I also found out that apricot is the easiest to take grafted on different cultivars. Ever since then, I grafted different kinds of apricots that I got from Costco and Home depot.
bencelest
02-20-2009, 07:46 PM
Here's some of my grafted apricot:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15772&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15772)
I had a couple of fruits the same year I graft it in 2008.
The mother tree is a plout and you an see on the top left is a white peach.
bencelest
02-20-2009, 08:00 PM
In another branch I have another white peach bloomed the same year.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15773&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15773)
And if you look closely at the bottom of the picture is another apricot plant. See the difference in the shape of the leaves?
You can also see unripe fruits of different cultivars at the background.
bencelest
02-20-2009, 08:06 PM
But what is impressive is my grafts to my santa rosa plum. This is just one branch. I have grafts all over the canopy of this tree.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15774&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15774)
So all I can say is if you want to taste different fruits and you don't have space to grow them in your yard,graft your trees.
bencelest
02-20-2009, 08:13 PM
Here is the mother host the Santa Rosa plum.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15776&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15776)
bencelest
02-20-2009, 08:17 PM
Here's how it looks some part on top of the canopy:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15775&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15775)
Notice the different colors and shape of the fruits. Most of them are European plums that I got from the scion exchange.
island cassie
02-20-2009, 08:29 PM
Benny I am speechless with admiration!! Wonderful!
Patty in Wisc
02-21-2009, 02:25 AM
Wow, I'm jealous! You got all that fruit from a graft just last year??!!! Those are amazing Benny.
chong
02-21-2009, 02:55 AM
Wow, I'm jealous! You got all that fruit from a graft just last year??!!! Those are amazing Benny.
I believe those are late last Summer's photos(2008). I can't imagine any stone fruits at that stage of maturity at this time of year. Unless, you're in Chile?
bencelest
02-21-2009, 10:57 AM
Yes that was my last years' fruit Patty and Island Casey and thank you so much for your compliments from both of you. I hope I can convince you now to start grafting. That's my intention.
And Patty, I grafted them a year before that.
The first year either they fruit a few and grows like you won't believe but watch out the next year like what happened to me.
This year I had to trim them short so I can reach the fruit. It's very hard to harvest them if they are just too high. That means I'd lose a bunch of them.
So guys, if you are going to start grafting, make sure they are reachable to gather the fruit. Don't do what I did. I grafted at the canopy.
So, don't kill the water sports that originates from the base of the plant. Graft unto them so you have a new plant.
I have some pictures that I just did just that .
bencelest
02-21-2009, 02:10 PM
I have one more pic of apricots that I grafted last year that now have a lot of blooming flowers.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15793&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15793)
bencelest
02-21-2009, 02:11 PM
Grafted more tachima plums today and some sweet French prunes.
Imagine there is such thing as French prunes. It is one of the Joe Real's scions he gave me last year. I forgot all about those until I saw my tags. It is the most vigorous growers of them all.
So all of these scions are grafted to an Italian prunes. It is the mother plant.
bencelest
02-21-2009, 05:24 PM
Patty:
I tried grafting cleft grafting today and you are right, I should have done that kind of grafting more before. It appears a very strong graft and i like it. Now to wait if that kind of graft will take 100%.
I graft all my grafts cleft except one today.
I was doing it all wrong before. Now I think I know the technique now.
harveyc
02-21-2009, 07:37 PM
Benny, I see you use Doc Farwell's grafting sealer on some of your bark grafts. If you're going to use it on bark graft anyway, I suggest you try skipping the rubber band and parafilm and just using masking tape. I've done a couple thousand bark grafts of chestnut using just masking tape and the grafting sealer and it's easy and works great. Another grower had suggested the masking tape to me and I really liked it because it sticks better than any grafting tape yet it is sort of like parafilm in that you don't need to cut it later on as it will tear as the union expands. Some cheap masking tape will not hold well enough but I wait until Ace has it on sale for $.99 and stock up then. It's the cheapest grafting tape I've every bought! I use parafilm for some grafts also, usually ones that are slow to grow or green wood (like citrus, avocado). I'll also use it for some chestnut grafts later this year with some tiny scions which I'm afraid would dry out.
I wait until budbreak on chestnuts to graft and they will usually start growing in 7-10 days (sometimes as quickly as 4 days). You can see some of my grafts in my chestnut site gallery at Correia Chestnut Farm - American Grown Fresh Chestnuts From Our Family Farm to You; large hand-harvested Colossal chestnuts, recipes, instructions for roasting chestnuts, chestnut roasters, chestnut knives (http://www.chestnuts.us/gallery.htm).
Harvey
bencelest
02-22-2009, 01:55 AM
Thanks Harvey for the tips. I'll keep that in mind.
I saw the pictures and they are very impressive.
Did you hire someone to do it?
harveyc
02-22-2009, 02:52 AM
Hi Benny,
I do the grafting myself but did hire help in the spring of 2007 when I did the major top-working project in my orchard. I would cut away major branches and mark where I wanted a cut with my skill saw (powered by a generator) and have workers move my ladders in place and I'd prepare the scion and place it in the stock and another worker would wrap it in tape and seal it. With about 1,000 grafts it was just too much to do myself in a timely manner. Doing it all by myself the success rate is closer to 100% but about 99% with hired help as they would knock a scion out of place, etc. Sometimes my 12' ladder wasn't tall enough so I'd have to climb the tree and have a worker hand me supplies, etc. I felt young until the end of the day! LOL
Chestnut grafting is very satisfying as they grow quickly. Many grafts grow 8 feet the first year. I'm going to be grafting some new trees in April; you're welcome to come check them out. I bought 200 seedling trees (mostly 1" or larger in diameter) that will be planted as soon as the ground dries out a little and then I'll graft after bud break.
bencelest
02-22-2009, 10:32 AM
Impressive!!! And 8 feet in one year??? Wow! And double WOW!!!
All I can say is no matter how long the hours is you work as long as you enjoy doing it, then the hours you spent does not matter.
As for me, it's a good exercise. And happy at the end of the day.
Can I grow one chestnut in Salinas?
I saw your trees before when we got the sulfameg there at your house. Too bad they did not have any fruit. But your persimmons were so juicy and so sweet!!! better than mine!
Save me some pounds of your best chestnuts next time. I'll order some from you.
harveyc
02-22-2009, 10:43 AM
Maybe you pay too much attention to your persimmon, mine gets neglected! LOL
The real exercise comes when I chip all of my prunings and big limbs removed from top-working. I bought a large commercial 12" drum chipper to avoid having to burn prunings but dragging and throwing the large branches is quite some exercise.
I don't recommend anyone without a very large yard grow a chestnut as they get large (they would like to be 35 feet tall and wide some day and the spiny burs (husks) are a big mess and painful. Also, you need a pollinator. The owner of Dave Wilson Nursery liked my suggestion that they sell multi-budded trees years ago but they still haven't done it. I have no interest in growing trees for sale because of the hassle with shipping, phytosanitary certificate, inspections, etc.
Chestnut shipping season gets very crazy and I can't remember to reserve chestnuts, etc. Please mark your calendar to contact me on October 1 but I'll put you on my mass mailing list. I'll sell out very early this year (again).
Patty in Wisc
02-22-2009, 12:03 PM
Benny, is this the graft you did? I guess it's called 'wedge' or 'cleft'.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/Patty_in_Wisc/Wedgegraft.gif
bencelest
02-22-2009, 03:54 PM
Patty:
Yes I did that but with a twist. To insure a large amount of cambium touching between the host plant and the scion, I tapered the scion 3 times longer than what is shown so that you have a better chance of taking. Also, I get me paper towel and soak it with alcohol and wipe both scion and host with it to kill all the fungus and bacteria clinging on them. I also don't do it whose diameter is bigger than 1/2" . I do bark graft if that is the case. I let the alcohol evaporate first before I proceed.
I also put the scion inside my mouth while I am doing the cutting of the host branch. I read a long time ago that your saliva is a good disinfectant to kill various bacterias. I think Dr. Manners from Florida Southern College recommended that.
After you are done, you have as if one stick because both are the same diameter and it should be very strong union once it takes.
Before I used to do it just like in the picture. So you have a large bulbous head at the union and I thought that was ugly. But with my new method, there won't be or slightly bulge at the union if you taper it long enough.
By the way, this is Joe Real's method. I am just doing what he teaches.
bencelest
02-23-2009, 10:23 AM
Maybe you pay too much attention to your persimmon, mine gets neglected! LOL
The real exercise comes when I chip all of my prunings and big limbs removed from top-working. I bought a large commercial 12" drum chipper to avoid having to burn prunings but dragging and throwing the large branches is quite some exercise.
I don't recommend anyone without a very large yard grow a chestnut as they get large (they would like to be 35 feet tall and wide some day and the spiny burs (husks) are a big mess and painful. Also, you need a pollinator. The owner of Dave Wilson Nursery liked my suggestion that they sell multi-budded trees years ago but they still haven't done it. I have no interest in growing trees for sale because of the hassle with shipping, phytosanitary certificate, inspections, etc.
Chestnut shipping season gets very crazy and I can't remember to reserve chestnuts, etc. Please mark your calendar to contact me on October 1 but I'll put you on my mass mailing list. I'll sell out very early this year (again).
OK. I just did.
I can't wait till it's chestnut season.
bencelest
03-03-2009, 10:14 AM
I've been doing a lot of grafting every chance I got and I just don't have time to post them each day. Remembering different names also is a chore. Good thing about labeling each graft is a must.
bencelest
03-03-2009, 10:15 AM
Apparently there's not one member in this forum interested in grafting. My thought.
sad.
harveyc
03-03-2009, 10:56 AM
Benny, don't feel rejected. So far Patty, me, adrift, and Island Cassie have shown an interest (some by posting, others by saying "thanks").
Will you be at Gene Lester's on Sunday? There are more citrus varieties I'd like to check out and graft eventually. I'm no good at budding so far.
bencelest
03-03-2009, 11:27 AM
Can you tell me more about Gene Lester's tour?
I don't know anything about it. Joe Real is not emailing me about it.
I know last year there were restrictions such as we can not get any scions in the area but I went anyway.
harveyc
03-03-2009, 11:50 AM
It's at 1pm. Joe is going but I'm riding with our friend Kern. I hadn't heard from Joe about it but e-mailed him and he said he was going and then I later got an e-mail asking if I wanted a ride. I didn't go last year but went the prior year. If you need directions, e-mail me.
Tog Tan
03-03-2009, 12:24 PM
Apparently there's not one member in this forum interested in grafting. My thought.
sad.
Hey Benny, you are doing good by introducing this thread. The thing is, most people (especially me) find grafting a mystery of sort. So it may seem to be an 'expert' thing. I am a bummer, tried one time with adenium and bougainvillas with all the wrong anyone can do and of course got the results I deserved! I am really amazed by what you have been doing. Keep it up man! You may just encourage me to get back into it.:02:
harveyc
03-03-2009, 12:33 PM
A really good book on grafting is Garner's Grafter's Handbook. You can search it on Google Books and view pages there for various grafting techniques. I've used about four or five but there are hundreds. I bought the book about eight years ago and was very impressed with it.
bencelest
03-03-2009, 01:26 PM
Hey Benny, you are doing good by introducing this thread. The thing is, most people (especially me) find grafting a mystery of sort. So it may seem to be an 'expert' thing. I am a bummer, tried one time with adenium and bougainvillas with all the wrong anyone can do and of course got the results I deserved! I am really amazed by what you have been doing. Keep it up man! You may just encourage me to get back into it.:02:
Tog Tan:
If the cost scares you, don't be.
You can start with less than 5 bucks. All you need actually is buying the grafting tape through the internet at $2.00 a roll, cheaper if you buy more than 1. And for a starter just use the utility knife (replaceable blades) that you buy at home depot. And that's it. You can use the rubber band that newspapers send you . To loosen the cambium (bark) you can use a dull steak knife. And as Harvey said log in to that book he recommends or just type grafting at Google.
When you get hooked you can buy a grafting knife. It starts at $29 I believe.
bencelest
03-07-2009, 09:10 PM
This peach was grafted on 2/21/09 and pic was taken 3/5/09
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=16010&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=16010)
bencelest
03-07-2009, 09:12 PM
another peach grafted just 12 days ago .
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=16009&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=16009)
bencelest
03-08-2009, 09:14 PM
I grafted the following:
golden nectarine
flavor grande plout
Early apricot
la Roda apricot
nugget apricot
Chinese apricot
sweet red apricot
superior plum
Howard miracle plum
bencelest
03-08-2009, 09:15 PM
I have one that was just grafted on 3/1/09 and already opening its bud.Pic taken on 3/6/09
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=16064&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=16064)
harveyc
03-08-2009, 10:36 PM
Benny, now I know why I didn't see you at Gene's citrus tour today! Joe was ill and didn't make it but going next weekend, I was told.
My fruit grafting will have to wait next week unless it's ends up hectic like this week.
bencelest
03-09-2009, 11:09 AM
Benny, now I know why I didn't see you at Gene's citrus tour today! Joe was ill and didn't make it but going next weekend, I was told.
My fruit grafting will have to wait next week unless it's ends up hectic like this week.
Sorry Harvey. If I can't get any scions I can't seem to have the energy to go. But what happened to your tour anyway?
My 3 teenagers and I worked in my backyard last weekend.
Is there another tour coming next week?
Joe does not tell me anymore.
harveyc
03-09-2009, 11:15 AM
Benny, I believe next Saturday is just a private thing with Joe and a few others. I saw Gene give one tour member a scion and he said something about thinking the disease issue was behind him now. As I understood it, he never had a disease problem but some ag inspectors were hassling him a couple of years ago. Yesterday was a nice day and I ate a lot of citrus. I really like Fremont, Corsica #2, SRA-92 and some of the others. His Gold Nugget was still hanging on nice and I hope mine will fruit in another year or so.
Harvey
Are certain seasons better for grafts "taking". I tried a couple of "Don Gillogly" avocados last summer on the water sprouts of my larger 3yr old bush grown from a pit. One promptly turned black the other gave hope for a few weeks before succumbing.
harveyc
03-09-2009, 11:28 AM
I don't know, Bob, I'm a rookie with avocados. I did several cleft grafts last spring when they were putting on new growth pretty good and had good success.
bencelest
03-09-2009, 12:05 PM
One sure way of success is when the plant is starting a new buds coming out like right now. Now is the ideal time before the new buds turn into flowers or leaves.
I can imagine those RNAs inside their tissues are so busy replicating for the new growth spurts that are ready to burst. That is the best time. And when you cut the branch and when you open the bark, you'd feel it was so easy to peel the bark. That's the exact time to graft. When the bark is slipping.
You can do it at some other time but with less success.
bencelest
03-09-2009, 12:08 PM
Benny, I believe next Saturday is just a private thing with Joe and a few others. I saw Gene give one tour member a scion and he said something about thinking the disease issue was behind him now. As I understood it, he never had a disease problem but some ag inspectors were hassling him a couple of years ago. Yesterday was a nice day and I ate a lot of citrus. I really like Fremont, Corsica #2, SRA-92 and some of the others. His Gold Nugget was still hanging on nice and I hope mine will fruit in another year or so.
Harvey
Will I be invited when your gold nugget is ready?
Ha-ha- hah Just kidding.
harveyc
03-09-2009, 12:30 PM
If I remember, Benny, you're certainly welcome to come taste, though I imagine picking will be slim for quite a while. Maybe my Tango will fruiting around the same time. If some budwood slips into your pocket when I'm not looking, it's not my fault! :P
bencelest
03-11-2009, 11:03 PM
I cut a long twig of Tachima plum today and grafted them leaving 2 to 3 buds per graft. I also saw many buds are starting to come out with my other grafts.
bencelest
03-18-2009, 12:29 AM
I grafted clementine and gold nugget mandarins to a Chandler pomello today.
harveyc
03-18-2009, 01:29 AM
Since Gold Nugget is patented I just bought a whole plant of it last March at Clausen (sp?) nursery near Richard for a whopping $16. :) I didn't notice flower buds on it the other day but do see buds on my Tango which I bought in June at Bonita Creek Nursery, also near Richard (and Jon).
Are you completely out of frost danger now, Benny? The weather has been nice here but we had frost later than this last year.
bencelest
03-18-2009, 09:36 AM
Harvey:
I got the gold nugget at Gene Lester's last Sunday (March 15) when Joe called me to attend a private fruit tasting. There were only 7 of us altogether and were entertained much better than the week you attended. Gene said over 100 people attended and had to divide the group into 2. The gold nugget tree appears to be an old tree I'd say over 5 years old so I am now wondering how did Gene Lester got the tree from.
From all the citrus that I tasted GN and the clementine were the sweetest so I asked Gene for a branch or two.
The seedless Kishu which was my favorite at the orchard had only flowers at this time so I was not able to taste those. But I have 2 trees now in my yard.
No, I don't know if Salinas is out of the frost now. I am just taking a gamble with what I do now. I am just crossing my fingers. So grafting is a gamble also.
As Joe said, the reason why he was not grafting is he was waiting for 2 days without rain but I gambled to graft even when it was raining (or lack the knowledge of) and I did not noticed the difference. All if not all had took and I am so delighted seeing all those buds are sprouting now. Some are flowers instead of bud leaves coming out.
I've been transferring my bananas also to the ground now and I'll just take precautions if there is an arctic blast if they come. I also removed all of the pstem barks and leaves that turned brown and expose the green pstems to the sun so they have photosynthesis to speedy up the leaves formation. I can also see the new leaves coming up with my bananas.
Ahhh!! Spring is here!!! (crossing fingers).
Also, Joe does not want to divulge his secret of having to spray my bananas and plums and apples for aphids, powdery mildew etc.... but I tell you buy it from him because IT WORKS. He may ask you privately to buy it if you see him.
All of my plants are so invigorating because of IT. My roses, citrus, apples..... at this time when a lot of buds and flowers are prolifically coming out, before, last year, I was battling to kill the aphids and other insects at this time of the year, now I don't see a single aphid or curled leaves or stains on the banana fruit or leaves. It's going to be a terrific harvest for me this year.
harveyc
03-18-2009, 09:30 PM
I'm glad you made it to Gene's Benny. I would estimate the crowd at about 60 but after a short while Kern and his wife went on their own and so did I. The group did not even go and taste Gold Nugget so I searched it out and found it in the center and it made me glad It was released in 1999 according to this article UCR Newsroom: New Citrus Variety Released by UCR (http://newsroom.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/display.cgi?id=422) so I think Gene has had his for a while. Now that I'm looking, I don't see anything to indicate UCR patented it so I guess I was mistaken. I just looked at my plant and don't see any buds yet and the plant tag doesn't indicate it's patented so you can stay out of jail for now! ;)
I also got a Seedless Kishu recently but don't remember if I've eaten the fruit before.
I already bought the spray from Joe back in January but have not used it yet because I've been too blasted busy. I don't think it's a secret as Joe said he was at the Tulare Farm Show trying to market it. Marketing something is more difficult if you keep it a secret! lol
I think I'll be doing some of the same things to bananas and citrus as you about this time next week when I'm done with orchard pruning and dealing with 25 TC plants from Richard! :D
Best wishes,
Harvey
bencelest
03-20-2009, 11:33 AM
Another use of the spray is it is also a fertilizer to a newly transferred banana or any other plant or cuttings. Joe said that the new transferred plant has a greater chance of survival because the spray will kill all of the harmful fungus or nematodes living in the soil and an added plus is the spray is also a fertilizer.
I am using it for all my newly transferred bananas to my pergola plat.
I am seeing my new plants with a new light. They seem to be more green and more turgid each day and hasten faster recovery.
I have so far transferred the following plants to my pergola plat:
5 super dwarf cavendish
1 lacatan
1 enano gigante corm
1 senorita corm
1 babago
3 siling labuyo (Philippine hot pepper)
1 cherimoya ( dying)
1 Early girl tomato
bencelest
03-20-2009, 04:16 PM
and 5 beef tomato plants
bencelest
03-20-2009, 04:20 PM
A couple of years ago I tasted the seedless kishu at Gene Lester's orchard and I was hooked ever since to the taste. Even though slightly small, the taste is so superb that I did not stop until I have one planted in my garden. I have now 2 plants but I've so far are removing all the fruits so they can grow bigger faster. They are prolific fruitier.
john_ny
03-20-2009, 05:10 PM
How come there are 2 threads titled, "What did you graft today?"? Could these be merged?
bencelest
03-20-2009, 08:58 PM
How?
harveyc
03-20-2009, 09:07 PM
a moderator can do it; ask them if you want
bencelest
03-23-2009, 09:45 AM
No. This may not be important enough to do this thing. They are so busy enough to do more important things.
All one can do is do an extra click to see the other thread.
One of it will fade into oblivion sooner than you think.
john_ny
03-23-2009, 10:35 AM
Since the other thread is older, and probably is the one that's going, I'll copy my last post here.
Over the years, I have done many grafts. Some time ago, I would do several hundred fruit trees, each year, for my nursery business. Lately, demand has slacked off somewhat. I think this is due to the fact that we are more crowded than we were, land prices have risen, and yards are smaller.
Since I am in New York, most of what I did were temperate, rather than tropical, fruits; apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, and cherries. I have been most successful with whip and tongue grafts, which are done in the winter, when trees are dormant, but have also done some T buds, and chip buds, which are done when the trees are growing, and the bark slips. Peaches are normally budded, in the summer, because the grafts don't take well in cold weather. I wanted to graft, rather than bud, some peaches. I solved the problem, by potting up the rootstocks and taking them in the greenhouse, in late winter, doing the grafts, and leaving them in the warm house for the union to heal.
A good little hint: I wrap the grafts, or buds, with a laboratory film, called, "Parafilm". This is a very stretchy plastic film, that adheres to itself (but without glue). You do not have to remove it. It stretches, as the union swells and, eventually, just falls off. On a bud, you don't have to wrap it above, and below, the bud. You can tape right over the bud and it will grow right through the tape.
bencelest
03-26-2009, 04:56 PM
Somehow I lost my grafting knife so I used the replaceable blade utility knife I got from Home Depot and I honed a steak knife with my grinder to shape like my grafting blade its use is to loosen the bark . Then I grafted about 5 seedless kishu to my Chandler pomello and to my Eureka lemon.
A grafting knife has 2 blades on it one to shape the scion and the other blade to loosen the bark.
And it works wonderful.
With all of my grafting had I still have to see a failure.
Lucky indeed.
bencelest
03-26-2009, 06:51 PM
I also grafted a giant bobcock peach on a plout and then this plout was grafted to a satsuma plum a year ago.
Also grafted Superior plums today .
bencelest
03-26-2009, 11:44 PM
Here's a branch in my plout where apricots and peaches are grafted to it.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=16305&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=16305)
bencelest
03-26-2009, 11:53 PM
And here's a Superior plum with flowers already after 25 days. It was grafted to a satsuma plum last 3/1/09 .Pic taken on 3/25/09
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=16306&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=16306)
bencelest
04-19-2009, 07:15 PM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=16754&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=16754)
Here's a Blynhym apricot on its 2nd year that is grafted to a plout
bencelest
04-19-2009, 07:19 PM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=16755&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=16755)
close up view
harveyc
05-06-2009, 11:49 PM
Yesterday I grafted about 55 chestnut trees to about 8-10 cultivars. Today I got busy with alfalfa hauling and irrigating and only got 24 more trees grafted to just 1 variety. I have a little over 100 to go. This is ideal weather for the rind bark graft I use for chestnuts. We have temps of about 80F and the clouds bring humidity which helps minimize drying out of scions. I do not use Parafilm for these grafts unless them are quite small (which is not typical).
Patty in Wisc
05-07-2009, 01:23 AM
What is a "rind bark" graft? That's a new one for me.
This last weekend I grafted a Winter Banana apple to our 5 in 1 apple tree. I did the cleft/wedge graft. Other grafts on this tree were whip & tongue. Hope they all take!
harveyc
05-07-2009, 01:32 AM
What is a "rind bark" graft? That's a new one for me.
This last weekend I grafted a Winter Banana apple to our 5 in 1 apple tree. I did the cleft/wedge graft. Other grafts on this tree were whip & tongue. Hope they all take!
I used to see it on Google books, but it seems to be in hiding now:
The grafter's handbook - Google Book Search (http://books.google.com/books?id=Bq0LAAAAIAAJ&q=garner+grafter%27s+handbook+modified+rind+bark+graft&dq=garner+grafter%27s+handbook+modified+rind+bark+graft&client=firefox-a&pgis=1)
I have some photos from 2 years ago at Correia Chestnut Farm - American Grown Fresh Chestnuts From Our Family Farm to You; large hand-harvested Colossal chestnuts, recipes, instructions for roasting chestnuts, chestnut roasters, chestnut knives (http://www.chestnuts.us/gallery.htm)
I use whip and tongue grafts often when I am grafting onto small stock.
bencelest
05-07-2009, 01:41 AM
Me too? I don't know that one.
I accidentally check my Stella cherry this afternoon and show a friend my grafts. It so happened that I saw my graft on that tree done on February 3, 2009 with Ludlow cherry that I got from a scion Exchange. I was surprised how big it grown and has 2 cherry fruit. That was only 3 months hence!
It was a cleft/wedge graft.
And Oh, I have so many many grafts with different trees!
What amazed me is the Tachima plum Joe sent me.
Some of the grafts have fruits already and they are all so easy to graft/take on different trees and a prolific growers.
I'll soon find out how big the fruit is and how sweet it is.
bencelest
05-07-2009, 01:46 AM
About 85% of my grafts are whip and tongue.
Cleft/wedge grafts are my new toy/experiment and I am surprised how easy they took.
I maybe doing a lot of this in the future because of its ease of doing and its excellent bonding to the mother plant.
harveyc
05-07-2009, 01:57 AM
Benny, you should buy Garner's Grafter's Handbook. It's got more grafts in there than you can imagine and some very interesting illustrations.
I used to do whip and tongue grafts almost exclusively but, when I began chestnut grafting, another grower recommended this method to me and it works great when grafting onto larger stock. I did about 1,000 grafts on my chestnuts in 2007 and had over a 99% take.
harveyc
05-13-2009, 01:19 AM
Today I grafted another 60 chestnut trees and think that leaves me with 59 more for tomorrow. Many of the ones I grafted 7-8 days ago are now growing. This is ideal weather for chestnut grafting, upper 70s or around 80F.
vBulletin® v3.6.8, Copyright ©2000-2020, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.