I asked some guys in Seattle a few years back, "When do you slice open your grafts on the ones that succeeded, so that they can really grow well?" They said July 4th. What do you think?
I've tried that and it seems ok. I have actually damaged grafts by cutting through the rubber band and glue. Be careful. Do you have a different date?
John S
PDX OR
Are you talking about dormant grafts on apple in a particular location?
Just throwing out a general date doesn't make any sense to me.
I try to relieve the tension before the union gets girdled. Sometimes I do nothing until the following year. I've occasionally left it on so long that the area is locally necked down a little bit with no obvious long term problem.
Yes Jafar,
I'm typically thinking about whip and tongue grafts or others done with dormant scions in the middle of the green rush in spring.
I like how you talk about the tension. If there's no tension in the new graft, you don't have to hurry. Maybe wait until dormant season.
If it's girdling, you might want to get on that.
I guess having a date doesn't really make that much sense.
Good point.
John S
PDX OR
Wow. That's some perspective! I do like your idea that it's the pressure that you're trying to ease, not a particular date that you're trying to check.
Many people, including myself, have damaged or destroyed the graft when they didn't need to. If the tree is still growing rapidly and doesn't need to be opened, I agree that it's better to wait until a time of less pressure.
I would say that if we are going into fall, and I haven't opened them, I would probably open every one, just so I don't forget and have them restrict the tree later.
John S
PDX OR
I generally remove the graft wrappings, when the scion is about a foot long. I have forgotten a few until the next Spring. They werechighly restricted / girdled but after I removed the band, they recovered and grew rapidly.
Also, my wrappings are clear. I can see if there is good callous forming, before I cut off the wrapping.
Idyllwild
simplepress
jafar
Marsha H
Viron
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