How to graft Prunus armeniaca

Method and time of grafting elmleaf plum

There are two methods for grafting Prunus armeniaca: bud grafting and branch grafting. Bud grafting is generally more popular.

Bud grafting is best done in mid-to-late August, and branch grafting should be done in spring from February to March.

Selection of materials for bud grafting of Prunus mume

The rootstock for bud grafting can be one-year-old Prunus armeniaca seedlings, or wild rose, peach, or mountain peach seedlings.

For grafting, you can choose to cut the plump leaf buds on the one-year-old branches of a good variety of Prunus mume that is healthy and free of diseases and pests.

Material selection for twig grafting of Prunus mume

The scion for branch grafting should be cut before the plant sprouts. The scion can also be cut in winter and stored in sand for use in spring.

Precautions for grafting elmleaf plum

If you want to graft and cultivate it into a small tree, you can perform high grafting on the main trunk of rootstocks such as wild apricot to raise the position of the crown.

After bud grafting in August in autumn, do not allow it to germinate in the same year. In the following spring, cut the rootstock 2 to 3 cm above the top of the grafted bud to allow the grafted bud to germinate and grow into branches.

Branch grafting is generally done by cut grafting or cleft grafting, which is carried out in early spring when the winter buds begin to swell in mid-to-late March. After grafting, add soil or use a plastic bag to cover the scion and the joint. It will take about 20 days for the graft to survive.

After the plants take root, remove the tiller buds on the rootstock in time. Later, as the temperature rises, you can gradually remove the plastic bags or dig up the soil.

Management of Prunus mume after grafting

After the successful grafting of the elmleaf plum, it is time to plant it. The planting time can be chosen from after the leaves fall in autumn to before the buds sprout in early spring.

If you want to transplant mature plants, you can do it between July and August of the previous year, and cut the roots on two or three sides to keep the root system intact. This will allow more fibrous roots to grow, which is beneficial to survival after planting.