Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Jonagold Apple MiniTree on Bud-9 Rootstock, Delayed Graft Failure. 20 Dec 2023.

 While doing some garden work, I noted this tree was leaning.  Not a lot, maybe 30 degrees from vertical.  I bent it to straighten, and the rootstock snapped completely off!  Pop!


Bummer!  It was a nice size and shape now, blooming size and probably would have borne fruit next year.


Photo is after I cut nice scion for grafting.

I don't know why it snapped off.  Sometimes there can be graft incompatibility.  That happened a few years ago with a purchased Pristine graft on a multigraft tree.  Jonagold is triploid and quite vigorous.  Maybe too much vigor for Bud-9?

I guess I will just use the Jonagold for the Espaliers.  I have a couple of Bud-9 rootstocks that need grafting, but would I be setting them up for the same issue a few years on?  It's a good question.

It's interesting to look at the red color of the broken wood.  That's typical for Bud-9, which also has red cambium and red leaves.  I wonder if it would stay red as dried wood for finishing.

I think that trees on Bud-9 always beed to be tied to a post for support. 

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