April 29,2013
Lindsay:
Four years ago, I started experimenting with grafting apple trees and other fruit trees. After they are grafted, I keep them in pots to develop a larger root system, close to a secure water source, before planting them permanently.
Well, some of them have grown to the point where they need to be transplanted. And so like any dutiful plant parent, I have been transplanting them.
A transplanted grafted apple near the Hugel bed
For anyone who has tried grafting, and even those of you who have not, I hope you can understand how exciting this is! Grafting is an amazing natural alchemy that turns 2 plants into 1. One of the ingredients, however, is time. It takes time for the few buds of the scion wood to grow into a tree. For me, the transplanting marks an important step. The trees are still a few years from producing fruit, so I have to celebrate when I can!
I have been working with two types of grafts: whip and tounge and bud grafts. I seem to have similar success with both types of graft. You can still see on these trees the scars from where the grafts were made.
Whip and tongue graft: where the scionwood meets the rootstock
Grafting is a art and science that requires a good mix of skill and patience. I highly recommend to any plant enthusiast experimenting with fruit grafts. Don't be discouraged when some of the grafts fail, because they willl. Instead, I'd recommend doing many, so that when one takes, you can celebrate! For homesteaders and permaculturists, it's an important skill to have as it significantly enhances your options for how you increase your fruit tree numbers with minimum financial investment.