Getting a Bud-Grafted Peach Tree Start Ready for Spring. 03.05.2021

 This is the peach curl resistant peach that I grew from seed a number of years ago, progeny from Oregon Curl Free.  It's a good peach and on the seed grown tree there has never been significant leaf curl.  It's the most resistant tree that I have grown so far, out of many varieties marketed for disease resistance.  I labeled this peach "Sunny Day" so that I would have something to call it.

Last Spring I tried to whip/tongue graft scion onto Lovell rootstock, didn't take.  So I bud grafted onto the same rootstocks during the summer.  They took, but one was lost in hot weather.  That left this one.

It's tiny, but I think the bud is still alive.  It's a little greener in person than in this photo.   I pruned off the rest of the baby tree, above the bud.  Now it must grow from this bud or not at all.

 

Peach Bud Graft Took and Growing. 8.11.2020

 This is the leaf curl resistant "Sunny Day" peach that I did patch grafts.  I think they both took, but the heat was too much and I was unable to look after them for a while.  One started growing, but the other one dried out and baked.  I think I'll just let them alone except for watering and shelter, and cut the top from the one that took, next Spring.  I might keep the other one for another graft attempt next year.

Peach Bud Grafts. 7.20.2020

I was hospitalized and had abdominal surgery last week.  Last night was the first time I was able to get into the garden for a look and not much else.  Here are the "Sunny Day" leaf curl resistant Peach grafts on Lovell rootstock.  They took.  I unwrapped them.  It was a little late, and my wrapping technique might have been a bit tight or uneven but they might be OK.  I can't believe I was able to graft peaches.  Its hot and dry outside so they will need good watering.

Peach Bud Graft, about 4 weeks later.  7.20.2020

Peach Bud Graft, about 4 weeks later.  7.20.2020

Patch Grafts, Peach and Cherry. 7.1.2020

Here is one of the "Sunny Day" peach patch grafts that I did a week or two ago.  The leave has abscissed, leaving a green bud.  7.1.2020

A close-up of the same "Sunny Day" peach graft.  7.1.2020

Local Black Cherry Stick for bud wood.  7.1.2020

The bud patch that I cut.  Cambium is slipping nicely now.  7.1.2020

Fitting the black cherry patch to some first year growth on Surefire Cherry.  7.1.2020

Patch graft all wrapped up.  7.1.2020

Peach Bud Grafts. 6.26.2020

So far the bud shield grafts that I did for Sunny Day peach on Lovell rootstock look OK. The earlier one abscissed it's leaf, which I think is OK. The bud is still green as is most of the shield. Im a bit concerned about the brown appearance on the edges of the shield, and hope that doesn't mean it didn't take.  The second one, 2 or 3 days younger, looks about the same as it started.

Bud Graft of "Sunny Day" peach on Lovel, about day #3.  6.26.2020

Bud graft of "Sunny Day" peach on Lovell.  I think this one is about day #6.  6.26.2020

Summer Grafting a Peach Bud. 6.22.2020

I've been wanting to propagate the Peach Leaf Curl Resistant Peach that I grew from a seed of "Oregon Curl Free" peach a few years ago.  This year, once again, no leaf curl at all.   Unfortunately, this tree is in a bad spot in the chicken yard, becoming shaded between two fast growing shade trees. I would like to propagate it so that I can grow it in a better spot.  Also, I would like some to share.  It's a good peach and thrives, at least on it's own roots, in this area.  That's unusual if not unheard of.

Originally I called this Cowlitz Peach, for the neighboring Cowlitz County and in honor of the people who lived here.  However, I'm concerned about inappropriate use of a Native name, so I decided to rename it "Sunny Day Peach".  

In March I tried grafting scion from Sunny Day Peach onto Lovell rootstock, but they didn't take.  I don't have good results grafting peach.  Reading some hobbyist forum threads, maybe it was the cooler weather.  The Lovell rootstock stayed alive and continued to grow, just not the scion.

A few days ago I grafted a bud onto the stem one of those Lovell trees.  It continues to look green, so today I decided to try the other one.

Here is the rootstock tree.  I cut off the dead scion from the top.

Here is a growing stem from the Sunny Day peach tree.  I wanted a vigorous looking, fresh green stem with as stout a bud as I could find.  This wasn't very stout but it has to do.  I put the stem into a glass of water until the rootstock was ready.

Then I cut a patch from the rootstock.  This requires that the cambium layer be easily slipped from the stem, which this being June and these being well watered, it did.  I cut a patch that I hoped would exactly match the piece that I remove from the scion.  My cutting tool is a single edge razor.  This photo shows the beginning of the cut.  In the end, it was a vertical rectangle removed from the stem.

 Here is the patch that I cut from the scion stem. I made it as close to exactly the same as the rectangle that I cut from the rootstock stem.

 Then I eased the patch into the opening.  I had to trim slightly.  but it turned out to be a snug fit.  I wrapped with plastic tape strip, which is a strip cut from a Zipper freezer bag, tied that snugly, and decided it wasn't snug enough so I overwrapped with a rubber band.

Now to nurture and coddle this little tree.  The goal at this point is just healing the grafted patch and stem together.  When that is done, the top can be cut from the tree to encourage the bud to grow.

I really don't know if this will work.  I've done it with plums and cherries.  Peaches are more challenging for me.  My thought at this time is that if it needs warm to heal, well, it's warm now.  I will keep it in the shade and water diligently for a week or so, then maybe return it to a sunnier spot.

So, will there be another "Sunny Day" Peach tree?  I don't know.  Keeping my fingers crossed, and I will try to take good care of these grafts.