Doug McGregor wrote:I think a way to build your intuition here is to look at when the tree puts out a flush of new growth from all the stored carbohydrates / energy in the root system, when you bud in the fall the tree is done most of it's growth for the year so often the bud doesn't grow. Chip budding apple early in the year can produce new growth this season just like any other graft, you might use it if you're low on scion wood.
Thank you Doug,
I really appreciate the advice and insight.
I was hoping for an
answer like this and it's very promising.
Unfortunately, I
should have waited , I burnt up all of my scions two weeks ago doing whip and tongue graphs....I haven't had a chance to inspect them lately, and I made a lot of mistakes like keeping my thumb on the cut of the graft to keep it moist while I fumbled with cutting the other half. That is only one of many mistakes I made and it will be a miracle if any of those take.
I'm just starting to learn, and I wish that I would just have practiced with trees that are already around instead of purchasing scions of apples that I really want. This would have been much more rewarding, although if I had success, it would be just duplicating trees that are already there. This is the reason that I was asking about chip budding right now. It would
be nice to see something grow this season.
Could I still take chips from trees that are just getting ready to open right now? I think that I understand that in the summer you look for next seasons buds that are under the existing leaves? Probably getting too late to look for this seasons buds?
I also have "dormant" (I think) buds from a broken branch of a Cox orange pippin tree that I ordered. The limb is really small diameter (half the size of a pencil) and I don't think that it's large
enough for chip budding. Probably someone who really knew what they were doing could make them work, but I think I would be better off trying to do some sort of other graft with them.
I really don't have any new varieties to start now. I guess I'm just looking for the reward of seeing something take and grow into a promising shoot. I bought some very discounted red delicious apple trees two years ago, and they don't really have that much growth to graft to, but I now have just about every branch that was large enough "grafted" with another variety from scions that I purchased online. There's no reason that any should survive, but I'm almost sure that out of the bunch something will try really hard to make it.
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