How To Graft Apple Trees

Learning to graft is easy and anyone can master it in a short period of time. The best method is to take a few Scions and Practice on the bench. After 6 or 7 tries you will have it down.

There are different grafts to consider, but they are all very easy to learn. Here we will focus on the Cleft and the Whip & Tongue grafts. Both these grafts work well for root stock and young trees (branches). For larger and manure trees the Branch graft is the one to use.

When To Graft To Your Trees

Grafting takes place in the spring. For root stock do your grafting 3 to 4 weeks before planting, so late April. For grafting branches unto young trees, you want to wait until the tree is showing signs of bud swelling, so early to mid-May.

Cleft And Whip Grafts

Both these grafts are easy and will have a high success rate, 95% to 100%. I prefer the Whip & Tongue graft as it locks the scion and root stock or branch together much tighter, however, the Cleft graph is much easier to do. The difference are; the Cleft Graft makes a cut down the center of the branch or root stock, while the Whip Graft makes an angle cut with another tongue cut for locking the scion on. The following video will demonstrate each graft.

Season Progress of grafts 3 week, May 10th

See short videos on the season progress of the Cleft and Whip & Tongue Grafts.

Season Progress 10 weeks, June 20th

We are only ten weeks from the time we did our demonstration on the Cleft and Whip grafts to our Connell Red Apple Tree. Our progress is great, you need to see this to believe it.