Vaccination is one of the most mysterious manipulations, which not every gardener fully masters. But it is this method that makes it possible to quickly obtain new fruit trees based on those that are not satisfactory in terms of their characteristics. Thanks to the unique property of trees to grow together with each other, you can “plant” a branch of a cultivated, but tender plant to a wild apple tree with powerful roots that are not afraid of any weather disasters. As a result, a crown will develop that has all the characteristics of a scion. The most popular technique is split grafting. This is an easy method that even a beginner can master.
How to choose the right plants
There are requirements that must be met for the procedure to be successful. The first split grafting is done on a tree that is at least three years old. The plant needs to get stronger. An old tree with a cracked trunk is also not the best choice as a rootstock. In addition, it is important to study the compatibility of cultures. You can’t graft an apple tree on a birch, you will only lose in vaintime. Rosaceae can be combined with each other, for example, graft a sprig of pear on an apple tree and vice versa. The same is done with stone fruits, that is, cherries, plums and apricots.
What is the essence of the method
Of all the methods available, split grafting is the best for rejuvenating an old garden. If the plants are not sick, have a good smooth bark, are not affected by fungus, then, even after living in the garden for more than one decade, they can become ideal rootstocks for a new progressive variety. After all, agricultural technologies do not stand still, characteristics, yields and disease resistance are improving.
New life
Split grafting is the best way to rejuvenate an old garden, increase its resistance to adverse climatic conditions. This procedure is performed most often in the spring, when the kidneys begin to swell. Before starting the procedure, the entire ground part is cut off at the rootstock. Only stumps remain. This is a great way, and in the case when the plant died from frost, grafting will save it and bring it back to life, however, already in a new quality.
Next, splits are made 4-5 cm deep. If you want two fruit branches to grow at once, and the diameter allows, then you can place two cuttings opposite each other. But on thin stems, this technique is unacceptable. Grafting an apple tree into a split allows you to get a new plant with excellent characteristics in just a few years. A powerful root system gives a strong impetus to growth.
Basic rules
Notforget that this is a rather complicated procedure, and in order to perform it with excellent results, you need to heed the advice of experienced gardeners. At first glance, there is nothing tricky here, however, the grafting of an apple tree into a split should be thought out and prepared in advance, otherwise the precious twigs will simply dry out on the rootstock trunk. We've rounded up the most important tips for every gardener:
- You need to cut the cuttings in early spring, even before the first leaves begin to bloom. It is very important to start the vaccination immediately, on the same day.
- Both the tree and the scion must be completely he althy.
- Prepare sterile instruments, dressings and be sure to wash your hands. This procedure is essentially a surgical operation, so take it seriously.
- The faster you can complete all the necessary stages of the operation, the greater the chance of success. Light and air don't affect slices in the best way, so if you're late, it's best to refresh them.
- Examine the tree trunk again. Damaged by rodents, frostbitten, affected by tinder fungus is a bad option. You will only waste your time and energy.
- And what if you came across cuttings suitable for grafting in the fall? They can be stored until the first heat. To do this, you need to carefully tie them and deepen them in the sand. For long-term storage, a cellar or refrigerator is well suited.
- And what about those who already have one grafted branch on the tree? The answer is simple: on the other hand, you can plant a second one, but of a different variety. Whereinbe sure to note that the ripening dates of the fruits on them must match.
- Age criterion is the most important for stone fruits. Cherry, plum, apricot is used as a rootstock until reaching 5-7 years of age. But pears and apple trees live longer, so the threshold increases.
- When joining the scion and rootstock, make sure that the cambium layers match.
Care
This question worries most gardeners. Indeed, the procedure is completed, and what's next? How to evaluate its results? If everything is done correctly, then after three weeks, shoots from the buds on it should appear on the rootstock. If this does not happen, then the cutting begins to dry out.
What is required of a gardener now?
- First of all, make sure that various pests do not appear, gnawing or sucking. For a rootstock that is just beginning to take root, this is death.
- Anything that grows from rootstock buds below the graft line should be removed without any regret. During the first season, this procedure must be performed regularly.
- Grafted trees need to be watered and fertilized more than usual.
- The condition of the wound must be constantly checked and, if necessary, additionally lubricated with garden pitch.
- Sometimes gardeners plant several cuttings on one branch at once. In this case, you need to leave only one that develops best.
- The grafted cuttings are still quite badly held, and therefore can be damaged by birds. Therefore, theirtied with bows of flexible shoots.
- First season we let the graft grow as it wants. At the beginning of next spring, we shorten the shoots and form a branch.
Spring grafting of apple trees
It is the beginning of April that is considered the ideal time when cleft grafting is performed. The timing varies depending on the climatic conditions of the region, but it is not recommended to wait until the leaves bloom. Cuttings are best stored in the fall, when the first frosts have already hit (not higher than -10 degrees). Tied into bundles, they are sent to the basement, in a box of sand, where they will be stored until spring. The temperature should not exceed +2 C. There is one caveat here, you need to choose branches with a diameter of at least two to four cm.
Grafting an apple tree in the spring into a split is always done in good, sunny weather. Wind and rain can spoil the result. The stock is split with a sharp knife, after which oblique cuts are made on the branches and inserted into the prepared slot. But the most important thing is the accuracy of the connection of the slices. The more accurately the layers match, the better the two plants will grow together.
In the spring, the grafted plant must be well watered so that a sufficient amount of moisture is retained in the tissues. In a month it will be possible to finally determine whether the cutting has taken root. Swollen buds and fresh shoots are a clear confirmation that everything went as it should. Now the gardener will need to regularly pinch the shoots to stimulate the growth of new ones. This process is called crown formation.
It's important to know
Grafting trees into splits is not suitable for all garden dwellers. In particular, cherries and sweet cherries in this case practically do not take root. The reason is simple - the branches are too thin, and the wood is fragile. Therefore, it is better to choose a different method here. Do not forget to protect the vaccination site with plastic wrap. If the plant is located in a sunny open place, then for the entire period, while the vaccine takes root, you need to install an awning over it. As soon as the tissues grow together, you can remove the shelter, but the bandage is left for quite a long time. It is best not to touch it until the young shoots get stronger.
Other vaccination methods
There are many of them, so the gardener must be able to navigate in this variety. In this case, the choice will depend on the variety of fruit trees, as well as on the season, age and thickness of the stock and scion. For example, cleft grafting is not performed in summer. This procedure must be completed while the plant is in a state of forced dormancy. That is, before the start of the growing season. This is easy to explain, since the tree trunk must be completely cut down, removing all skeletal branches. Therefore, the end of May - the beginning of April, this is the perfect time.
In the first days of spring, the bark is grafted. This method should coincide with the beginning of the growing season or sap flow. At this time, the bark is well behind the trunk. But vaccination in the side cut can be performed both in spring and summer. That is, it is not enough just to master one technique, you also need to understand in which case it is advisable to use it.
Pear grafting
If there are a lot of apple trees in our gardens, then this fragrant beauty is much less common. The reason is simple. Varieties that bear tasty, fragrant fruits are mostly heat-loving. And what grows in the conditions of the middle zone or Siberia gives very mediocre fruits. But just this problem is solved by grafting a pear into a split. By the way, an apple tree can also act as a rootstock. If the grafted branch or stump is significantly thicker than the prepared cutting, then this is the ideal technique.
In general, the procedure remains the same. A cut is made, then a split is made on the rootstock, into which the cutting is inserted. Otherwise, the procedure is repeated, the cut point is wrapped with plastic wrap and smeared with garden pitch. This technique allows you to grow a delicious, heat-loving pear on a Siberian, frost-resistant apple tree. This will give you a guarantee that the plant will not freeze out next winter.
We plant a plum
Surely everyone on the site grows this culture. But rarely can anyone boast that the fruits are really tasty. Usually it is a sour berry, with a dense skin. A tender and fragrant plum freezes over most of Russia. However, you should not despair, as well as uproot a tree. Its characteristics can be improved, and grafting a plum into a split will help in this.
She won't be able to "make friends" with all the trees. Therefore, remember that only cherry plum and apricot can serve as a stock. Except for plums, of course. However, they age very early, so trees older than 7-10 years are better.do not use as rootstock. Experienced gardeners say that the best way is to graft into a split in the spring. This procedure is carried out early, even before the start of sap flow, and the percentage of survival in this case is the highest. The only condition is that the bough to be grafted should be much thicker than the cutting.
Harvesting plum cuttings for spring grafting is a very responsible business. The ideal time for this is early autumn before the frost hits. You can store them in the basement or in the refrigerator.
Grafting grapes
Another sore point for any gardener. Despite all efforts, only wine varieties survive on the site. It does not matter, you only need to find varietal cuttings during the autumn pruning. We lay them in the cellar or in the refrigerator, wrapping them with a clean cloth. Now they will while away the time until spring. It is important to choose the right time. Grafting of grapes into a split is carried out from the end of March to the end of April. At this time, the buds are already swollen, and new leaves have not appeared. The temperature should be 15-20 degrees.
Execution technique
- The bush needs to be dug in, the soil removed to the level of the first internode and the root stem cleared.
- Now cut it off with a file to make a stump. This will be our stock. It remains to clean the place of the cut with a sharp knife.
- Now let's prepare the cutting. He will need to make a sharp cut.
- Cut a split in the hemp and insert a wedge.
- It remains to place the cutting in it and remove the wedge.
- If this is planned, then you caninsert a few cuttings. The vaccination site must be carefully rewound with twine and fixed.
- Fill the scion and stock with soil so that its layer above the upper eye is 5-6 cm.
Caring for the grafted vine
After a week, you need to check the soil moisture. If the soil is dry, water moderately with warm water. Be sure to loosen the ground around the bush. Emerging weeds must be removed very carefully so as not to damage the adhesion site. It will be possible to judge whether the seedling has taken root in 2-3 weeks. With a successful outcome, new cells are formed, the first shoots appear. If he did not take root, then continue to care for the bush, the vaccination can be repeated next year.
