forcing a chip-bud from dormancy

Discussion in 'Plant Propagation' started by biggam, Apr 16, 2009.

  1. biggam

    biggam Active Member

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    I've done a dormant-season chip-bud several times, and sometimes they grow that year, sometimes they stay dormant for a year. I wonder if and how it can be forced so that it grows the same year as budding it.
    For example, last year I budded five different varieties onto 5 rootstocks (2 buds on each.) One of the buds grew ('Goodland' apple) and the rest did not, however I'm sure several others took but stayed dormant. A similar situation occured two years ago, and I found several dormant chip-buds growing last year below some rabbit damage (they were below the snow-line when the rabbit visited.)
    I am thinking that I will prefer summer budding if I have to wait a year for most of my dormant chip-buds. Any suggestions or explanations?
     
  2. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Chip budding is more difficult than T-budding because it is more exacting. Unless the parts fit together closely, they will not unite. With care chip budding may be done successfully early in the spring or late in the summer, and nurserymen sometimes resort to it even in mid summer, if a drought has caused a shortage of sap in the wood. As in T-budding, the top of the plant (above the chip bud) is not cut off until the bud has united with the stock. In summer and fall grafting, the cutting off is done the following spring. In spring grafting, however, it is done about two weeks after budding, as long as the bud appears to be alive. Unwrap the bud at the same time. - Millet (1,374-)
     

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