BitterSweet

Tending a garden in Central Texas can be as temperamental as weathering the wild swings between drought and deluge. Guidance from seasoned growers is essential, which is why I’m so lucky to have met Fig Beard. Ever since that air layering workshop, his deep knowledge of sustainable gardening and traditional propagation methods left a lasting impression on me. Today, I’m thrilled to feature another piece of his wisdom: grafting fruit trees. It’s an age-old technique that might sound intimidating at first, but in Fig’s hands, it becomes both approachable and deeply rewarding. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or a curious beginner like me, you’re in for a treat.

What if you could combine the vigor of one tree with the delicious fruit of another? Grafting makes this possible! This propagation technique lets you create fruit trees that are productive, resilient, and true to their parent’s best qualities.

What is Grafting?

Grafting is the process of joining a branch from one tree (the scion) with the root system of another (the rootstock), to grow them together as a single plant. The scion carries the desirable fruit qualities, while the rootstock provides a strong foundation and can influence the tree’s size, disease resistance, and adaptability. 

Why Propagate with Grafting?

Most fruit trees grown from seed do not produce good quality fruit, and some trees can’t reproduce by rooting a cutting. Grafting guarantees you’ll get the same delicious fruit as the parent, preserving unique or heirloom varieties for generations.

Combine Desirable Traits

Grafting allows you to pair the best fruiting wood with rootstocks that offer disease resistance, cold hardiness, or tree dwarfing characteristics. 

Speed Up Fruit Production

Seed-grown trees can take many years to bear fruit, but grafted trees often fruit much sooner. The mature scion “remembers” its age and can begin producing fruit within a few years of grafting.

Change or Add Varieties

Want to upgrade an old tree or try something new? Grafting lets you add new varieties to an existing tree, even creating “fruit salad” trees with multiple types of fruit on a single trunk.

Best Fruit Trees for Grafting

Grafting is especially important for fruit trees that don’t root well from cuttings or don’t come true from seed. Top candidates include:

• Apples & Pears
• Stone Fruits (like cherries, plums, peaches, apricots)
• Persimmons
• Citrus

Materials Needed for Grafting

1. Sharp Pruning Shears: To cleanly cut scion and rootstock.
2. Grafting Knife: A blade with only one side sharpened (aka, single bevel). This is incredibly important to get a flat smooth cut on the materials.
3. Grafting Tape: Holds the graft union securely and protects it from moisture loss.
4. Rootstock and Scion Wood: Choose healthy, compatible material—scion wood is typically collected while dormant in winter.
5. Labels: To keep track of varieties and dates.

Guide to Grafting Fruit Trees

There are many different styles or methods of grafting. One popular method is called “cleft grafting,” which you can easily learn to do.

1. Collect and Prepare Scion Wood: Gather healthy, dormant scion wood in winter. Cuttings should be about pencil-thick and 4–6 inches long, with at least two or three healthy buds.
2. Prepare the Rootstock: Select a compatible rootstock and prune it to the desired height. Remove the top of the rootstock and make a cut down the center to create the “cleft” that will receive the scion.
3. Prepare the Scion: Use a grafting knife to cut both sides of the scion into a wedge shape. 
4. Join Scion and Rootstock: Carefully align the cambium layers of the rootstock and the scion. Good contact is crucial for a successful graft union.
5. Secure the Graft: Wrap the graft union tightly with grafting tape or a rubber band. Apply grafting wax or sealing compound to protect the cut surfaces from drying out and to keep out pests and disease.
6. Label and Monitor: Label your graft with the variety and date. Keep an eye on the graft over the next few weeks—successful grafts will begin to heal and eventually push out new growth.

Aftercare for Grafted Trees

Keep the grafted area shaded, and protect young trees from wind and pests. Remove any shoots that sprout from below the graft union so all the tree’s energy goes into the new scion.

Be Patient. It can take several weeks or longer for the graft union to heal. Once the graft is established and new growth appears, you can gradually acclimate the tree to its final planting spot. With proper care, your grafted tree will bear fruit true to its parent in just a few years.

Figbeard is a fruit tree specialist who consults and advises home growers and commercial orchards. Don’t miss his series of educational fruit tree workshops in Austin, Texas. And if you haven’t followed Figbeard’s Instagram, you’re missing out on some gorgeous fruit in your feed!