Tree grafting question

notjustair · May 13, 2017

About five years ago I bought two more apple trees - a Fuji and a Pink Lady as I recall. They grew well their first year and ended up about five feet tall with three foot of trunk on them. Enter the pup.

She loved wood.

She left one alone but ate the top off the other with only the complete trunk left. I left it for some reason. It is now the most beautifully shaped apple tree but has not bloomed once. The other has been loaded with apples for the last two years (they are both about seven feet tall). I've begun to wonder if she ate it off past the graft, although I don't know how high up they may have grafted it. Although I don't remember which of the two it is, the leaves are identical on both, so I'm not sure what they would have used as root stock. I'm planning on leaving it just because it's such a pretty tree but I'm bummed that she ruined it. I am a little surprised as I was told they needed each other to pollinate. The only other apple trees are old variety Granny Smith. How high up do they typically graft now days?

john in la · May 13, 2017

Usually a graft is put within the first foot of the trunk above the ground.
You should be able to see it.
It will look like a swollen spot in the trunk.

Sam Womer (PA) · May 13, 2017

The grafted trees that most producers provide are usually "assembled" from a variety of different trees . The most common rootstock used comes from a variety of crabapple.These are very hardy and robust. Next comes a section of "dwarfing stock". Then another section is added which becomes the trunk. Finally the desired variety is grafted onto that. If you graft a "scion" from the desired variety to another tree that branch will produce that particular fruit. It is possible to get several different varieties on the same tree. Some trees are commercially available with as many as five different apples. It is also possible to graft pears to an apple tree.

jeffcat · May 13, 2017

Another thing it could be. Below the graft , now gone, could be a male root stock. No fruit. I know Holly trees are that way and that might be your problem.

Delawaresurfman · May 13, 2017

Where it's grafted who knows, as mentioned it could be Crabapple rootstock, very hardy. Could be at the ground or up 3 ft on the stalk but should be noticeable. Apples are both male and female but need cross pollinated. You were told they needed each other as they would have bloomed at the same time of the year, makes sense. I'd say the tree needs to regrow and possibly mature. This could take from 2-3 years for dwarfs to 4-8 years for full size trees. So I'd say leave it alone as you plan to do and do not prune at the wrong time of year, this will reduce blossoms. If it was eaten off below the graft it will restore to the original Apple. If crabapple make crabapple jam, it's awesome.

ed will · May 13, 2017

Hi, don't worry you can always bud graft onto it. You can put any nbr of different varieties on the same tree. I usually do bud grafts from 2nd week to 3rd week of July.
Very easy check on u tube. You can get buds from neighbors or where ever. Good luck! E d Will Oliver BC

Hay hay hay · May 14, 2017

I don't know much about apples but neither the Fuji nor the Pin Lady are self pollinators. You will need to match another pollination partner to get apples. Google apple pollination partners.

But that won't fix it if it is the graft problem.

Tree grafting question

notjustair

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john in la

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Sam Womer (PA)

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jeffcat

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Delawaresurfman

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ed will

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Hay hay hay

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