tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29834831.post7253934655630689822..comments2024-03-27T18:07:43.918-07:00Comments on Daniel's Pacific NW Garden: Apple Grafting. 3.14Not a p.15Daniel Wachenheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11009166706587141830noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29834831.post-31268972131078499202015-03-21T11:49:35.095-07:002015-03-21T11:49:35.095-07:00Lance, the whip and tongue is really easy. I thin...Lance, the whip and tongue is really easy. I think the interlocking aspect might make the grafts take better, and more cambium contact. It takes a little more cutting skill, but I can do it an I am not a fine craftsman. The main thing is to have a very sharp knife, so it doesn't catch in the wood and slip, causing a major cut on the grafter. It helped a lot to practice on prunings, until I knew how the wood responds to the knife. I don't know how to explain it but I steady my hands while cutting. I sharpen the blade between each cut. I am gradual making the cut, and try to be safe.<br /><br />I don't know yet how I feel about Parafilm. It's cleaner than the asphalt emulsion, and probably fewer carcinogens. Maybe my Parafilm tape was too wide. I found it difficult to stretch and hold the graft together at the same time. Polyethylene feels easier in my hands, more stretchy, and stretches more uniformly. I have a roll of each, now, so it will give me a chance to see what happens. The important thing in the end is, do the grafts take?<br /><br />Congrats on your grafts taking! The varieties sound interesting. It's sobering to eat something that Thomas Jefferson grew. He also liked Lattarula fig, another name for White Marseilles.<br /><br />I had a graft of Esopus Spitzenberg that grew like crazy, then died last winter. I don't know what killed it, maybe voles. I planted a multigraft apple in its place last week or 2 weeks ago. Probably better, more disease resistant varieties.<br /><br />Daniel Wachenheimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11009166706587141830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29834831.post-72227298059523755482015-03-19T10:21:42.671-07:002015-03-19T10:21:42.671-07:00Thank you for the grafting demo and the fruit.org ...Thank you for the grafting demo and the fruit.org web link. I've been pouring over the site, very helpful info. I've not done a whip and tongue yet but am please with the cleft and parafilm results. This is my first time using parafilm after the grafting class I bough some over there and it seem to be very easy to use. I don't think I'll go with the drippy messy bees wax again. The instructor say you need to stretch the tape as thin as you can then it will wrap tighter. Does your tape stretch thin? I may buy more tape on Amazon too. So far looks like Sierra plum, Old Fashion Delicious, Esopus Spitzenberg apple took. The E.S. is Thomas Jefferson's favorite apple but is very susceptible to disease. The whip and tongue is great for the sandwich effect you want for your apple. Mine is rather a patch work of grafting on side limbs. Grafting is a great hobby when it works, its like a work of art. I want to see your layer of apple of different colors.lancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03657961543274999017noreply@blogger.com