Fruit Grafting

Old and young fruit trees can be grafted.

Grafting a fruit tree is the process of taking a scion, or portion, of a cultivar tree and attaching it to another tree. Fruit trees must be grafted to begin bearing fruit.

Time Frame

Fruit trees should typically be grafted during the spring, between the months of April and May. The scion can be cut from the tree while it is still dormant in the winter months and saved in a damp place until being grafted in the spring.

Types

There are many methods of fruit tree grafting. One of the most popular, the cleft graft, works well for older fruit trees and requires inserting the stock of one tree into a large crack created in another. Budding is also an effective method of grafting that requires less material from the scion, and is often used in nurseries. Budding typically takes place a little later than other methods of grafting, in July and August.

Tools

Grafting a tree always requires a knife; specialized grafting and budding knives are available. Many methods of grafting also require ties or tape to secure the graft in place. An asphalt-based compound can also be used to seal a cleft graft.

Results

Grafting one type of fruit tree to another will often result in a unique fruit, some combination of the two trees, being yielded from the graft. Grafting can also be used to strengthen the yield of one fruit, by grafting a strong apple tree to an older one, for example.

References

• University of Minnesota Extension: Grafting and Budding Fruit Trees