Kiwifruit Grafting: Best Time and Methods Explained
Kiwifruit is rich in nutrients and delicious in flavor. Many high-quality varieties are obtained through grafting, among which the Guichang kiwifruit was cultivated by grafting local wild kiwifruit and is praised as the “king of kings” for its superior quality. So when is the best time to graft kiwifruit? What grafting methods are there?
When is the best time to graft kiwifruit?
The best grafting period for kiwifruit is from June to July. Grafting too early or too late results in a lower survival rate.
Kiwifruit grafting methods
1. Bud grafting: This can be carried out from early June to early September. When bud grafting, select a vigorous seedling as the rootstock and use the “T” grafting method. First select a plump bud on the scion and cut it into a shield-shaped bud piece. Then make a “T” shape on the selected rootstock 5 cm above the ground, pry open the bark, insert the shield-shaped bud piece, and finally bind it tightly with plastic film strips, exposing the bud tip. If the bud piece is still green one month later, it means the xylem has connected together and the grafting was successful. At this time, cut off the upper part of the rootstock and strengthen fertilizer and water management. The new bud can sprout shoots that same year, and the following year it can become a commercial seedling.
2. Root bark grafting: Select branches from a vigorous, excellent one-year-old mother plant as the scion, taking them as you graft. First select a plump bud on the scion, make a horizontal cut above and below the bud, then make a vertical cut on the left and right sides, and then peel off the bud piece in a “” shape. In the same way, remove the root bark at the root of the rootstock in a “” shape, attach the scion bud, bind it well with plastic film, and expose the bud eye. Finally, cut off the upper part of the rootstock and plant them uniformly in the field. The following year they can become commercial seedlings.
3. Cut grafting: Select a scion with 2 buds and a thickness similar to the rootstock, cut off the upper part above the upper bud with a flat cut, and cut the lower part below the lower bud into a wedge shape. After flat-cutting the upper part of the rootstock root, split it open, align the cambium and insert the scion, tie it tightly with film, and plant it in the field. Because kiwifruit has fleshy roots, root grafting bonds easily and the survival rate is relatively high.
Management after grafting
After the grafted bud sprouts and the new leaves unfold, cut the rootstock at a point more than 10 cm above the graft union. Cutting the rootstock too early makes it easy for new shoots to sprout from the rootstock and affect the development of the grafted bud. For later grafting, you can wait until after sprouting the following spring to cut the rootstock. After the grafted bud sprouts and grows branches, support stakes should be set up and the branches tied to prevent breakage.