A refined walnut tree often brings you your first harvest after just four years. Furthermore, the quality of the latter is usually better with a grafted walnut. And: A grafted tree is more resistant to pests and diseases. We present you a simple way to refine your walnut tree yourself.
How can I refine a walnut tree myself?
To refine a walnut tree yourself, shorten a two-year-old young tree to 15cm, cut off side shoots and plant it in a pot. After bud formation, cut a scion from the young tree and connect the cutting scars of the two shoots. Secure the connection and place the tree in a bright, warm location.
Instructions for refining the walnut tree
- Best time for grafting: December
- Required age of the tree: 2 years
Preparation
- Dig up the young tree including the roots from the ground.
- Short it to a length of about 15 centimeters.
- Cut off the side shoots.
- Plant the prepared tree in a pot filled with soil.
- Put a transparent plastic bag over the tree. This creates a humid and warm climate that promotes rapid bud formation.
- Place the pot in a bright room with a temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius.
- Water regularly to keep the soil constantly moist.
- The first buds will open after a good two to four weeks. The walnut tree is now ready for the actual refinement.
Refining
- Saw off a so-called scion (an approximately 50 centimeter long shoot from the crown that grew the previous year) from your young tree.
- Find a spot on the walnut that is the thickness of the scion.
- Cut the shoot at this point diagonally, at a 30 degree angle. Make sure to create a cutting scar of around five to seven centimeters.
- Then shorten the scion to a length of about ten centimeters, also at a 30 degree angle.
- Place the cutting scars of the two shoots directly on top of each other.
- Stabilize the whole thing with an elastic band or rope.
- Seal the connection with warm liquid wax (€17.00 at Amazon).
- Place the refined walnut tree back in the bright, warm place where it was before.
- Check the tree regularly. You should immediately cut off any shoots below the grafting point.
- After two to three months, as soon as the first leaves sprout, you can remove the plastic bag.
Graduation
- Leave the pot with the refined walnut in the greenhouse until mid-March or place it in a semi-shady place in the garden. Please note, however, that in the case of the second variant, your walnut always has to go into the house at night for frost protection reasons.
- As soon as you no longer have to worry about ground frost, you can plant the refined walnut tree in the garden.
