The cherry trees are propagated by grafting. One or more scions of the desired variety are grafted onto the appropriate rootstock. The grafting success depends on the professionally executed grafting.
What do you need for grafting
On the one hand, a suitable tool is required, on the other hand, the right finishing material. A sharp knife with a bark remover is required to cut scions and make the necessary cut in the bark of the rootstock. For the healing of the grafting area you need bast to connect and tree wax (12.96€) to spread.
Annual shoots with leaf buds the thickness of a pencil and about 30-40 cm long are used as grafting material. This is cut off at the base of the cherry tree whose variety you want to have propagated. The cherry trees are suitable as bases, as they slow down growth so that the future tree remains small and bears fruit earlier. The base is cut back except for a spur next to the crown stump.
When is grafted
The scions cut in winter (in December/January) are kept in a box filled with moist sand in a cool, frost-free place. When the cherry trees begin to sprout in spring (end of April/beginning of May), it is time to place the scion on the appropriately prepared base.
How is grafted
The scion is brought to the base by means of plugs, whereby one
- bark plugs and
- Goat's foot plug
differs.
When bark grafting, the scions are stuck behind the previously incised bark of the substrate. When grafting goat's feet, not only is an incision made in the bark, but also a notch in the wood behind it. In both cases, the scions are then stuck behind the bark or in the notch and firmly connected with bast and spread with tree wax.
tips and tricks
If the rootstock and scion are the same thickness, it is possible to bring the two parts of the plant together directly with the diagonally cut ends and connect them. This type of refinement is called copulation.