Label your grafts. You will know where you have what.
Wait. Usually, the leaves and buds will start to appear after several weeks. It’s better if it happens earlier than that or it might lose all the moisture it has. If the leaves appear before the cambium of the scion connects with the rootstock, the scion will dry out. Don’t worry if nothing happens after one month. Sometimes, the growth won’t start until next year.
Remove the tape. Leave the wrapping on for at least the first month. But you do need to remove the splicing tape eventually because if the graft grows too much, the tape can squeeze the vascular tissue and choke the scion like a tourniquet. You should remove the rubber splicing tape in mid-late summer, and re-wrap the graft area in Parafilm to keep it moist.
Cut. Don’t let the scion produce fruit. It happens rarely but it does. The connection with the rootstock is not strong enough to hold the weight. Many gardeners wait 2-3 years before allowing new apples to grow.
Remove the empty scion. If it doesn’t give fruit the second year, get rid of it. 2 branches growing parallel to each other are going to cause problems later. As they grow larger, they will get a layer of bark trapped between them. This will limit the growth of the branches and weaken the graft junction.

Not every scion will be good, especially if you are a beginner. It’s normal. Your skills will improve with practice.

Comments to article «How to Graft an Apple Tree in Spring»