How to graft a kiwi tree? Detailed steps and precautions
Kiwifruit is also called kiwi, and its earliest written record appears in the Classic of Poetry; it is a fruit tree with a long history of cultivation. China has a history of artificial cultivation of kiwifruit lasting more than a thousand years, with rich experience, so there is abundant theoretical and practical support for grafting techniques for kiwi trees. So do you know how to graft a kiwi tree?
1. Grafting time for kiwi trees
The best grafting time for kiwi trees is from mid-May to early June, and early May to early July is also fairly suitable. At this time, the average temperature is between 19°C and 23°C, and both temperature and moisture are just right, so the grafting survival rate is relatively high. During this time period, the grafted buds of the saplings sprout early, grow more, and the nursery stock matures more easily and is of better quality; if the grafting does not survive, there is still more time to graft again in time.
2. Rootstock seedlings and scions for kiwi trees
Choose robustly growing nursery stock as the rootstock. If converting a large tree to a good variety, carry out heavy renewal pruning of perennial branches. Leave 2 to 3 buds on 1-year-old branches and cut them back short, and remove overly dense and overly weak perennial branches and 1-year-old branches to reduce the number of branches and buds and promote growth. Use plants of a good variety adapted to the local environment as mother trees for collecting scions; the new shoots used as scions should be strong fruiting branches or vegetative branches with short internodes, thick petioles, and thick leaves. Using semi-lignified new shoots as scions gives a high survival rate and early sprouting. After cutting the scion new shoots, immediately remove the leaves, leaving petioles no longer than 0.5 cm, and it is best to graft immediately after collecting. If they will not be used for a short time or will be shipped out, soak the lower part of the scions in water or wrap them with a wet cloth, etc., to keep them moist.
3. Precautions after grafting kiwi trees
1. Remove rootstock sprouts
About 10 days after grafting, most scion buds swell and sprout, and the rootstock buds also begin to sprout. From this time until the Beginning of Autumn solar term, pay attention to frequently removing rootstock sprouts. Especially before the new leaves of the scions have 2 or 3 fully grown leaves, remove rootstock sprouts at least once every 7 days. When you see latent buds under the film swelling and turning green, use the back of a knife or a hard object such as a tree stick to press hard against the rootstock to destroy the sprouts; otherwise the new scion buds will stop growing or even die. Some trees will send up sprouts from the soil at the base of the rootstock trunk; when the sprouts are small they are not easy to find, so pay more attention and remove them promptly.
2. Watering
Do not water within 15 days before and after grafting kiwi, but if the soil is relatively dry or there is drought, it is best to water thoroughly once 15 days before grafting, and when the moisture has slightly dried, shallow hoe to cut the soil capillaries and reduce evaporation. In April and May, with high temperature and drought, and with air temperature, ground temperature, and water temperature stable, new shoots grow very quickly; it is best to water once every 15 days and apply fertilizer appropriately.