For beginners, it is often difficult to find a cutting for cutting. Sometimes they send me large branched branches for grafting, with perennial wood from which there is nothing to take. So what should you cut for vaccination?
A cut is called an annual shoot, that is, the growth of this year. It is an unbranched shoot with a smooth, shiny bark (usually). Optimal length -30-50 cm and diameter "with a pencil", that is, 5-10 mm. Such cuttings are easy to find on young trees, but on adult and even more old fruiting apple trees, plums, pears with cuttings can be big problems, since there is almost no annual growth on them, but there is an abundance of fruitful wood. On such trees, you can look for tops (powerful shoots from dormant buds), and in extreme cases try to cut off two-year-old shoots for inoculation. Odds successful vaccination in this case are reduced.
If we cut cuttings from a normally growing, fruiting tree, then first of all we need to take those shoots that already have to be cut out when spring pruning - competitors, shoots going inside the crown, etc. Try not to ruin the tree, not cut off those branches that will be skeletal branches in the future, the central conductor, etc.

Photos of branches with cuttings suitable for grafting

Branches with no one-year growth suitable for grafting

Features for different crops (cherries, etc.)

In principle, the requirements for cuttings from different cultures do not differ much. In some breeds, cuttings can be slightly deviated (for example, too thin) or short. But cherry cuttings have important feature... On short cuttings (less than 30 cm long), there are mainly flower buds and only one apical - growth bud. If such a stalk is divided and grafted, then nothing good will come of it. Flower buds will not sprout and will only fade away without further sprouting. Therefore, for grafting cherries take longer shoots, preferably from 40 cm and longer, then they are mainly vegetative buds.

Timing of harvesting cuttings

For spring and even more so for winter grafting, cuttings are usually cut at the beginning of winter. Ideally, after the first light frost in the region of -10 degrees. In the central regions, this is usually December, the middle of the month or towards the end. This is due to several reasons. Firstly, by this time the cuttings are fully ripe, the foliage has fallen out and everything has entered the cuttings. nutrients from the measuring sheet plate. Secondly, after a slight frost, the cuttings have been hardened and are better stored. It is also believed that frost kills some mycoplasmas, which is very valuable. More early dates undesirable, since cuttings are cut in October-November, it is more difficult to preserve before grafting. Although there is a positive experience in storing such cuttings, it is still better not to rush. Late dates for cutting cuttings for grafting are acceptable, but if there was no severe frosts, otherwise there is a risk that the stalk will be slightly frozen. This may not affect the growth of trees in any way, but the survival rate of such cuttings will either be poor, or they will not take root at all. Frost damage is usually clearly visible on the cut of the cutting and if the wood has shades brown tones, then the chances of success are small. It happens that only the buds of the scion are damaged, and the wood is intact. Therefore, if necessary, you can check the buds, selectively cut several pieces on different cuttings.

Photo of slices of the annual growth of an apple tree with freezing of various degrees.

Storing cuttings

There are quite a few methods for storing cuttings. In my opinion, storage of cuttings in the snow is most optimal. With the establishment of a snow cover, the cuttings are tied into a bunch and laid in the snow, making a small snowdrift above them. You can also cover this snowdrift with some heat insulating material, for example, sawdust, or covering material, so that the snow does not melt longer. Naturally, they choose places where the snow lies the longest - with north side buildings. I recommend wrapping the cuttings in some kind of breathable material, such as trash bags or fiberglass. This will protect against mice, and secondly, it will be more convenient to remove a bunch of cuttings from a snowdrift.
You can also store it in the refrigerator, which is done until the onset of a stable snow cover. The cuttings must be tightly wrapped in foil so that they do not dry out and put to the far wall of the refrigerator. But they can lie in this form for a month or two. For long storage cuttings in the refrigerator, somehow they recommended to me next way - The cuttings are wrapped loosely in a film, then a damp cloth and again a layer of film. So grape cuttings I successfully lay in a regular refrigerator until March. There is information about the successful storage of fruit cuttings under the sod, and the author of this method cuts the cuttings early, in early November (since he does not visit the site later) and stores them under the sod. A layer of 3-5 cm of sod is cut off, and a bundle of related cuttings is placed under it. Subsequently, this area is naturally covered with snow. Cuttings are also stored in the cellar. Temperature and humidity there are usually optimal for storage; packaging must be selected individually. Or just sprinkle it partially or completely with sand, sawdust or other material.

Sending cuttings

The transfer of cuttings is usually carried out in winter period and does not cause any difficulties. A bunch of cuttings is tied and wrapped very tightly and as tightly as possible with a stretch film. Then they are placed in a regular film mail bag. You can process the ends of the cuttings with garden pitch or wax, or insulate in some other way, for additional insurance against drying out, but as practice has shown, this is usually not required. Cuttings successfully tolerate 1-2 weeks of shipping. But closer to spring, pear and some stone fruits may begin to sprout on the way, therefore it is advisable to finish all shipments by the end of February. Sprouted cuttings, as a rule, do not take root.

Timing of vaccination and retention of vaccinations

If the so-called "" is held at the table, then it usually begins in November-December (starting with cherries, cherries) and until March. With this technology, it is necessary to stratify the grafts - to keep them warm for 10-15 days for the components to grow together, and in the early late stages such crops as, for example, cherries, begin to germinate very quickly in the warmth, and in November-December they are in a state of deep dormancy and successfully pass this stage. In principle, table grafting can be carried out even before planting, in April, especially apple trees. That is, we graft the cuttings on the rootstocks dug out in the fall, and after 1-2 days we immediately plant them in the field. Such methods have nuances and I will not touch on them in this article. The cutting itself in winter grafting is usually paraffinated (dipped for 1-2 seconds in molten paraffin or a mixture of paraffin and garden varnish 1: 1) this prevents the cutting from drying out until the moment of accretion.
Inoculation in the crown is possible in general the same at a very early date, when the threat of severe frosts has passed. According to my observations, grafts in the crown, which did not start accretion and, moreover, growth, successfully tolerated -10 and even lower temperatures, but when accretion has already begun, then such temperature drops are already very undesirable. I start grafting from the beginning of April, when the snow melts intensively. I finish by the middle of the month. At the beginning, cherries and other stone fruit are grafted, then pome crops. Can be recommended using various materials, eg paper bags... Vaccination is possible before summer and even in the middle of summer, the main thing is that the grafted stalk is in a dormant stage, with no germinated buds. Naturally, it is very difficult to save the cuttings until such time, and it does not make any practical sense. Usually all vaccinations are completed by early May. When grafting at a later date, problems of the following kind arise - hot weather quickly dries out the grafted cutting, which does not receive food from the stock. For fusion, at least a minimum, time is needed, with the most ideal conditions it is 7-10 days.

Features of grafting various crops

In general, when grafting all crops, the same processes occur. The graftsman achieves the maximum coincidence of the cambial layer ( thin layer cells between bark and wood) on the rootstock and scion, tightly connecting them with strapping, the grafting site must be airtight. The butt end of the cutting is also sealed (var or waxing of the entire cutting). But different cultures are grafted in different ways. The easiest way to grow together is pome grafting, especially pears. Stone fruits have a slightly lower survival rate; cherries are more capricious than plums and cherry plums. Crops such as lilacs are even more difficult to graft. Hazelnuts and, for example, birch (to obtain, for example, weeping standard forms) are the lot of professionals. For complex crops, you need to carefully select the timing of vaccination, methods. In general, look for an approach.

In the end, I would like to advise novice graftsmen to start with simpler crops, for example, grafting a pear and an apple tree. The first positive results will give you confidence and interest in this exciting activity.

1. March, or rather its second half, is the right time to start pruning fruit trees. The sun is already high enough, the day has increased significantly, and one can no longer expect severe frosts. The right time go out into the garden with a pruner and a garden saw to tidy up the trees, pretty overgrown over the previous summer. Simultaneously with pruning, you can start harvesting cuttings for spring grafting in the crown or on the stock you have grown. There is enough material during pruning to select suitable cuttings.

2. At this time, the trees are still dormant, buds - they sleep, and there are enough plastic substances in the wood to remain viable until grafting. The grafting operation is carried out during the period when the sap flow in the tree has already begun, buds are already beginning to bloom on the grafted trees. The rootstock stalk attached to them immediately receives nutrients, and the growth process goes quite quickly. However, if the cutting is taken from a tree on which the buds have already blossomed, then the probability of its drying out significantly increases, even if it was immediately grafted into a new place.

Storage rules for cuttings
So, the cuttings are prepared. Now you need to save them until the time of vaccination, that is, before the onset of sap flow (April-May). To do this, cuttings are tied into bundles according to varieties, attaching labels to them.
Then the bundles are folded into dark plastic bags and put into the basement. Before laying in plastic bag the bundles can be wrapped with a damp cloth.
Basement temperature should be close to zero. However, not everyone has such a room, and not every gardener needs such a number of cuttings. In this situation, a small number of cuttings can be stored in the refrigerator in the fruit compartment. And if there are a lot of cuttings, you will have to bury them in the snow (in a snow pile).
To do this, make a snowdrift about a meter high on the north side of the house or shed. Dig a depression in it almost to the ground, put bundles of cuttings there, cover with snow. To prevent the snow from melting, as long as possible on top of the entire surface of the snowdrift, lay a layer of straw or sawdust. Thus, it is possible to save the cuttings until the onset of stable above-zero temperatures, when it will already be possible to start grafting.

Any gardener is well aware that a high-quality graft is the key to an excellent harvest. Therefore, when choosing a donor fruit tree, it will be superfluous to thoroughly make sure about its yield. It is advisable to pay attention to the purity of the variety, although this indicator is not particularly fundamental, it happens that its abnormal modifications will bring the largest, unusually colored, unusual shapes or fruits endowed with a unique taste.

How to prepare cuttings for scion

It is recommended to cut cuttings for scion from the south side of the fruit tree, it is believed that, basking in the gentle rays of the sun, they have matured more than others and are better formed. Only cuttings of the middle tiers of the crown of a fruit tree are suitable for grafting, the lower ones are as correctly weak, and the upper ones, collecting the very cream of the nutritious juices of the tree, on the contrary, are too powerful and thick, as they say, are fat. In no case are tops taken, you should not expect a harvest from them, formed fruit buds should be present on the scion. And it is wiser to refrain from cutting the continuation of the skeletal branches or the central conductor of the young donor into a scion, otherwise there is a possibility of ruining the crown of the mother tree.

A stalk is almost any part of a plant; it is considered to be a 1–2 cm fragment of an annual shoot with one developed bud. A branch with foliage, developed fruit buds and ramifications is also considered a cutting. A stalk - even a young tree with a stem, skeletal branches and a crown if grafted onto another plant.

In the early morning, when the foliage and branches of the tree are saturated with moisture - it's time to harvest cuttings, last time make sure that the tree with the desired variety is healthy, select and cut off the shoots you like. When choosing a scion, cuttings with close internodes and mature growth buds, 20–40 cm long, with a diameter of a pencil, are preferable. An exception is cherry cuttings due to the fact that its upper buds are floral, the graft is taken about 70 cm long.

When the scion is harvested.

For spring grafting, cuttings are harvested in the fall, before the first frosts, after they part with the foliage. If you plan to plant more than one cuttings in the spring, and the prospect, break your head painfully remembering where which variety is harvested, it is recommended to label them with tags when sending the scion for storage.

The cuttings tied in a bundle are placed in an underground storage until spring, for this we dig a trench 25-30 cm deep, place a bundle wrapped in burlap in it and cover it with a layer of earth. It would also be useful to mark the burial place, otherwise there have been cases ... We locate the underground storage in a garden or summer cottage area without possible flooding melt water, in a dry and as elevated place as possible. Top can be sprinkled with straw or sawdust for a more comfortable and warm winter. If the site is flooded with mice, gardeners recommend placing prepared cuttings between layers of fiberglass to save them from their teeth, better protection have not yet been invented, but I personally have so far managed without this sharp heat insulator.

In the spring, on the eve of the vaccinations, the scion is released from the shelter, but not earlier than a day before. In the fall, too, should not be abused, keeping cut cuttings out of storage for more than a day, warm and daylight provoke their awakening, they begin to breathe and evaporate moisture. And by the spring we will receive an exhausted grafting material, if the shoots do not die immediately, the probability of engraftment will be scanty.

Summer grafting conditions the harvesting of the scion immediately before the procedure. The scion stalk is taken with at least two formed buds, and the base should become woody. The readiness for grafting in summer cuttings is determined by ear; when bent, there should be a quiet crackling. If there is no scion of the current season with the indicated signs, you can use last year's branches with the current increase for grafting. It is customary to completely or partially remove the green part of the growth from the cutting, this makes sense - the branch does not spend its potential on rapid growth, but lets it take root. Only 3-5 buds are left on the shoot from the base, and in order to avoid excessive evaporation of moisture by the grafted cuttings, we cut its foliage by half.

If the need arose summer cuttings transport, it makes sense to use a kind of improvised container in the form plastic bottle... Pour a small amount into the container pure water, shake the bottle so that the walls are covered with droplets, drain the rest of the liquid, and put the scion sprigs inside, screw it tightly with a cork. Cuttings can be stored in such packaging for several days without fear of dehydration.

Taking into account the recommendations of experienced gardeners, to which I will add for weight and my modest advice, when preparing a scion, stock up on cuttings a little more than necessary for grafting, do not deprive yourself of the right to make a mistake.

If the variety did not meet your expectations, or you want to try something new on your site, or quickly multiply the variety you like, then it's time to harvest cuttings for spring grafting.

They are cut when the air temperature drops to minus 10-12 degrees. This means that the branches have already passed the required hardening, but are not frozen. If the harvesting of cuttings is postponed until spring, then in the event of a harsh winter, there may be nothing to harvest.

Cuttings for grafting are harvested from one-year-old shoots - branches 30-40 cm long, grown this year. They are taken from healthy trees from the lighted side of the crown. Cuttings cut from strongly growing trees often turn out to be low-yielding: everything goes to wood. For the same reason, avoid cutting cuttings from tops and branches from shaded areas of the crown. Short branches should not be harvested, especially in stone fruit crops, since all of their lateral buds may be floral.

When mild winter apple and pear cuttings can be cut and in early spring before budding, but stone fruits are harvested only in autumn, because almost every year, one-year-old shoots of stone fruits freeze slightly. The survival rate of cuttings from shoots with frozen (darkened) wood will be very poor.

When cutting cuttings, take care of the tree, do not cut the continuation of the main branches and the leader.

Tie the cut cuttings into bundles and immediately attach permanent labels to them indicating the variety and date of harvest. These labels are best made from black plastic film or a piece of thin tin, for example from a beer can, embossed with a ballpoint pen.

Until spring, the cuttings are stored in the basement at a temperature of 0-3 ° C, placing them vertically (cut downwards) in wet sawdust, moss or sand. Only a third of the cuttings are left outside. During the winter, sawdust or sand is kept moist.

If you don't have a basement, then cut annual shoots must be wrapped in wet cloth, and on top of paper and film. In this state, they can be stored for a long time in a cool room or in the refrigerator. Another option: store the cuttings in an unheated place until snow falls garden house wrapped in damp sacking and plastic. As soon as it snows, make a snow pile on the north side of the buildings or fence. Free the cuttings from the packaging, carefully tie them with twine and, to protect from mice, wrap the bundle tightly with foil, leaving the upper ends of the cuttings outside. Place the cuttings deep into the pile. To prevent it from melting ahead of time, cover the pile with peat, sawdust, etc. with material 20-30 cm thick.

If in the spring the snow in the pile melts ahead of time, then the cuttings should be wrapped again in wet cloth and film and stored on the ground in a cool place on the north side of the buildings until grafting. Before grafting, you must periodically review them, if mold appears, cuttings and fabrics must be thoroughly washed cold water... When dry, the fabric is moistened.

If in the spring on the eve of vaccination you find that the cuttings are dry, keep them in water for 10-12 hours a day before use, then, wrapped in a damp cloth and film, put them in a cool place. If they leave - vaccinate, no - look for others. It is very important when storing cuttings to prevent bud germination. Such cuttings are not suitable for grafting.

In the life of every gardener, beginner or experienced, there comes a time when you have to vaccinate fruit trees... Apple trees are considered common inhabitants of gardens, with which the owners of the site often have to encounter. Harvesting cuttings for grafting an apple tree has many subtleties, the knowledge of which will facilitate the process and allow you to stock up on good raw materials. Before you go to harvest the scion, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the features of the process, the rules, the advice of experienced gardeners.

Before harvesting cuttings, it is recommended to find out the features of these small parts of the branch, each of which contains a mysterious force that can give life to a full-fledged apple tree. The new tree will retain the maternal characteristics. A prerequisite is to stock up vegetable raw materials from proven trees, after making sure of their varietal characteristics and yield.

Features to remember when stocking up on shoots for vaccination:

• use only annual shoots;
• it is recommended to cut branches located in the outer parts of the crown - strong and well-developed in the sun;
• try to cut off shoots from the southern part of the apple tree - they have short internodes, and their eyes are well developed.

Vaccination will take place without hassle, if you use the shoots growing in the middle tier of the apple tree - they are considered the highest quality.

What a good scion stalk looks like

Good grafting cuttings have several common featuresthat novice gardeners should definitely know. The harvested apple plant material should look like this:

• length varies from 30 to 40 cm;
• shoots were cut from apple trees aged from 3 to 10 years;
• thickness - up to 10 mm (about the same as a regular pencil);
• there are 3-7 pronounced kidneys.

Another feature of harvested cuttings is that internodes should be short, it depends on them how quickly the graft will take root.

When and how cuttings are harvested

When asked when the cuttings are harvested, experienced gardeners will answer with confidence - to engage fascinating process recommended twice. Go to the garden with the departure of winter, with the first days of spring or before the onset of winter cold - at the end of autumn. Most gardeners cut the scion for the apple tree in the fall.

Autumn benefits of harvesting cuttings:

• the first frosts managed to temper the shoot, destroy pests, and disinfect;
• the plants have entered the dormant stage;
• there is a guarantee that the shoots will no longer freeze, because they have successfully survived the first frosts;
• it is recommended to use only dormant shoots for grafting, and the scion that has retired will remain in this state until spring.

If it was not possible to make a stock in the fall, in the spring it will be possible to cut off the cuttings no worse, the main thing is not to be late. The buds should be dormant, if they begin to bloom, there is a risk that the scion will not take root.

Storing cuttings: where and how to store

A prerequisite for successful storage is that the cuttings must be at rest until they are used. The main tasks facing the gardener:

• do not allow the shoots to freeze;
• make sure that they do not start to deteriorate;
• prevent drying;
• do not allow rodents to spoil the planting material.

1. Dig shallow (up to 30 cm) trenches, lay the cuttings, having previously covered the bottom with conifer needles.
2. Cover the plant materials with spruce branches, chopped straw, with a layer of soil.
3. Pour a high snowdrift (at least half a meter), tamp with a shovel.
4. Put a layer of sawdust (up to 20 cm).

The disadvantage of this method is that there is a risk of damage to the blanks for grafting by rodents. You can prevent damage by plastic or metal mesh with small cells.

If there are few cuttings, use the refrigerator. Place the plant materials in a polyethylene bag, leave loosely tied, put on the lower shelf. Check during storage.

When is vaccination time

Despite the fact that the apple tree grafts well throughout the year, it is best to do this in early spring. It is recommended that the grafting be carried out at the beginning of the growing season - at this time the sap is just beginning to actively move through the wood, and the bark lags well behind.

If the inoculation is carried out in a split, then it is better to hurry up and carry out the work even before the juice begins to move, during the rest period. Usually this is the beginning of April, but in warm regions it is recommended to start the process earlier - from mid-March. If there is a risk of frost return, postpone the date for several weeks.

Grafting, in which the scion is inserted into the side cut, is carried out in summer, spring, even winter, especially if the seedlings have already outgrown.

There are some useful tips seasoned gardeners, to whom it is recommended to listen to beginners:

• Before grafting, make sure the cuttings are suitable - lower them with a cut into water, after half an hour carefully examine the liquid. If it remains transparent, use the shoots; if it has become cloudy or yellow, discard the application - they are no longer suitable.
• Use plant materials for harvesting from trees that are constantly pruned - it is much better stored and actively takes root.

• When harvesting from young seedlings, try to cut off only the branches that will be removed during pruning, so as not to injure the tree.
• Use garden var - it will protect the slices from infection, bacteria that can damage the shoots.
• Harvest more cuttings than necessary - even if some of them deteriorate during storage, there will be enough plant materials for grafting.

One more important advice - do not use thin, damaged or twisted branches - good apple tree it will not work out of them.

Harvesting cuttings is a fun process, and after a little effort, it will certainly end with wonderful results. The apple tree will definitely thank you for your efforts good harvest juicy, aromatic and useful fruits... The main thing is to follow the rules, recommendations of experienced gardeners and not engage in experiments that can harm the tree.