Fruit Trees
Episode #14 14/07/07
Presenter: Phil Dudman
It is amazing to think that when you are buying your fruit trees, rose bush or ornamental bush it is almost like you are getting two plants in one. Below where the plants have been grafted are the root stock and it will be a rootstock selected for whatever soil you have, wherever you are in Australia. Above is the selected variety and this will contain the fruit for flavour and size that is guaranteed every time.
In a large scale production fruit tree nursery the workers get pretty swifty with their grafting techniques. One person can graft up to 450 trees in a day.
Peter Young from Birdwood Nursery that has been grafting fruit trees for over 30 years who shares a few tricks of the trade.
To get started you will need:
Make one long cut, turn it over and put a little chisel point on the back, take it up to the root stock, cut the top of the root stock off and graft the piece of scion material onto the top which is the terminal part. Make a cut the same thickness and shape on the root stock so that when it is put in it matches perfectly. Pick up the tape and tie the graft up firmly. This will stop the moisture getting into the graft and it also stops it from drying out. Don’t use thread seal as it can be harmful to the plant. Place the small plastic bag over the top to stop it drying out with a biodegradable paper twisty and watch it grow.
Birdwood Nursery
Blackall Range Road
NAMBOUR
QLD, 4560
Ph: (07) 54421611
Presenter: Phil Dudman
It is amazing to think that when you are buying your fruit trees, rose bush or ornamental bush it is almost like you are getting two plants in one. Below where the plants have been grafted are the root stock and it will be a rootstock selected for whatever soil you have, wherever you are in Australia. Above is the selected variety and this will contain the fruit for flavour and size that is guaranteed every time.
In a large scale production fruit tree nursery the workers get pretty swifty with their grafting techniques. One person can graft up to 450 trees in a day.
Peter Young from Birdwood Nursery that has been grafting fruit trees for over 30 years who shares a few tricks of the trade.
To get started you will need:
- Budwood
- Sharp knife
- Tape
- Small plastic bag
Make one long cut, turn it over and put a little chisel point on the back, take it up to the root stock, cut the top of the root stock off and graft the piece of scion material onto the top which is the terminal part. Make a cut the same thickness and shape on the root stock so that when it is put in it matches perfectly. Pick up the tape and tie the graft up firmly. This will stop the moisture getting into the graft and it also stops it from drying out. Don’t use thread seal as it can be harmful to the plant. Place the small plastic bag over the top to stop it drying out with a biodegradable paper twisty and watch it grow.
Birdwood Nursery
Blackall Range Road
NAMBOUR
QLD, 4560
Ph: (07) 54421611
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