I'm just back from Suffolk where I've taken a class in 'The Ancient Art of Grafting'. We employed the 'Side Veneer Graft' but could as well have used the old 'Whip and Tongue'. I brought home the fruit of my labours - Malus domestica 'William Crump' on MM106 and M26 rootstock - on the back of the motorcycle. They seem to have survived and hopefully in the next few weeks will give me a sign that they're willing to grow. I'm now eyeballing our neighbour's very tasty old apple tree and getting all sorts of mad ideas on how to transform the garden à la Axel Erlandson.
Oh, and talking about fruit trees, here's where you can petition our government to plant more fruit and other edible plants in public spaces.
2 comments:
I've always wanted to have a go at grafting my own fruit trees. Do you know of a source for buying rootstock? I've been tempted to buy a commercial variety fruit tree in a garden center, cut off the top, then grow out the rootstock. Surely there's a better way!
I don't know what's involved for importing it into Europe, but the Seed Savers Exchange offers an amazing collection of scion wood.
Hi Patrick
http://www.crown-nursery.co.uk/ , where I did the course will sell rootstock if fact I bought one to graft a piece of our neighbours tree onto. It's a bit dear @ £4.50 but I think that you can dig it in and then propagate many more from it by layering.
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