Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
whaas_5a

How old is a one year graft?

whaas_5a
10 years ago

I was under the impression a plant that is grafted in late winter is considered a 1 year graft the following winter/spring.

One source said if its grafted in late winter and pushes growth that spring its a 1 year graft.

Which is it?

Comments (11)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    why dont you rephrase it this way..

    it has its first flush ... the spring after grafting ...

    after flush.. it will have its first year growth ....

    and that second spring.. it will flush out its second years growth ...

    do we really care.. the age of the wood union... isnt it all about the new growth????

    now i am more confused than when i started.. lol ...

    why is this important???

    ken

  • whaas_5a
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It has to do with root establishment. I hear what you are saying about the flush but I'm curious what the industry considers a 1 year graft.

    For example if I buy a 1 year graft am I getting a plant that was grafted late winter and since it flushes its a 1 year graft or is it a 1 year graft once its actually 1 year old.

  • j0nd03
    10 years ago

    Interesting question, whaas. The cedars I purchase from kigi nursery this spring as 1 year grafts began their second growing season since being grafted this year. So they had been grafted for at least 1 year and were labeled 1 year grafts. I would like to think most retailers would like see if the grafts take before selling them, which would mean keeping them at least a year.

    John

  • arktrees
    10 years ago

    The two dwarf Ginkgo I bought last fall were "1 year Grafts) that were basically leafless when I got them. It was possible to tell that both of them had been grafted before the growing season began. So Winter/Spring 2012, and I received them Fall 2012. this was what I expected. I have also gotten 1 year grafts of Japanese Maples in late winter, and those had also been grafted before the start of the previous growing season. So to me, one year graft means, they have had one growing season since grafting, but actual time could be 7-8 months.

    Arktrees

  • hortster
    10 years ago

    I dug through the American Standard for Nursery Stock and couldn't find a precise definition with a quick scan. I agree with arktrees. It only makes sense that a graft is a year old only after one full growing season. How about one growing season and a one winter dormancy?
    hortster

  • famartin
    10 years ago

    Well, I can see a "1 year graft" referring to a graft which is in the middle of its first year. Do we ever hear of a "0 year graft"?

  • bobfincham
    10 years ago

    You have to ask the nursery to define what they mean by a one year graft since there are different opinions among nursery propagators.

    I consider a one year graft to be a year old. It has gone through a winter after being grafted. Some nurseries say that after it pushes in the greenhouse and is moved outside it is then a one year graft since the scion has the new year's growth on it. That means they never use the term "fresh graft" or "new graft" when listing plants for sale. I figure it is just a money making thing and puts my definition at a disadvantage when marketing product since they can sell product for less money without admitting it is inferior.

    Bob

  • whaas_5a
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the info everyone!

    As expected looks like there are varying definitions.

    Of all the mail order plants I've received from conifer nurseries the plants have typically been 1 year old or if they were grafted in winter wouldn't be sold until Fall at the earliest.

    Recently I purchased a 1 year graft deciduous tree and was surprised to get a plant that was grafted this past winter. So it was potentially only 5 month old...didn't seem right.

  • arktrees
    10 years ago

    WOW, still early in the first growing season after grafting, and they are shipping it out before the graft has fully taken or put down even minimal wood to support the graft? Think I would be on the phone in a not so happy manner. Any hints as to who sent you such crap?

    Arktrees

  • maple_grove_gw
    10 years ago

    The title of this thread sounds like a trick question of some sort...such as, what's the volume of a 1 gallon pot?

    I would think that a fresh graft from 5 mos. ago would be too fragile for shipment. Even if shipped succesfully, odds of survival ~50%. I also have to wonder, on what basis is this plant listed in a catalog or website...the nursery doesn't really know for sure that the plant they're listing will exist in the spring. Seems it was something of a prophetic listing.

    All that said, how does it look? What species (and if applicable cultivar?) Was the price low enough to compensate?

    Alex

  • whaas_5a
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Don't want to knock the nursery as I've never purchased from them before so it could be a fluke.

    They plan to send a replacment, but in fall. And yes it croaked, lol.

    It was a Slender Silloutte Sweetgum. With root it was 12" tall.