grafting/budding advice?

I went out to the garden yesterday and noticed that rabbits have ruined 3 pear and 1 apple tree (don't know how they got past the chicken wire).

I figured all was lost and then I thought..I could bud graft what is left of the tops onto some other pear and apple trees, and I do have some pear and apple tree branches that COULD be cut off (enough to spare) and replace the ruined grafts of the pear and apple trees that are going to die.

so I've never done this, I have tons of books on how to, but am a bit squeemish to go cutting into a good tree..figured the bud grafts are the safest as they won't do as much damage to the tree if the bud grafts die..where cutting entire branches and grafting are more likely to fail if I screw up.

the pear trees that got "et" are buerre bosc, bartlett and red anjou....the larger healthier ones that aren't "et" are 2 large ayers and one that was a 5 on one but only a few grafts survived on...I'm thinking that would be the best bed to try grafting onto as it is smaller than the 2 Ayers..

the ayers have lots of crossing branches on them that I could prune out..and if I did I could use those as new starts on the roots of the ones that got "et"..IF I DID THAT..could I take one long branch and cut it up into more than one graft??..maybe use one branch for all 3 trees? The Ayers pear trees are about 15' tall..so the branches are quite long..the babies that got eaten were each about 4' tall or so..but I'll have to match up diameters ..haven't done that yet.

also.

the Gala apple that got eaten, there is a goodly amount of buds left at the top unharmed on that..I have lots of apple trees, would it be best to bud them on the smaller ones or medium size one, certainly not likely on the really big ones ..right?? I have a standard, a dwaarf and a super dwarf that are growing nicely in the garden as well as adult apples..which would you put them on..the standard that is still a whip has not branched out yet..so I was thinking that might be the best one???

ok..gotta post this so I can get all of your sage advice..thanks

OK too late, I went ahead and tried the bud grafts already. I did 12 of them, 4 off of each of the damaged trees onto the 3 good trees that I have growing. I've never done it before so I don't know if they'll take, but there was enough left of the trunks of the damaged trees includ. the apple tree so I took cuttings of them and thought I'd attempt to root those rather than just throw them away.

There was about an inch of the graft left on some of the trees so I'll see if the graft resprouts before digging up the rootstock (probably quince on the pears)..always a chance..but unlikely as I didn't see any buds in those short stubs.

I'll let you know if any of the 12 bud grafts take..as I really don't know (other than reading and pictures) what I'm doing.

Check out book for your future fruit tree needs- The Holistic Orchard by Michael Phillips

Brenda Groth wrote:I went out to the garden yesterday and noticed that rabbits have ruined 3 pear and 1 apple tree (don't know how they got past the chicken wire).

I figured all was lost and then I thought..I could bud graft...

I have an old time apple orchard that is rather overgrown and most of the apples taste pretty bad, which I'm guessing are some wild growth. I found many videos on youtube that seem to be informative. I'm thinking of cutting some of the trees down to the stumps and grafting some new style scions onto them.

if my PEAR BUD GRAFTS that I did yesterday, take, and grow well, I've got some peach rootstock that can be grafted onto and also have a sweet cherry that has some bad damage but is still alive and has a few branches yet, but I would love to graft a few more on it to balance it out...but want to wait and see if my buds grow first.

Can I assume if they start to grow that they TOOK??

If they start to grow you have done it! You know to make sure that the site of the graft doesn't dry out. If you've taped it leave the tape on. It feels great when they began to grow doesn't it. I've always put the graft into my mouth before sticking it into the cut on stock. A relative was telling me she dip them in sugar. I may try that, just because.

I just reread your first post about the rabbits. At the lower ranch there are a jillian rabbit. The kids love them, I love them too, I'ed love to eat them. I think its only right. We have to put wire cages around plants and trees or the rabbits will eat the plants and chew the bark off the trees.

I did learn a new trick. You know that black slotted plastic tubing they use for leach lines, slit that down one side and put it around the plants and trees, you still have to cage them until they are large enough that the rabbits can't reach. Best of luck.

so far no growth on the new buds, but that's OK right now as it is supposed to frost Monday overnight

Some times apple trees that haven't been treated well began producing an apple that is chalky with poor skin. But they can be brought back with good care and watering.

When you say the rabbits "ruined" your trees, do you mean the trees were girdled, or chopped off? One of my apple trees got girdled by rabbits when it was young. I immediately put some pruning seal on the girdled trunk and wrapped strips of cloth tightly around the trunk. To my surprise the tree recovered. It is 18 years old now.

It doesn't hurt to give that a try.

they ate the bark clear down to the wood actually eating some of the tender wood from the graft up about 2 to 2 1/2 feet..so it was more than just girdled it was stripped ..thankfully the tops seemed to still be OK, dormant..so I cut them off and put parts of some in as cuttings and cut buds off the others for bud grafts ..not sure any have taken..so far the 12 bug grafts show no sign of growth but it has only been a week.