Graft Progress Report. New Grafts and Some Old Ones. 4.16.17

European Plum Yakima, Whip/Tongue. One Month.  4.16.27

Here are some of my grafts from late winter and from years before.  There are too many to picture them all.

The European pears here are on what was a new bare-root multigraft.  That may not give them the best start, but at least the buds remain viable after one month and are swelling.  Yellow Egg already had swelling buds, which may be why the new growths appear damaged.  It's wait and see to see if they grow.

European Plum Yellow Egg, Whip/Tongue. One Month.  4.16.27

Asian Pear Chojuro One Month.  4.16.17

 I think Asian and European pears are really easy  The grafts here are added to a tree of the Asian x European pear hybrid, "Maxie".  All but the Chojuro are from my own trees.  The Chojuro was from Home Orchard Society scion exchange last month.  The wrapping is different because I experimented with melted candle wax.  I think plastic strips or parafilm are probably easier to work with but they are all OK for the graft.

The Nijiseiki was from last year and is on a Hosui Asian pear.  It took and grew nicely.

The older grafts are examples of how they look after a few years.  With my plum and apple grafts, most of the graft sites are no longer easy to identify.  They merged together almost seamlessly.

Asian Pear Hosui.  Two Month.  4.16.17

Asian Pear Hamese.  Two Month.  4.16.17

Asian Pear Nijiseiki.  One Year.  4.16.17

 Chocolate persimmon grew about 3 inches last year.  Some species grow rapidly and long, and others take their time.  This year, I suspect it will grow the same as the stock tree, a Saijo persimmon.

Asian Pear Shinseiki.  Cleft Graft.  4 years.  4.16.17

The ginkgo grafts barely grew last year when I grafted them, but the buds remained healthy looking.  The understock did grow new branches.  This winter, I pruned off those new branches.  The first one has bud damage - slugs?  rabbits? voles? but the second one is looking OK.  These are as exciting as any, because they mean that I can keep the ginkgo tree, in a sense, that I grew from seeds that my Dad collected almost 20 years ago.  That tree is around 25 feet tall, so obviously I can't transplant it.  

Unknown European Pear on Asian Pear.  4 Years.  Whip/Tongue.  4.16.17

Chocolate Persimmon.  Whip Tongue.  One Year.  4.16.17

Male Ginkgo on Ginkgo Seedling.  One Year.  4.16.17

Male Ginkgo on Ginkgo Seedling.  One Year.  4.16.17

Persimmon Status Report. 7.4.16

Persimmon Progress.  Saijo.  7.4.16

Persimmon Progress.  Nikita's Gift.  7.4.16

 There are about 7 persimmons developing on Saijo.  With the small number, I did not thin even the few that were close together.  They have a 4-lobe appearance, which surprises me.  I thought they would be ball-shaped.

I thinned some of Nikita's gift, although with only about 20 developing persimmons - after thinning -  I did leave some near the others.  On some branches, there were as many as 6, close together.  I thought that was too much competition for resources, and I want them to be as early, large, and sweet, as the leaves can support.

As for the chocolate persimmon grafts, the first is slowly progressing, still with a brownish - red coloration to the leaves.  The second needed several additional weeks to begin growth, but finally started.  So that means don't be too impatient.

Persimmon Graft.  "Chocolate Persimmon".  7.4.16

Persimmon Progress.  "Chocolate"  7.4.16

Walking around. Kitchen Garden, Progress Report.. 6.26.16

Jerusalem Artichoke.  6.26.16

Bulb Onions.  6.26.16

 Jerusalem artichokes are growing the best in 3 years.  I have no idea why.  The first year, they barely grew, then were eaten by deer.  The second year, I did not see any growth.  This year there are 2 gigantic plants.  I did not plant them, so they were either dormant for a year, or I missed them last year.

2nd Scion Take, Chocolate Persimmon.  6.26.16

 The bulb onions are bulbing up nicely.  I have never grown them before.  These are a yellow variety, bought and planted the sets late winter.

The second graft of the Chocolate Persimmon looks like it took.  I don't expect much growth this year.   Maybe next year both grafts will take off and grow.

Collard Greens.  6.26.16

Deer Fencing.  6.26.16

 I think the limiting factor on Collard Greens, is slugs.  Since I put down slug bait, some are growing like crazy, others more slowly.  This is my first try for Collard Greens.

I've been worried that deer will take after the Carini fig and others in the row, that are looking so good.  They ate leaves of a fig tree about 6 feet away.  I finally added a strip of fencing.  This is a fairly protected spot.  The cost of deer fencing can be exhorbitant.  One of the most expensive parts of gardening.  This time, I bought plastic fencing.  Price is about 1/2 the metal fencing, it won't scratch me like 1,000 thorns, like chicken wire, and I think it should deter the deer.  They are not aggressive, just persistant to consume anything they can easily reach.

Methley plums are almost ripe.  We ate a few today.

Methley Plums.  6.26.16

Chinese Beans.  6.26.16

 The resurrected Chinese Beans look pretty good in general.  I hope they continue to grow.

The White Potato Onions, that I started last fall from sets from Territorial Seeds, are blooming.  Apparently, that is a rare event and should be treasured.  In Utah, Kelly Winterton has been trying to resurrect (another ressurection) the variety by taking opportunity of potato onion rare bloom events to collect true seeds.  There are several reasons-
Vegetative propagation of a variety over the decades - possily centuries - may weaken the strain due to somatic mutations ande viruses.  Apparently, growing from seeds can restore the genetic potential and eliminate some, if not all, viruses that do not cross the seed barrier.   The seed-grown onions may be much larger and more vigorous, than the division-grown onions.  Seed grown potato onions have potential to develop new varieties.    Since mine are blooming, I will see if they set seeds and if so, that will be a fun project.  At the very least, I hope I get nice big potato onions from the seedlings. 

Winterton speculates that potato onions are a natural hybrid from centuries ago, which have been maintaned ever since, by vegetatice propagation.  If so, he considers seedlings from this variety to be F2 generation, with a lot of diversity and unpredictablity.  It is also possible, they could be pollinated by other onions around the yard.  I have garlic chives in bloom - don't know of those can cross with potato onions.  I removed all flowers from other onions.

Nikita's Gift Persimmon is looking great!  Fruit are swelling nicely.  I did some thinning but not too aggressive, because there are so many leaves and so few fruits.  Still, it's possible there will be a dozen, maybe more, persimmons this year.  If the persimmon gods smile upon us.  This variety is vigorous, stout growth, very healthy appearing.  Saijo has a few potential fruits as well. 

The first wave of Sweet Corn, Trinity, is as high as my eyeballs.  The secone wave, Bilicious, is waist high.  The 3rd wave, also Trinity, is almost knee high.  Subsequent waves are smaller but growing.  The last ones, seeds planted last week, Bodaceous, have not emerged from the soil yet.

I tried to be creative with a tomato cage, made from bamboo and jute string.  I don't know if that will deter the damn deer.  The pictured tomato plant is a grafted Supersweet 1000.

Flowers on White Potato Onions.  6.26.16

Swelling fuit on Nikita's Gift Persimmons.  6.26.16

First Three Waves of Sweet Corn.  #1 = Trinity, #2=Bilicious, #3=Trinity.

Tomato Cage, maded from bamboo and jute string.  6.26.16

Walking around. Persimmons, Figs, Vines, Kiwis, . 6.8.16

Chocolate persimmon scion, grafted 4.14.16.  6.8.16

 I was away for a week.  This time of the year, a lot changes.  Some of the last grafts are taking off.  Not fully there yet, but growth is encouraging.  Chocolate persimmon on Saijo, Fuzzy male kiwi on Blake kiwi, and Petite negri fig on Dominic.

I have left the scions wrapped.  The graft tape can be removed when they are more mature and more growth has occurred.

Nikita's Gift Persimmon Flowers.  6.8.16

It's been unusually hot.  I missed the persimmon flowers (Nikita's Gift and Saijo) at their peak.  Even though Saijo was much bigger than Nikita when planted, Nikita is much more vigorous.  There were many more fowers this year.  The primordial fruits seem to be swelling, so maybe they will take.  These are in their 3rd year.  I planted them from dry root, mail order trees in 2013.'

This is the first year that I have put significant effort into the row of grape vines and kiwis.  They were planted from early 2013 to this spring.  This year I cleaned up the row, mulched with grass clippings, and fertilized (peecycle) to promote vigor.  Most are at or above their deer cages.  There is some risk for deer damageif those animals become more ambitious.

The mulberries (Illinois Everbearing) are producing very well.  They are incredibly sweet.  For some reason, there isn't much, if any, bird theft.  I moved this tree from Vancouver to Battleground in October, 2012.  I originally planted it March, 2010.

Saijo Persimmon Flower.  6.8.16

 The Fig graft, Petite Negri on Domonic understock, is growing better.  This was grafted late March, so about 2 1/2 months now.  I tried before in 2009, but was less experienced with grafting then.  Fig grafting is not new - Eisen wrote about it in1901.  He used cleft grafting, and recommended 2 year old scion for reduced pith, and terminal buds.  So far, only one of my three scions, has taken.  But that's all I need.

All of the brebas fell off Smith Fig, but now there are main crop buds.  This tree is an experiment, not know to do well in Patcific Northwest.  Meanwhile, Lattarula figs are swelling bigger, showing promise.  Same for Carini.

Grapevines and kiwis.  6.8.16

The last of the pawpaw fruits fell off.  The trees look good.  Maybe next year.


With more nurturing, mulch, water, fertilizer, Blake Kiwi is growinbg more vigorously this year.  The male fuzzy kiwi graft on that vine is also still looking good.  There isn't a lot of info on growing kiwis in the Pacific NW, so I am on untested ground with this one.  So far, deer have avoided this vine, while eating any grape leaf that sticks out of the cages.

Illinois Everbearing Mulberries.  6.8.16

Illinois Everbearing Mulberries.  6.8.16

Petite negri graft 6.8.16,    Graftged whip / tongue, 3.21.16

Image of grafted fig tree.  Eisen, 1901.

Eisen's method for grafting figs.  1901.

 

Persimmon Progress Report. 4.28.16

Scion of Asian Persimmon "Chocolate" on "Saijo" branch.  Two Weeks.  4.28.16

Early Flower Bud of Persimmon "Saijo".  4.28.16

 At only 2 weeks, I don't expect much.  Temperatures have been lower - lows in high 30s, highs in 60s and 70s.   I uncovered the "Chocolate" Persimmon grafts so that if the buds do break, they won't be too pale and sun sensitive.  The buds look a little plump, and maybe larger than when I grafted.  That could be wishful thinking.

Meanwhile there are quite a few buds on Saijo, and lots and lots of buds on Nikita's gift.  Those are both in their 4th year, from bare root planting.  Both are considered parthenocarpic - bearing fruit without pollinization - so I may get something here.

The American persimmons, Yates (one year) and Prairie Star (two years) are growing nicely.  Yates had some deer munching, but it looks like it was not delicious.  Only one twig eaten, so far.

Early Flower Buds of Persimmon Variety "Nikita's Gift".  4.28.16

As with the pawpaws, if I actually get some fruit on these persimmons, that will be "the bomb".

Grafting Progress Report. Persimmons breaking Dormancy. 4.14.16

Graft Progress.  NOID Asian pear on Maxie. 4.14.16

 These Asian and American pear whip-and-tongue grafts were done about mid Feb, so now at 2 months.  I grafted early beacuse I thought Spring might arrive early.  The Asian variety is growing the fastest, and the American variety is close behind.  The vivid green color stands out against the reddish leaf color of the Maxie hybrid pear understock.

I give the early pear grafting experiment a success rating.  I've read that pears are the easiest fruit to graft, with apples coming in second.  Even so, it's a very rewarding project.

As pear pollenizers, these will likely need 2 to 3 years to bloom.   I have not seen pear grafts bloom one their second leaf, and some not on their third leaf.

Graft progress.  "Rescue" pear graft at 2 months.  4.15.16

New whip/tongue grafts.  "Chocolate" persimmon on Saijo stock.  4.15.16

 I read that persimmons are more difficult to graft, and need some special considerations.  It helps to have understock that is in active growth.  I also read that they should have protection from sun, so that the scion does not dry out before it takes.  We have temps in the 80s predicted within a few days.  I obtained scion for the persimmon variety, "Chocolate", at the Home Orchard Society scion exchange, and kept wrapped in plastic, in refrigerator, until this week.  I did 2 whip/tongue grafts onto Saijo, wrapped completely in parafilm tape, and further wrapped in aluminum foil to protect from sunshine.  They will need checking in a week, but I doubt a take in less than a month if they take at all.

I chose "Chocolate" because (1) they had it, (2) I read that "Chocolate" has some male flowers so can pollenize other persimmons - not likely needed, but interesting to consider, (3) I bought some of this variety fruit at Albertson's last winter and they really were good.  On the negative side, I also read this variety might not have time to ripen in Maritime Northwest cool summer/fall.  This is where grafting is helpful - I don't waste the time, orchard space, tree care, and money, for a full one-variety tree that might not bear at all.

Most of last year's grafts have healed to the point where the graft unions are difficult to see.  They are sturdy, stout branches now (plum) or are on their way to being so (apple).

Hanska plum whip/tongue graft at one year.  4.15.16

Hanska plum whip/tongue graft at one year.  4.15.16

 Persommin update, grafting and observations of growth.

I read that persimmons can be more challenging to graft, compared to other fruit trees.  It is reported that helpful measures include, grafting the dormant scion onto actively growing rootstock, and sheltering the graft from sun until it takes.  I obtained scion of the persimmon variety "Chocolate" at the Home Orchard Society scion fair a few weeks ago, and stored wrapped in foil / plastic bag, in the refrigerator.  Now the existing trees are growing actively, so I cut the scion in half and grafted to two sites on the variety "Saigo".    I wrapped fully with Parafilm tape and covered with aluminum foil.  I may change the foil wrap to something more loose in a couple of weeks, depending on how they look.

The persimmon variety "Chocolate" is reported as having occasional male flowers, which is not necessary for Saijo or Nikita's gift, but might be interesting in the future.  According to Raintree, Maritime Pacific Northwest summers are too cool for ripening fruit of this variety, so I did not want to buy an entire tree.  On the other hand I've tasted "Chocolate", grown in Willammete Valley, and liked them very much.  They are reported to have occassional male flowers, which might be interesting.  Saijo and Nikita's gift, my other two Asian or Hybrid varieties, are not considered to need pollination, however.

The American persimmon varieties are leafing out more slowly, compared to Saijo.  Nikita's Gift is between the two.  There is still potential for frost, but that seems like a minimal risk now.  Saijo has the start of a few flower buds, which emerge on new growth, not directly from dormant stems.

"Yates" American persimmon at 2nd leaf.  4.14.16

Nikita's Gift hybrid persimmon early growth.  4.14.16

Saijo Asian persimmon with emerging flower buds.  4.14.16