This will be my first scion exchange, and I'm wondering what will be available aside from newly-grafted trees. More specifically, I'm looking for blueberries, maybe lingonberries, maybe another low-growing berry as well. I'm also planning to go to the Yard, Garden and Patio show in Portland next weekend.
Should I wait for the HOS event to buy my plants, or is anything like that even available? My husband wants some grape vines (though we may start with cuttings from a neighbor's highly productive Concords); will we be likely to find any at the Scion Exchange / Fruit Propagation Fair?
Robin,
I have never seen blueberries or lingonberries available there. You should see some grape varieties, hundreds of apple and pear, some exotics like kiwi, fig, quince. Mostly it is a scion exchange, so you can bring in the prunings of your trees to donate and receive free scions to graft onto your trees to improve variety, flavor, pollination, or disease resistance. There are some cuttings that you can stick in the ground that will grow into plants. I have done that with some of the kiwis, grapes and figs, but they don't really give away plants with roots, just cuttings/scions. There will be plants that you can purchase there, but they are typically not free with entry.
There are also speakers this time, and a chance to talk with some real expert experienced gardeners who know how all this stuff works.
John S
PDX OR
Robin; what I’ve noticed at the annual ‘scion exchange’ has been donated plants randomly arriving from various sources. I can think of a couple of members that may get some advance notice of larger donations, but I think most are like me; we just haul in our extra plants and goodies the day of the event!
It would probably not serve you well to pass up anything you really want for the slight possibility it may ‘show up’ at the scion exchange… But as the event gets closer, maybe those in-the-know might inform us all (right here) of what they’ve been told to expect? But as Steven mentioned – there are some great deals!
And, grapes start well from cuttings, and they generally grow fast! I’d suggest grabbing at least a couple cuttings of any variety you want. Concords are great, I grew up with them, but they’re thick-skinned and loaded with large seeds. You may consider some seedless varieties too ... and seedless grapes generally ripen sooner -- so some of both 
Robin, are there specific blueberry varieties you are looking for? I'm going to have to dig up my half dozen bushes (to build frames near the property line on which to espalier last year's apple grafts), and there's at least one young one that shouldn't suffer too much from being removed. And no, I still haven't drawn a map so I don't remember the cultivar. Probably something supremely unexciting like an Earliblue.
If you're interested, let me know, because I'd be willing to bring it to the scion exchange.
Not interested (my lot is less than 5,000 sf, and I have 2 oaks that will be monsters, 2 apples on M111 that will be very large, and I have to make espalier homes for another 6 dwarf apples) - I truly have no room.
I will do my very best to remember to dig it up shortly before the scion exchange. If I dig it, I shouldn't forget to bring it... I'll be volunteering there that day, from the start until I don't know when, so I'll definitely be around.
mh
I'd send you a note privately if I could, but apparently I can't. I dug up the Earilblue I promised, and will (I will I will I will) bring it on Saturday. Any good ideas how it and I will find you, or you will locate it? Write me off list at [email:1dxn1qon]machiya@agora.rdrop.com[/email:1dxn1qon].
The bush, by the way, is about to pop. Huge green growth buds, but it will probably spend this year recovering from shock.
mh
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