A Short Guide to Dwarfing Rootstocks

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Now, carefully peel back the bark that's been loosened by the T-shaped cut, turn to the budstick, and select a large, healthy bud (they're in the leaf axils) from the center of the stick. Using your knife, slice off the bud and a surrounding 3/i4-inch shield of bark. Trim the top of the bud shield flat, grasp it by the leaf stem, and insert it into the cut in the rootstock or branch. Make sure that the trimmed top of the shield butts firmly against the crossbar of the "T". Then fold the two bark flaps over the shield, and wrap the graft—above and below the bud—with budding tape or a rubber budding band, to protect the union from moving or drying out.

If you're lucky, the bud should "take" within two or three weeks, at which time the tape or band can be removed. You'll know that you've succeeded if the stem portion sloughs off while the bud remains fat and healthy. However, should both stem and bud become puckered and sullen, you'll have to try again. (It's imperative, though, to keep the budstick cool and moist between attempts in case you do need to make another graft.)

Don't expect any growth from a new graft during its first year . . . usually the bud remains dormant until the following spring. When growth does commence, trim back the rootstock to 3 or 4 inches above the graft. Later in the season, when there's been significant growth from the grafted bud, you can trim the rootstock close to its new leader.

There are two solid advantages to "making" your own apple trees, using this technique. First, it's inexpensive: You can graft dwarfed trees for under $4.00 each, even if you buy both rootstock and scionwood . . . and that's a 50% saving over the price of most commercial trees. Second, you can custom-tailor the fruitbearer to your particular needs . . . that is, you can select the proper rootstock for your soil conditions and the vigor of the variety you're growing, and you can determine the approximate height of the finished tree. You could even make your own 5-in-1 variety, bearing a quintet of antique apples!

Gleanings

If the material about budding in this issue's column has you raring to go, you're probably a good candidate for membership in the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX), a group of amateurs (in the best sense of the word) devoted to exchanging information about growing fruits. You can get membership information from the treasurer: Ray K. Walker, Dept. TMEN, Box 711, St. Louis, Missouri 63188. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your request, please .... Sterling Publishing continues to issue the superb Blandford horticultural books from Britain. The latest is Mervyn Kessell's Rhododendrons and Azaleas (available in many bookstores for $17.50), with plenty of hints on cultivation, propagation, and pruning. There are over 60 color photos, too .... Garden Way has published a revised edition of an old friend, Dick Raymond's Down-to-Earth Vegetable Gardening Know-How (also found at many bookstores, for $7.95). The book is stuffed with good advice, pictures, and tips from readers . . . and the chart on green manures (pages 82 and 83) alone is worth the price of admission.

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