
I got a Diospyros virginiana (American persimmon) root stock crafted with a chocolate persimmon scion on March 19 at the fruit propagation fair in Canby. After planting it two months, the root stock is budding but the scion is not. What should I do? Nix the root stock bud and wait. Or let the root stock grow and I'd graft again next year after it establishes.

I’d allow the rootstock shoot to grow.. If any (assuming there’s more than 2 or 3 Chocolate buds) of the grafted scion buds begin to break and leaf - I’d immediately prune the root shoot back to 2 or 3 sets of leaves, removing it’s terminal bud and top growth.
Persimmons grafted while dormant are extremely slow to emerge … I once assumed 3 I’d grafted had died ..until some time in mid-July when they all broke buds and grew ..into strong productive trees (Jiro’s).
I’ve 3 massive pots sitting 8 feet from me right now, all whip & tongue grafted the same time as yours (only 3K away, by me), Am. pers. to (better) American persimmons: Two show no sign of bud break (stock or scions); one has both it’s 2 scion buds open - while two rootstock shoots ‘just’ got their terminal leads removed, to force all energy to the grafted emerging buds up top, and allow the root shoots to produce a limited amount of energy…
The rare but special times I’d graft persimmon at the HOS event I’d warn their owners to ‘be patient,’ if the graft was clean & tight, it should only take time ~

First, I agree with John’s recommendation to keep up on watering.
Second, as it’s a week later - of my 3 newly grafted persimmons, the first to leaf out has two - 5 inch lengths of scion growth, I'll tip-pinch one soon... The two (pinched) leafed rootstock buds are simply feeding into the union, and not ‘their own growth.’
Of my 2 remaining grafts, a second has opening buds … while the third is still tight… Fingers crossed, but it can take time

I’d tip-pinch two of the three rootstock shoots then stake & protect the strongest. You want to send the bulk of the energy into one ‘trunk.’ I’m not sure if ‘Budding’ will be an option (in two months) with such new & tender growth, but I'd make another graft attempt if this one doesn't kick in…
I’ve unwrapped the dissolving grafting bands on my 3 persimmons; 2 have calloused over and are growing well, a 3rd shows no callusing or shoots from it’s rootstock … which leads me to believe, so far, the rootstock was bad ..as the graft was clean & tight…
I do not consider whip & tongue dormant grafting the best way to propagate persimmons. Budding, as with most ‘whip’ fruit trees, is best.. You may look into that for the following season (over a year from now, Aug. of 2019), as I’m sure you can do better than fruit from the rootstock. The HOS Arboretum may have ‘Bud wood’ available; procuring the source wood is often what makes Budding most difficult.

My 1-year-old persimmon tree budded from root stock is about 10 inches tall now. A few weeks ago the top terminal bud was burned by animal urine and turned dark. Its growth was stopped. An axillary bud started to emerge. The terminal bud recovers and grows again. The axillary bud is slightly lower than the terminal bud. Do I leave them alone or should I pinch the axillary bud?
Your last question is a matter of "pruning advice" about the way you want the tree to grow.
I am a little bit thinking your lucky to get the graft take. Even though I have not tried persimmon I have listened to advice from two others with lots of experience...
Jerry L. (persimmon farmer) wrote:
"Persimmons are very easy to graft. I find it best after about 1 inch of new growth is on the understock when the bark is well into the slip. Almost as easy as malus."
The advice from the other person (Alex) is very similar to the above and actually includes a group of other fruiting types such as pawpaws. For that go to my 2nd-3rd paragraph from the post about 2 months ago.
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