Air layer grafted branch

[DianaNE]

Last year I grafted several varieties on to Olympian rootstock. This spring i want to air layer these branches. Where to put the air layer? Above or below the graft site? Pros and cons?

 

[JC Figgy]

You want to support them and airlayer above the graft. This way all branches and trunks will be true to variety. If you graft below the graft you will have some of the rootstock nodes which may sprout a trunk from under the soil line one day.

 

[Kompakfigs]

I thought the purpose of grafting is to put a slow growing variety on a rigorous rootstock. Would air layering just the scion defeat that purpose.

 

[JC Figgy]

I thought the purpose of grafting is to put a slow growing variety on a rigorous rootstock. Would air layering just the scion defeat that purpose.

Sometimes grafting is just because it can be high percentage vs rooting a cutting. Then you want to AL it off so it can be its own tree.

 

[Rojo]

All our in ground trees froze to the ground 14 miles from the Gulf. 85 degree days for 3 weeks then a freeze kills the part of the tree out of the ground. True to variety roots is the only way for us to grow lately.

 

[julie]

Air layer above the graft otherwise you may have the grafted variety send up new shoots from the ground once you repot the established air layer.

 

[Figgerlickinggood]

All our in ground trees froze to the ground 14 miles from the Gulf. 85 degree days for 3 weeks then a freeze kills the part of the tree out of the ground. True to variety roots is the only way for us to grow lately.

What happened to you is why I don’t do grafting.

 

[Rojo]

What happened to you is why I don’t do grafting.

I graft Pears, Persimmons, Pecans, Apples, and Citrus. Air layering almost everything else. I'm discovering ways to Air Layer Plums, Plurreys, Peaches, etc to get them on their own roots.