Rare and old fruit tree varieties often do not grow properly or hardly produce any fruit. Various refinement techniques have proven to be helpful in maintaining these varieties. One of these is goat's foot refinement.
How to cultivate rare fruit tree varieties?
Goat's foot grafting is a method for cultivating rare fruit tree varieties: cut he althy scions, store them in the refrigerator, graft them to the side of the trunk/branch in spring, tie them up and close the interface with ecological wound protection.
When and how to cut?
You need a scion of the variety that you want to cultivate on a fruit tree. These 30 to 40 centimeter long and pencil-thick shoots are cut on a frost-free day during winter dormancy. It is important that the branches are at least one year old and have no diseases. Ideally, cut off the young shoots directly in the crown area from the south side and store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator until grafting. The latest time to cut scions is April.
Goatsfoot refinement
This method is suitable for cases where the cut branch does not have the same circumference as the base. The grafting takes place on the side of a trunk or branch. The eye of the shoot faces outwards and the cut surface lies against the wood so that the young shoot receives important nutrients. The ideal time for grafting fruit trees is shortly before the start of the new growing season.
Procedure
Choose a suitable branch onto which the scion will later be grafted. Saw this from both sides so that the bark does not come off when it is broken off. Untidy breaks can be corrected with a saw or knife. Then select the location where you want the new variety to grow. Prepare the young shoot by cutting it diagonally just below one eye to a length of three to four centimeters. Make sure the cut is smooth and do not touch the wound.
Grafting scions:
- Score the finishing area so that a five centimeter long slit is created
- Carefully lift the bark with a teaspoon handle
- Push the slanted end of the scraper under the bark of the base
- Short the branch to two to three eyes
Aftercare
Tie the young branch firmly to the base with a grafting tape. A watered natural raffia has the same function. Close the interface on the tree with an ecological wound protection (€14.00 on Amazon) to protect it from invading bacteria and fungi.
