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ISU Extension Offers Grafting Workshop

Posted: June 30, 2010

CALMAR - Grafting or splicing together two different plants is sometimes the only way to produce a particular variety of fruit and is common in the nursery industry. Grafting is a beneficial skill for orchardists as well as home gardeners.  

If the specific variety of fruit you want does not grow from a seed, then grafting is the solution. Don’t have room for a pollinator tree? Bud graft a pollinator variety onto one of the branches.  Have an old tree you’d like to save? Bud it onto another tree.  

Iowa State University Extension is hosting a grafting workshop on July 12 to show people how to graft a fruit tree.  Bob Hauer, ISU Extension horticulturist, will demonstrate several grafting techniques that can be used while trees are dormant. He will also demonstrate a T-bud graft that can be done during the summer.  

The hands-on workshop will be held at the NE Iowa Dairy Foundation Center in Calmar on July 12 from 7:00-8:30 pm.  Dwarfing apple rootstocks will available. The Bud 9 rootstocks keep the tree about one-third size of a standard tree and yet have full-sizes apples. The trees need be staked for the life of the tree. No special tools are needed for the workshop and all supplies will be provided.

Pre-register for the workshop by calling the Winneshiek County Extension office at 563-568-6345.  Online registration is also available at www.extension.iastate.edu/winneshiek.  The workshop costs $5 plus $5 for each rootstock. Registration deadline is July 9 and is limited to 20 participants.