Too Early for Thread Grafting???
- Thread starter dbonsaiw
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Deep Sea Diver
Imperial Masterpiece
Not as long as one can protect the tree from freezing.
Easier before the buds start to expand. At that point a thread graft gets a bit dicey about snapping buds and requires a bigger hole. But doable.
Already did one a month ago.
Best
DSD sends
Easier before the buds start to expand. At that point a thread graft gets a bit dicey about snapping buds and requires a bigger hole. But doable.
Already did one a month ago.
Best
DSD sends
David P
Yamadori
When you say freezing, if the trees are kept out doors and the lows are in the 40's over night is that still safe for the tree?
Well, that's a resounding no for me. Was 20s this morning and everything is in a frozen mulch pile. Oh well, will just have to wait a little bit.
Deep Sea Diver
Imperial Masterpiece
Deep Sea Diver
Imperial Masterpiece
No worries waiting. It will give you more time to sort things out. Later one can defoliate the branch if need be and still successfully thread graft with a healthy tree.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
DId mine over christmas. Have been frozen twice since. In the end, once you get your branch to expand, and the hole to close, that is when the fusion starts to occur. I doubt (?) whether light frosts make a big difference. I prefer earlier, as the whole I need is smaller (No swollen buds).
Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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Having done many thread grafts over the years, I will tell you it's better to be done a bit early then a bit late. Once the buds start to swell, they're easily damaged as the branch is pushed through the drilled hole in the trunk, necessitating a wider one than might have been needed if done earlier. I wouldn't be too concerned with routine winter weather, meaning frosts and freezes are ok as long as temperatures aren't severely cold. Losing the donor branch would be my greatest concern and would be very unlikely with the type of bends used to create the graft. I'd protect the tree if temps fall into the lower 20's F. Full disclosure... I have a cold room where I can keep temps above freezing, which is ideal. I have also tried to graft after the spring foliage has hardened off, via defoliating the donor branch, and I've lost more branches doing this ( with A. palmatums) so I don't do it anymore and can't recommend it. I will perform approach grafts with routine success mid growing season.
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leatherback
The Treedeemer
Keep in mind that you dril from the side where you want the branch to exit AND you put the drill at the angle you want the branch to have with the trunk.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Because of this thread I made a short of my long grafting video that will come out in summer/fall:
Ruddigger
Omono
Should be. I did a thread graft already this season.
David P
Yamadori
Awesome, thank you Ive watched a lot of your videos on youtube including this one. Thanks for your help!
Great video
Many thanks. We still have about a month of cold here ahead of us. My intention was to perform the grafts before the buds swell. I’m just tired of winter and ready for the spring work already. I have little to no concern that the feeder branches will die off because of the cold. I’m 99% sure it will make it through the winter. (Famous last words).
I’m pretty sure this was discussed somewhere, but is there a limit on the number of grafts? I wanted to do 3 on a JM trunk.
Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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I'm sure there's a mathematical limit based on the size/height of the trunk but I doubt anyone routinely pushes that envelope. This is one of my project trees... I think I placed 9 thread grafts in one go, and I'm pretty sure only one failed.
JeffS73
Shohin
I need to thread graft my P.Mume, would you wait until after flowering?
Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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