A Few Notes on My Apple Grafting Plans, 2026 Edition
Grafting season is almost upon us, and this year I’m planning to graft no fewer than forty eight new apple trees.
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A Late Spring Update on This Year’s Grafted Apple Trees
Sixteen of the twenty-four new apple trees that I grafted back in March are showing signs of life, despite the scorching sunshine.
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How To: Z-Graft New Apple Trees
This is my favourite method for grafting apple trees, one that I’ve found to be easier, safer and perhaps slightly more reliable than whip-and-tongue.
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Benjamin Whitmill (the Elder) on “Gathering Cyons”
Here’s some eighteenth century advice on the best time to collect pear and plum scions and how to store them before grafting.
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How To: Top-Graft a ‘Family’ Apple Tree
Here’s how I went about creating a ‘family’ apple tree of six varieties, using the rind grafting technique.
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How NOT to Graft a ‘Family’ Apple Tree (#EpicFail)
The best laid plans of orchardists also gang aft a-gley, especially if you don’t think your clever ideas through properly…
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Amelia Simmons, on Grafting a ‘Family Tree’
Words of wisdom here on how to keep youngsters out of mischief by teaching them the art of apple tree grafting.
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Time to Check Grafted Trees for Rootstock Regrowth
As leaves start to grow on your top-fruit trees it’s a good time to check your grafted plants for unwanted rootstock bud-break.
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Arnold’s Chronicle on Greffing Family Trees
Another 16th century mention for multiple-variety fruit tree grafting suggests it was quite a common practice for the time.
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Brossard (Mascall), on Graffyng Family Trees
As this 16th century quotation shows, the concept of the multi-variety ‘family’ fruit tree is not a new one.
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Growing a ‘Family’ Apple Tree – Episode 1
I’ve been meaning to graft up a multi-variety apple tree for a while; here’s my first attempt.
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Fruit Tree Grafting Advice From the Experts
If you’re looking for expert advice on grafting apple and pear trees, look no further.
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John Evelyn, on the Variability of Kernels
Another good example of the almost scientific level of knowledge in C17th pomology.
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John Worlidge, on Grafting for Fun and Profit
In the 18th century pomologists knew that only grafted trees came true to type, without knowing exactly why…
