22 April 2021

Grafting new family trees

This spring Paul Chilton grafted two new varieties onto a single variety to make a family tree. Here he gives a master class as he demonstrates Tip Grafting and Spur Grafting.

The host variety is a Grenadier, an early cooking apple, greatly admired for cooking into a flavoursome fluff. The other two varieties are Wagner and Ashmead Kernel. The tree is temporarily planted in the churchyard. 


Preparing the scion for method one
Preparing the scion for method one

The join between the scion and the rootstock in method one

The join between the scion and the rootstock in method one  

The join between the scion and rootstock in method two
The join between the scion and rootstock in method two

Heating up the sealing wax camping style
Heating up the sealing wax camping style

Sealing the join on method two
Sealing the join on method two


And finally two new varieties joined to the rootstock Grenadier
And finally two new varieties joined to the rootstock Grenadier