Cloning an apple tree

A bit late to suggest this method but one to save for future reference.







Air-layered columnar apple trees which I started last April and just potted up yesterday.

 

Good afternoon all, I ordered my rootstocks from Annie’s Apples in Barnsley, and was awaiting delivery in February with the scions all cut and safely stored in the Fridge at 4 degrees C, when I suffered a stroke, which put me in hospital for two weeks. Delivery was delayed due to a cold snap and by the time they arrived I was home recovering. Not ideal but with the assistance of my wife we loaded them into large pots filled with Jack’s Magic. Perhaps not perfect but best efforts.
A couple of days later, assisted by my star of a sister in law, we did the grafting. As I only have about 80% use of my left hand, this was pretty tricky. Kudos to Aunty Nona who escaped with a couple of nasty cuts, and was very patient with me.
This was maybe five weeks ago and now the rootstocks are starting to bud but the scions are still stubbornly inactive. The question is, how long should I wait. I still have access to the parent tree, which is now growing happily, should I sack off the initial attempt? And have another go with fresh scions a some point. Maybe with a graft cutter from Amazon?
I’m concerned there is some evidence that the splices have opened up, but I don’t want to disturb them yet.).
Apologies typing this has been a bit of a trial.

 

Good to hear you're recovering and getting on with things.
I'm no expert, but I'm thinking it's getting a little bit late for in the season for new whip and tongue grafting, and it may be worth giving the ones you've done a bit more time.
A couple of wonderings...

- if you think they might be opening up can you tightly overwrap them?

Is it worth hedging your bets and redoing a small number of them?

If they don't get going could you bud graft them later in the summer?

 

Hi, I wouldn't worry at this stage. I have done a couple of dozen grafts this year and non of them are showing signs of much yet, whilst the rootstock is budding and beginning to flower (I have mine on existing trees, creating family apples). They seem to need a period to heal and callus before you really see them beginning to bud out and grow, it's this growth that suggests a good graft.
It doesn't matter if the splices are a little open if you have good cambium contact, or at least it doesn't matter if these are well wrapped, so they don't dry out. Some of the less pretty grafts I've done in the past, the cock ups if you will, have created the strongest grafts in the end because the callus has more surface area to spread in to the space. If you dont think there is good cambium contact then it may be worth having another go or trying to reset one or two but if you have banded or taped them tightly, you will probably be alright.

A picture might help us see any obvious problems but I wouldn't worry yet.

Hope you feel better soon.

 

Quick update with some success to report. Two of the grafts seem to have taken and have budded at the tip of the scion, producing flowers almost from the get go. All the rootstocks have pushed out a fair amount of leaf growth but three remain inert, despite the grafts appearing sound. Just a question of patience, after all. My next question is, do I need to prune off the growth lower down, and how to manage this to maintain a straight lower trunk.

 

If you've got growth above the graft, I'd remove most, maybe even all, of the growth on the rootstock.

I'd also remove any flower buds.

 

I'd wait a while, you need to keep the sap rising a bit longer, maybe reduce the shoots below to graft to one until you are seeing good growth above.

I'd take the flowers off.

 

Good evening all,
A quick update on progress so far. Two of the grafted rootstocks appear to have taken although growth has been limited to the tip of the scion so far. I cut away all bar one of the lower branches (branchlets?) from the rootstocks and nipped off the flowers. I have Ben feeding weekly with liquid seaweed.
Overall I’m pretty satisfied, and happy to keep going until autumn and see how things progress next spring.
However, the gods of grafting haven’t smiled on three of my rootstocks which seem lively enough but the scions remain frustratingly inactive.
Mum’s house is close to being sold, which means I will still have access to the source tree for another month or so. Is it possible to graft as summer approaches? I’m thinking it wouldn’t do any harm to have one last punt.
A couple of photo attached for your consideration.
Thanks!
Mike in sunny Southport.View attachment 238443View attachment 238444View attachment 238443View attachment 238444View attachment 238443View attachment 238443View attachment 238444

 

If you have a rootstock growing well in a pot then you could try approach grafting. This method will give you a better chance of success when doing summer grafts.

In approach grafting, the scion stays connected to the parent tree by a thin sliver of cambium which just about keeps the scion ticking along in the summer heat while the joint fuses together.

Of course, it also means that you may have to suspend the pot in the tree next to the chosen scion branch.