Q&A for How to Graft a Fruit Tree

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  • Question
    Do you have any tips for someone who's trying to grow fruit trees for the first time?
    Erin Hostetler
    Edible Gardening Expert
    Erin Hostetler is an Edible Gardening Expert and the Owner & Farmer of The Patio Farmer, a small business based in Charlotte, North Carolina. With over 10 years of experience working on farms and growing food, Erin specializes in providing consultations, installations, and custom maintenance plans for people wanting to grow food in small (or large) spaces at their homes and businesses. Erin loves teaching other people the magic of growing your own food. She's a firm believer that there is a green thumb in everyone! Erin has degrees from Appalachian State University and King's College London, both of which guided her to start her business.
    Edible Gardening Expert
    Expert Answer
    Berries are great for growing at home because they're fairly resilient. So blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and fig trees grow really well in the southeast, and they're super productive. You can also grow dwarf fruit trees as edible landscaping or in containers, such as a dwarf pomegranate, or a dwarf fig tree. You want to grow them at a decent distance from your house, so you don't run into issues with the roots later on.
  • Question
    Can I attach scion-sticks of peach and plum on an apple stock?
    Community Answer
    No, they should each only receive scions from their own types of trees.
  • Question
    What will happen if I use a non-dormant scion for grafting?
    Izuku madoria
    Community Answer
    When using non-dormant scions, energy is going to be used to push and grow the leaves from the scions. Without a healed bond, then all the stored energy will be used up quickly in the scion. It takes a couple of weeks for the grafting union to heal so that sap from the rootstock can feed the scion.
  • Question
    What is fruit tree grafting?
    Izuku madoria
    Community Answer
    In general, grafting is a technique used to propagate specific fruit varieties by inserting a piece of a desired plant into the rootstock or branch of another plant, which if successful, grows out to be a new plant or branch of the transferred variety.
  • Question
    Can I use a tree that has not produced fruit before as a scion for grafting?
    Izuku madoria
    Community Answer
    Fruit trees are dormant through the winter months, so material can be collected any time until about February (northern hemisphere). The best time to cut your scion is just before you graft with it as scion wood can lose its vitality as it dries out over time.
  • Question
    How long can they stay in the fridge?
    Veclos
    Community Answer
    Depending on their freshness, if fresh enough, three or four days at least.
  • Question
    When should grafting be done?
    Shop-Als
    Community Answer
    The traditional grafting process must be done when the rootstocks are approximately 2 cm in diameter and 5 cm above the ground, a condition that occurs about 12 months after planting in the nursery.
  • Question
    I have a lemon tree that seems to have been grafted onto an orange branch. The lemons are very good, but the oranges are bitter. What can be done?
    Shop-Als
    Community Answer
    It is possible to graft a lemon branch onto an orange tree. Grafting is a common technique used in horticulture to improve fruit characteristics on a tree. In your case, you can graft a lemon branch onto the orange to improve the fruit's flavor. The grafting technique involves joining two branches from different trees so that one imparts the desired characteristics, such as fruit flavor, to the tree you want to improve. It is important that the graft be performed by a trained professional who knows the techniques and can perform the graft correctly.
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