Grafting Workshop

We're hoping for great weather this weekend because we're having a grafting workshop at our next meeting. Dwight has arranged for us to have 100 Bud 9 rootstocks, heritage apple scionwood, grafting rubbers, parafilm, and budding tape.  Richard DeHaas is also bringing some named scionwood. Members should bring their own band-aids!

We decided to do bench grafts because it should be easier in the face of our unpredictable weather (snowing today!). Our spring weather can have it snowing in May (it usually does at our altitude). We'll do the grafts, and then pot them up, so we'll be able to offer them more protection while the union matures. The picture above shows the cuts on scionwood and rootstock that need to line up as closely as possible for the two cambium layers of the whip (or splice) graft to join. Takes practice and a very sharp blade. Many grafters do some preemptive taping of fingers before making the cuts.

(The pictures are from a workshop in 2007 at Gordon Tooleys; he is demonstrating the splice--and tape.)

Anyone interested in coming can call 286-7677 for more information.