by Catherine Haug, April 5, 2012
Did you know that almost all fruit trees are grafted?
- For most, the graft is at ground level, so that the tree and its root are not of the same species or variety, mostly to regulate the mature size of the tree. For example, apple can be grafted to rose root, which keeps the apple at a dwarf size.
- Different varieties of the same fruit can be grafted onto a common trunk; for example, bartlett and bosc pears on the same tree.
- Related species can be grafted onto a common trunk; for example the fruit basket tree, which has peach, apricot and plum.
Jean H decided she wanted more variety of fruit without adding more trees, so she learned how to graft branches of a different variety onto an existing tree. She sent me a couple video links, for any of you who would like to try this ancient technique. and I’ve added a few links with general info on growing fruit trees.
On Grafting and the Home Orchard
Videos:
- How to Graft a Fruit Tree, from Dave Nelson Nursery
- Grafting Apple Trees (from Grafting in my Small Kitchen Garden)
Articles
- Johnson Nursery on Fruit Trees has spacing info (and other info) for all kinds of fruit trees, including small fruit (blueberries, etc.): .
- Planning a Home Orchard, from Dave’s Garden (Segundo CA).
- The Home Orchard, from Home orchards (Potsdam NY):
- On Rootstocks and Spacing (of Fruit Trees), from Grandpas Orchard (Coloma MI)
- Planning a Home Orchard, from Dave’s Garden (Segundo CA).
- Producing Tree Fruit for Home Use, from N. Carolina Extension Svc – not exactly our climate, but still lots of good info. Mostly about apple trees, but also has info on spacing for other types of fruit trees.
Related Topics:
- Espalier: Living Fences, from The EssentiaList (that’s us!)
- Propagating Herbaceous Plants from Cuttings, from Deep Green Permaculture (Australia)