I just grafted two persimmon trees today. I bought the rootstocks at Burnt Ridge many years ago and they needed years to grow up to be big enough. They were both American persimmons: a Yates I got from Daniel W (who I haven't heard much from on this list lately), and an H-118 Prairie Star I got from the late Jerry Lehman. My prairie star tastes great when it keeps the fruit, but it has lost its fruit both of the last two years due to heat and dryness. I'm experimenting with putting that variety into more shade and giving it more water. A guy on another list said he kept his very watered and it kept most of its fruit. Have the rest of you done any persimmon grafts yet?
John S
PDX OR
John, hello,
I just registered today. I planted one of each of four persimmon varieties in 2009 East of Kelso, WA at 450 ft elevation. Good sun exposure and acidic soil with medium/bad drainage. Have drip irrigation.
The Mead variety has never flowered. Tree is under 6 ft and looks still weak.
Jiro or Isuzu reverted to the rootstock at age 5 which seems American persimmon, has many small flowers no fruit.
Is there any variety that you would recommend that will produce fruit in my location and where could I get it?
My Hachiya has thirty plus flowers this year but the single fruit last year got rotted with the fall rains.
I am interested in learning how to graft to attempt to place Fuyu and Hachiya to the America root stock trees which are very strong. Are there courses given in the area and places where I can buy the materials needed?
Thanks for any tips.
Vicente
Welcome to the forum, kaki46,
It's hard to know exactly why in this circumstance. I would consider soil. Maybe your soil is lacking in the specific nutrient for flowering? I don't remember if it's potassium or phosphorus, maybe someone else can chime in. I have read that persimmons prefer alkaline soils, which may be why my biochar has helped some of mine so much. Have you ever done a soil test?
Maybe someone else will have other ideas.
John S
PDX OR
I have tested ph and basic elements N,P,K and pH but only with DIY kits.
I will consider soil lab testing (at OSU, I understand) after I better manage shading and watering on my persimmons.
Any information on grafting tech support, supplies, will be appreciated.
I will report the fruiting outcome for my Hachiya in the fall (fingers crossed!).
Vicente M.
Are those 14 year old watersprouts still pushing new growth? Can you start watering to get new growth initiated?
If you need help to figure out what summer tip dormancy looks like so I can figure out your materials and best options then see if it's possible to upload a picture or two.
The most recent grafts I have done were collected from summer dormant buds of branches of this seasons growth and done just 2 weeks ago. Now this late in July is kind of a judgement call and why I'm calling to look at your rootstock tree if, where, and when to proceed.
Mine look like these two pictures right now from buds swapped from one stone fruit type to another. You don't need to look if you can't find your donor tree. Essentially swapping buds does not need refrigeration such as what kinds of dormancy grafting John was mentioning. Budding also is easier to manage for some people with I think minimal training because it's not having to be cooled and I think is safer.
The two week old graft is this one
The other graft that's pushing into growth is 3 weeks old. Persimmons have the same slipping cambium layer seen in these grafts of wild cherry types.
Hi Vicente,
The Home ORchard Education Center in Oregon City, OR has classes on grafting.
They have a bud grafting class in a couple of weeks: https://www.homeorchardeducati.....shop-m8se7
Early ripening varieties of American persimmons should ripen easily there. Fuyu and Hachiya also should be ok, given how much more heat we've been getting recently.
For soil tests, I used Logan Labs in Ohio and was very happy with it. A and P in Portland also does good work, apparently.
Persimmons are a wonderful fruit to grow!
John S
PDX OR
Idyllwild
jafar
Marsha H
Viron
John S
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