The Best Time and Method for Grafting Peach Trees Explained in Detail
Peach trees are widely cultivated in China and are one of the country's important economic fruit trees, and peaches are also a fruit we love, generally coming to market in spring and summer and much loved by people. When growing peach trees, grafting is the main method, so when is the best time to graft peach trees? And how should you graft them? Come and take a look with the editor at the time and method for grafting peach trees.
1. Grafting Time
Peach tree planting can be divided into spring planting and autumn planting, among which spring planting is generally carried out after the soil thaws and before budding, which helps the seedlings recover and does not cause frost damage to the seedling roots; autumn planting is generally carried out after leaf fall in autumn and before the soil freezes, which helps early budding in spring. The best grafting time is in mid-March in spring, followed by early to mid-September in autumn; too early causes gumming, while too late gives a low survival rate. In production, more farmers prefer to graft in spring and summer; spring is generally between February and April, while summer is between May and August, and the survival rates are relatively high.
2. Selection of Rootstock and Scion
For the rootstock, choose a wild peach seedling that grows vigorously, is free of pests and diseases, and has a sturdy stem of more than 0.5 cm, as it has the trait of fast growth and grows extremely quickly after grafting. For the scion, choose new shoots from a fine peach variety that has grown for more than 3 years, requiring the shoot surface to be smooth and tender, vigorous in growth, free of pests and diseases, with plump flower buds and consistent stem thickness. This helps the cambium layers join during grafting and improves the survival rate.
3. Grafting Method
Prepare grafting tools, plastic tying strips, a knife, and so on. There are many grafting methods in production, and the commonly used one is bud grafting. Select a bud eye on the rootstock, use a knife to make a ring cut 1 cm above and below it, with the depth reaching the xylem, then peel off the bark together with the bud eye. Then use the same method on the scion to cut a bud of the same size, align it and press it into the spot where the bud was peeled off, fit it tightly, and then tie it firmly with a plastic tying strip.
4. Management After Grafting
After grafting, check once every 7-10 days, and promptly remove the bud eyes on the rootstock so that nutrients are concentrated and the grafted buds grow vigorously. In addition, after the wound at the grafted site heals, the plastic tying strip can be removed to avoid constriction injury. After the graft survives, the plant grows vigorously and has a high fertilizer demand, so fertilize in time, mainly with nitrogen fertilizer, and foliar fertilizer can also be sprayed to promote rapid plant growth.
The above is an introduction to the time and method for grafting peach trees. We hope it helps you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.