The grafting of a chestnut is possible with different methods. They sometimes differ greatly in the approach and/or the material used. It is particularly important that the rootstock and the grafting variety are compatible with each other.
Refining a chestnut is not easy
As a rule, refinement is used for sweet chestnuts. This should always be an improvement by combining the advantages of the rootstock with those of the graft variety. For example, the substrate should be resistant to fungal attack so that diseases such as chestnut blight or ink squid don’t stand a chance.
The chestnut used for grafting may produce particularly large and/or tasty fruit, but it may also have a particularly long harvest season. Various factors determine the success of grafting, such as the method or the right time, but also the correct cutting of the scions.
How does the refinement work?
In winter or early spring (around March) shoots are collected for spring grafting, summer grafting works best with fresh shoots. The base and scions are then cut to size and the cut surfaces bonded together so that they can grow together. With some methods, the free-cut areas must be exactly the same size, with others not.
While most grafting methods work best in spring, budding is done in summer. The base must be well “in the juice” and the bark must be easy to remove. The scions are only slightly woody, but not too hard. The scion does not sprout until spring.
Various methods of finishing:
- platen
- Chip
- copulation
- oculation, in summer
- bark plug
split plug
Can I graft a chestnut myself?
Refining a chestnut is not always easy. While they need warmth and moisture for a scion refinement, they also have to prevent the formation of mold at the same time. This danger does not exist when chipping or oculating. If you have enough time and desire to do so, simply try out the various methods.
tips
Although it is easier to buy a chestnut that has already been grafted, grafting a chestnut can be an exciting long-term project for dedicated hobby gardeners.