Contents
Every experienced gardener knows that thanks to grafting, any desired variety can be propagated quite quickly. What is important, with this method of propagation, varieties will not lose their characteristic properties, which means that you can save your favorite tree and improve its characteristics. The article contains information on how to plant cherries in your summer cottage. When is it better to start the procedure and what technologies you need to have in order for the cherry grafting to be successful.
Compatibility
Trees, like all living things around us, grow, develop and age. And if you are thinking about how to extend the life of your favorite cherry, you can try grafting it onto a younger tree.
Cherry grafting begins with the fact that it is necessary to prepare (grow) a stock. And only then plant the required variety. The plant on which you will be grafting must meet certain criteria. It should be healthy, strong and, of course, a young tree. The thickness of its trunk is 3–10 cm. Strong branches of an adult viable tree with a diameter of at least 10 cm are also suitable.
Let’s take a closer look at the issue of compatibility. There is a practice in horticulture that the most successful and rational fusion will always occur only in individuals of the same species. If the grafting is carried out between varieties of the same name, then in this case the stalk will quickly take root.
If you do not have stone fruits of this type in your summer cottage, or if you have a desire to experiment, then you can try the following options:
Plum grafting
For almost all representatives of stone fruits, plum is the most successful and strong rootstock. If you decide to choose it in this capacity, then it is desirable that the seedlings be semi-wild. Typically, these seedlings successfully adapt to the environment in a particular area and, importantly, are resistant to many diseases.
If we graft a felt cherry on a plum, we will get a low (up to 3 meters) tree with a fairly wide crown, blooming in spring with many pink-white flowers. And if you do not know about the vaccination, you might think that in front of you is sakura.
Video “Grafting a cherry on a plum”
This video will show you how to properly graft a cherry on a plum.
Cherry
This type of fruit is also successfully used for grafting cherries, because these two berries are very similar to each other. Therefore, the fusion of the cutting with the stock will pass quite quickly.
alycha
Gardeners often use cherry plum for grafting. And this choice is very reasonable, since this is a fruit tree with a strong root system and has high frost resistance. And the seedlings are easy enough to get.
Turner
Grafting on the turn (a relative of the plum) is also widespread. As a rule, such grafting is in most cases successful and therefore enjoys considerable popularity among amateur gardeners.
Bird cherry
The species is quite often used for rootstock. It is quite common, and the grafting process gives good results.
In most cases, cherries are perfectly grafted onto all of the above fruit trees, but there are exceptions. Remember that the rootstock plays the main role in the grafting process.
When to vaccinate?
Cherry grafting occurs in spring and summer.
Grafting in the spring is considered the ideal choice. It is at this time that the process of sap flow occurs most actively and the stalk grafted by us will easily and quickly take root.
If you did not carry out the spring grafting or it was not successful, you still have a second chance and you can bud in the summer. Usually it is held from the second half of July to mid-August. At this time, the second sap flow takes place, and this will allow the grafting to be carried out efficiently and successfully.
Do not vaccinate during the winter. At low temperatures, the tree slows down its metabolic processes and is at rest. The likelihood that your cutting will be able to take root is almost zero. However, there are exceptions when successful vaccination is also carried out during this period. Usually the stock is placed in a room where it is not subjected to all the climatic changes that are characteristic of the winter period.
Vaccination methods
There are several ways of spring grafting, these are split grafting, bark grafting and improved copulation. Consider the situations in which each of them is used.
In the cleavage
If the thickness of the rootstock is much greater than the thickness of the cutting you are grafting, then you can graft into a split. To do this, the rootstock trunk should be cut with a sharp knife and split 3 cm deep. The stalk is cut so as to obtain oblique cuts in the form of a “sharp tongue”. This “tongue” must be placed so that their cambial layer and cortex closely match. For safety net, 2 clothespins are used and placed (in case one does not take root). The grafting site is fixed with a soft film.
Inoculation per bark
For its implementation, it is recommended to use 3-4 cuttings. The cut trunk of the stock is cleaned, carefully with a special knife, longitudinal cuts 3 cm long are made on the bark. Carefully move away from the wood and insert the cuttings with side cuts. The place of vaccination for reliability is wrapped with a film. With the help of a garden pitch, it is necessary to coat the grafted plants, while making sure that the buds and upper edges are completely covered with pitch.
Copulation
If the thickness of the branches used for scion and rootstock is the same, it is recommended to graft using the improved copulation method. To do this, it is necessary to make oblique cuts 2–3 cm long on the trunk and handle. We also cut the upper edges of the cuts 1,5 cm deep. The resulting tongues of the scion and rootstock are positioned so that they fit into each other. Such a grafting requires good support, otherwise the plant will not withstand a sharp or strong gust of wind and break.
Kidney vaccination – budding
In summer and autumn, cherries are grafted with a kidney (budding). Start this procedure in mid-July. A few days before grafting, a stock is prepared. It is carefully watered and the side shoots located at the bottom of the trunk are removed. If the cuttings were prepared in advance, then they should be stored in a refrigerator or basement, wrapped in a damp cloth or sprinkled with wet sand. Better, the sleeping kidney will be cut from the tree on the day of the procedure. Remove all leaves on the handle, but the petioles should be left – they will be indicators by which we will determine whether the bud has taken root or whether the procedure needs to be repeated.
With the help of an budding knife, a part of the bark with a bud and a leaf petiole is cut from the handle. On the trunk, 8-10 cm from the ground, the bark is cut, grabbing the wood, and the shield is also slightly sharpened and inserted into the cut on the trunk, combining the layers of wood and bark. Wrap tightly with grafting tape, leaving the petiole. If it disappears after a few days, the vaccination was successful. After 3-4 weeks, we remove the bandage, coat it with garden pitch, and in early spring we cut off part of the trunk above the grafted bud – now our bud is the main shoot.
Video “Cherry Budding”
This video will show you how to graft cherries using the budding method.
If you know how to plant a cherry and the features of this process, then it will not seem difficult and difficult for you. But be prepared for the fact that the first time the procedure may fail. However, constant practice, proper care, your desire and perseverance will help you rejuvenate your garden.