Easy Summer Chip Bud Grafting W/ Mark Albert, Fruit Tree Graft Demonstration

[@SkillCult]

I'm sad to say that Mark Albert is no longer with us. He died in Early 2023 of unknown illness. To me and many others, he was a friend, mentor and colleague. His contributions to the plant community, especially the fruit enthusiast community, was very significant. He was largely responsible for setting me on the path I'm on with fruit growing, partly through his work organizing the local scion exchange and teaching grafting. All the people I've inspired or taught grafting to, are largely due to the positive ripples that Mark made in the world. I personally miss him quite a lot as we communicated regularly and I'm always thinking of things I want to ask him or tell him. I never got to give him the new cactus selections that I grew from seed he gave me, or feed him very many of the new apples I've grown from seed. He was a very active and generous man though, and he left a wake of good works behind him. 'So Bon Voyage to a remarkable man whos works live on through many others. I'm glad we pulled off the two videos I shot with him, but I sure wish we had shot the others I was hoping to do. At least we have these though. Life is short folks and the clock is always ticking. What kind of ripples can you set out into the world from the people that inspire you and affect your life?

[@michaelmartin1552]

This is a terrible loss. Steven do you know if anyone will be carrying on his feijoa collection? AFAIK there is no one that has done more to help develop this worthwhile fruit than Mark Albert. Truly an inspirational human being.

[@AnnaM0906]

This humble man was phenomenal. He was willing to share his vast knowledge and experience and the precious, irreplaceable gift of his time with you, and then on to us. My sincere condolences to his family, and to you for the loss of your friend. May God bless his soul.

[@SkillCult]

I remember a conversation with Mark about how learning all the stuff we knew was pointless if we weren't sharing it. We had that in common, that mission to disseminate information. i was in his barn last night and ran into some old mendocino permaculture periodicals. He used to write a lot of that stuff and had a column in the local paper about growing fruit and gardening. I wish I had gotten around to making more videos with him, but at least we have the couple that I did.

[@rubygray7749]

Another KZbinrversity edumacational treat from Mr SkillCult!

[@jamesacree9685]

Best instructional video on budding that I seen, so far. Thank you !

[@SkillCult]

thanks, and you're welcome. I'll pass that on to Mark.

[@anthonybildhauser6412]

Fantastic video! Very detailed but understandable and easy to follow. Best video I've found on chip bud grafting as well! Very grateful, thank you!

[@donaloc32]

Great video! He's a very interesting guy and generous with his knowledge. Always look forward to your latest video. Thanks

[@selfsufficientnic7112]

I'm working my way through your videos, and loving the content. Thanks for sharing so much information. Mark's garden is great. Good day out by the look of things.

[@annpeschges5627]

Thank you for this video!

[@Will_Spence]

Interesting stuff. I usually grow my root stock on for a couple of years then rind graft. But this summer I'm going to attempt chip grafting. Root stock is a year older than bud wood so it will be a bit of an experiment with a very shallow cut into the roots. Apple usually calluses like mad though so hopefully it works. Otherwise I will just rind graft in winter as usual.

[@SkillCult]

Yes, exactly, noting really lost by trying.

[@GraftingTactick]

What a great technique, thanks guys for sharing ❤👌

[@tomquintero7583]

Very cool video, thanks for sharing!

[@MrChickadee]

Awesome video, I will be trying this in July. One question, I see this is often used for adding scions to rootstock, would it also work well to add multiple varieties/cultivars to a larger tree? If so what considerations if any would apply?

[@babichevi7950]

Ross Raddi has a video demonstrating bud grafting and yes, used multiple varieties even on the same branch.

[@BasBleu02]

Wow! If I screw up a grafting project it seems inevitably to be because I had to wait and then missed the right moment. That there is any form of instant gratification in the world of grafting is amazing. I'll try this new skill for sure. Thanks!

[@SkillCult]

Yeah, it is surpisingly fast. When I checked mine, they had healed far beyond my expectation in a very short time.

[@sidneyeaston6927]

Great demonstration video. I have used bud grafts to put branches on young trees and get the scaffold set to where I want it and not where the tree puts it, this takes time to happen but makes for a more even tree. once the buds have set wedges can be tied to the tree to force the buds to grow at the desired angle from the main stem keeping the crotch open to improve the weight bearing ability then canes are tied to the branch to make it grow straight out at the desired angle to form the picture book lolly pop apple tree. the same principal was used to form ornamental weeping willow trees into the perfect weeping mushroom shape.

[@SkillCult]

I've used chip budding to add a scaffold branch before. Check out some of my tree training vids. I like the control the techniques I'm using now usually give me.

[@BlessedBaubles]

What a great! Very interesting guy Mark is. Loved seeing some of his plants! Hopefully you’ll have more of that. :)

[@SkillCult]

Hopefully we will visit mark again. Lots to talk about at his place.

[@chlouis4487]

Merci beaucoup pour ces précieuses explications . Vous êtes super .

[@georgekubrick3134]

This rabbit hole is deep.

[@SkillCult]

It can be.

[@flatpicknrick6514]

Absolutely amazing guys

[@marko176schneider5]

Super Video.Danke!

[@karle.6101]

This is very interesting info. Nicely presented. Now, I've got to go dig through some old boxes, I swear I have a roll of that film. We used it for masking for model painting many years ago.

[@ajones8699]

Excellent excellent video guys, hairs looking good too, suits you.

[@SkillCult]

Thank you

[@rahila1365]

than you for the useful video. What is the spay?

[@SkillCult]

I think it was just water to keep things from drying out.

[@kaxiaz]

Besides all teh amazing stuff i loved the S.Pedrito

[@SkillCult]

Yeah, those are amazing. One of mine is flowering this year!

[@olsonlr]

Can you successfully chip bud persimmons in the winter too?

[@SkillCult]

I don't know. I'm no good at grafting persimmons. I think they graft more easily when growing a little bit.

[@KlausBioMadsen]

Thanks for the video. How come you're spraying the bud and the cut with water? I've always been taught that causes the graft to fail, and that one is supposed to protect the graft from water.

[@SkillCult]

opinions vary on that. I've heard of guys putting them in their mouths, others say any moisture is bad. a lot of what passes for knowledge in the world is really just rumor. I'd take any grafting dogmas with a grain of salt. not saying it's better or worse, just that there is no concensus.

[@gabeolson-jensen8676]

I like to wait until the next spring because the tree at this point is saving energy for the next year.

[@SkillCult]

Thanks for weighing in. I think his logic might be that if you can force some growth in year one, you know you have a take and it will likely be good to go next year, v.s. maybe worrying that a single dormant bud might not survive until then. The one I did last year grew only a couple inches in late summer, but it's quite vigorous and healthy now.

[@gabeolson-jensen8676]

SkillCult- Ya I think for stone fruits like peach, tart cherry and sweet cherrys it is a great way to go but once you get into apples there a lot easier to t-bud and chip bud. So you can take that risk. You should do a video on T - Budding apples.

[@ericpitar]

For plum and persimmon, how long do you wait til you cut the top of the stock?

[@SkillCult]

It depends. If you think it will grow that year, as soon as the graft is healed. If you are not going to force the bud til the following year, you could wait till late winter or early spring. Just make sure the graft healed and the bud looks alive

[@ArifKhan-ln7ne]

The bud you full covered ' is this not will be problem in growing?

[@SkillCult]

No, not with that wrapping material. It is very weak Most wrappings, the bud has to be left exposed, but parafilm lets you wrap the whole thing. That is one reason he likes it.

[@vassilischr]

Is spraying the scion bud and the cut with water beneficial? I thought water should be avoided there because the graft may rot.

[@SkillCult]

opinions vary on that. I don't usually do that, but I have. i've also used peroxide.

[@jaremygolightly3279]

Is it a good idea to bud the scion wood into the rootstock, and delay removing the upper portion of the rootstock until the winter or following spring?

[@SkillCult]

he didn't say it in the video, but he told me that with some species (like peach) the bud won't always survive the winter. Other times, I think it is standard to wait. He was saying that Alex Souchon buds walnuts with patch butdding, but cuts it the following spring. So, it may depend on the species and climate. He's speaking from experience here mostly.

[@joecrocco5501]

i want to add chips on the "trunk" but do not want to cut off top. just adding varieties frankentree style. i am thinking i would notch above chip. any thoughts?

[@nexxogen]

What loquat variety is that with fruits in late July??

[@olsonlr]

I've heard some people say that if you leave the old leaf petiole exposed you can tell if the chips too or not. Dried up petiole is a dead chip I think. If it falls off nicely it took?

[@SkillCult]

cool idea, thanks.

[@BillyBobBrookTrout]

Super video, thanks! Would this be the same for apple tree bud grafting?

[@SkillCult]

I haven't done that, but it should work fine.

[@ericpitar]

For persimmons, can you use a brown bud to a green stem (current years growth) on the rootstock?

[@SkillCult]

I wouldn't know how to choose a persimmon bud, but otherwise, I suspect it would be fine. If not, you can always grow the stock back, or try another bud lower down.

[@AlexKoehler]

So helpful! Thank's one more time!!!!

[@prattsgreenhousefarm9473]

Very useful information. Thanks for sharing!

[@SkillCult]

You're welcome :)

[@GFD472]

Great info......Thanks! Persian cucumber.....I'll remember that one.

[@SkillCult]

That melon is a real performer too and very good. Haogen

[@shunt0shunt016]

thankyou. you mentioned this is for any fruit tree, was that in terms of stone fruits like what you were doing? or any fruit tree from literaly anything, citrus, avocado, mango, sapote? or what about things like blue berries? thankyou for your time :)

[@SkillCult]

I've not used it a lot myself. Mark said anything unqualified, he may mean it.

[@shunt0shunt016]

@@SkillCult thanks for the reply. ill definitely have a try if i get the opportunity, its a nice looking bit of work.

[@MarkSmith-nr3dy]

Are fresh wood stalks for chip bud grafting available online? Do you sell any? Search term?

[@SkillCult]

Some sell and trade them, but they are not common. I don't sell any. They are more perishable than dormant wood, so they are not as common.

[@alecschwarz]

I'd love to see more of marks garden.

[@SkillCult]

Noted. I'd like to do just a walk around tour and maybe talk with him about gardening techniques.

[@pedrogonzalesgonzales5097]

The expert says he prefers Parafilm M because it’s thinner. But he puts several layers over the bud. If not using parafilm M would a single layer allow the bud to burst through?

[@williambuckley6128]

Can you put a chip on each side of the root stock?

[@SkillCult]

You certainly could if you had a reason to.

[@kenhurley2361]

Can more than one chip bud be done on a tree at the same time ?

[@SkillCult]

Yes

[@nicosgeo]

It’s best to leave long defoliated stem at cutting time to tie the fresh shoot. You can cut it above budding area next year when you have stronger wood. Great work thank you.

[@SkillCult]

You mean long above the bud, or both above and below? Thanks.

[@nicosgeo]

a straight piece of rootstock cut 30-40 cm above the budding. We ll tie the tender shoot from the budding. This way its safe from the wind or birds. In a year or two we prune off the rootstock and keep the fresh shot.

[@RdBTuinieren]

In wHat zone dous Mark live? im in Zone & and when u get green growth with pear after july its possible its to week to servive winter. so then better to cut above the chip in spring?

[@SkillCult]

He says that the buds will sometimes not survive till spring for some reason. He's zone 9a. Winter hardiness is not really a problem as far as hardening growth off really well.

[@socutebracelets]

Your videos are so informative. I have a question. Could I use this technique to add a new scaffold branch to a peach tree? Due to [nebulous reasons] I ended up with a peach tree that has only two scaffold branches. It’s a few years old, maybe 1.5” diameter trunk. I tried notching a few places to hope to force a third branch, but I’ve read that this often isn’t very successful with peach trees. I’m not looking to change variety, just balance it out for aesthetics.

[@SkillCult]

You might as well try it. I think though with that diameter, you might be better off with a regular shield type bud slipped under the bark. You can look up shield budding or T budding if you want to try it. If you can manage to get a chip bud to work on that large a trunk, go for, it but I think you might not. I've had trouble encouraging dormant buds to grow on peach and nectarine. I had one ravaged by deer and pretty much had to start over, because no dormant buds volunteered to grow back.

[@socutebracelets]

@@SkillCult Thanks for the fast reply. Horribly, this is the result of my error, not a deer. At least the tree was free from a friend who needed to relocate it.

[@SkillCult]

@@socutebracelets aww, that's not so horrible. There are more trees where that one came from. Peaches grow fast. You can plant a seed now and bud onto it by late summer. good luck :)

[@socutebracelets]

@@SkillCult Yeah, now that I look at it today, I think that the side limbs of the existing scaffold branches will fill in the space nicely and it’ll be JUST FINE. 😂 I second guess my gardening ventures all the time. The pruning could have been better, but the tree isn’t ruined (yet....)

[@socutebracelets]

It’s rare for them to live more than 5-10 years in my zone 4 area anyway, so 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@kalwongkl]

Is there any requirement for the bud scion from a tree of a particular age? I've heard that scion wood from a fruit tree that flowered and fruited for a few years is preferred. Sad to hear Mark is up there now looking down on his trees he has inspired.

[@SkillCult]

I've heard that as well, but I am not sure how true it actually is or in what context. I can say that new seedlings tha have not fruited would usually take longer to actually mature and fruit. Otherwise, I would personally not worry about it overly much and just use one from a fruiting tree if you can get it.

[@justinabraham874]

Can you place the chip on an internode of the stock? Or does it have to be where a node was?

[@SkillCult]

Yeah, anywhere it fits well is fine.

[@Boz1211111]

Omg i love these you can do right away things im going to try my first graft right away doubt it will be sucess but worth to try.. ill try grafting peach on peach but different variety

[@SkillCult]

You might be surprised. This type of grafting is very easy if you can get the bud to shoot afterward.

[@brianwilson6669]

Gday mate, Where do you get your boxes of parafilm from? Like what store did you get them from and address so I can buy some, or if you can buy and i buy them off you, I want to buy some and when i buy it in Au you can only get these poxy cotton roll size rolls. I would love to get some boxes you use, maybe 10 of them ir a carton of boxes.

[@SkillCult]

I've only used one roll ever, bought off of amazon. I had some strips someone sent me too, but I don't have a good source.

[@gailm7871]

I've had his same exact box of Parafilm for years. It is plenty plenty as it stretches and a very small amount goes a very long way. You really do not want 10 boxes. nine and a half will go to waste. I also purchased mine from Amazon. It is a laboratory product.

[@quercusrobur5004]

Great tutorial, thank you.

[@joedo2114]

Great video. Cheers.

[@GraniteValleyDave]

Fantastic video Steven! I'd love to see a garden tour of Mark's place, it's very inspirational. My 4 apple trees were delivered today. The site where they'll be planted is currently a bit hectic - machinery being used to level a buildsite for a cabin I'm building. So for the time being I've had to pot the apple trees in 15 or 20L pots. Hope they don't mind the constraints too much. I got a Cripp's Pink, a Vista Bella, an Irish Peach, and a Cox's Orange Pippin. Will probably buy one or two more trees next winter and then focus on scions. Do you have any advice for what to do over the next few months? It's currently mid winter here (where I live it gets to -10C/14F at night but no snow), do I need to water the trees often? Hopefully one day I'll have a frankentree. Cheers mate.

[@SkillCult]

If they are dormant, stick them in a garage or something and just keep the potting medium damp, not soggy. Move them out when the buds start to swell and plant as soon as possible I guess. Cool you found Irish peach, it's not that common, at least not here. You can always add varieties of change them over.

[@jeneriusjnbaptiste8999]

Hey What is wrong with using buds from last years wood?

[@SkillCult]

I think it can be okay if it is a healthy bud. Probably also depends on the species. I think they fresh, new healthey buds mark is using are just primed to grow and heal fast.

[@BlessedBaubles]

If you could close up, would be awesome. But still, very awesome info. Great to always go over what may seem repetitious to us about the cambian, but any person new to grafting will be well educated because you did explain why the graft takes and the newbie will hooked! Lol.

[@alialian750]

very nice

[@arboristo4407]

Excellent ❤️

[@ProfKSE]

I did T-budding once. I T-budded 2 apple buds on a Frankentree and the buds where absorbed into the limb and never leafed out.

[@markdudley3831]

Prof.Kent ..do u feel your a failure ?

[@ProfKSE]

No. Life is a journey. Failure is a defeatist attitude. We try, and learn, until we succeed. I thought it was fascinating that the buds did not die and that tree did not grow bark around the bud to seal the wood, but the tree just absorbed the bud into itself. I must have either budded at the wrong time or the buds were not viable.

[@SkillCult]

Another possibility might be that the tree was left the choice to grow itself and not the bud. Like if you didn't cut it back or cut it back soon enough maybe, or there were other competing branches. Just a thought. Few people ever really embody the idea that failures to achieve an end objective is a crucial part of the process of learning

[@ProfKSE]

I didn't cut back the tree at all; just added a few buds on the Frankentree.

[@SkillCult]

I'd guess that was the problem. Even long scions will sometimes grow weakly if there is too much competition. I've found with working over big trees that I often have to isolate and remove competition to get good growth.

[@SQ_og]

Excellent content. I just grafted some Mango.

[@SkillCult]

Dang, wish I could grow those :)

[@SQ_og]

SkillCult give me your email. I can send you some parafilm.

[@SkillCult]

Thanks! That would be great. I dont want to leave it here, and I don't have the option to send you a message. you could contact me through my website, www.skillcult.com using the contact link.

[@marissaawesome2422]

Which state are you in Mr.Albert ??

[@SkillCult]

Northern California.

[@brunosulikowski]

Sad to hear that we lost a great man 😢 After watching this video a few times it's unclear to me if this technique will work on apple chips as well to achieve growth the same season? Again so sorry for your loss.

[@SkillCult]

I haven't used it for that , but it should. It may not grow a lot, depending on location, care and timing, but it should get started and take off the next year at least.

[@swttng]

what is the name of the plant in the background?

[@SkillCult]

That is Loquat. Mark has a lot of them. Great fruit tree if you live where they will grow.

[@chlouis4487]

Trop fort !

[@MrBloodyBat]

I'm really not familiar with much of this and English isn't my native language, however I think I understood most of this. The most important thing that I didn't get from this video is... Why? Do you get fruit earlier by doing this? Can you get multiple kinds of fruits on the same tree (say you put 1 applebud and 1 peachbud on the same stalk)?

[@MrBloodyBat]

Oh! Apologies, I see you have a playlist. Thank you!

[@SkillCult]

Earlier fruiting depends on the situation. You can graft different species together, but usually they have to be the same or closely related. Almondis compatible with a lot of different stone fruits apparently.

[@MrBloodyBat]

Pear and Apple could probably work, right? Interesting stuff!

[@SkillCult]

Sometimes, but not reliably. Pear can go on quince though. Sometimes you can use a bridge of wood between two things, where they are not compatible,but the bridge is compatible with both

[@jacobshocklie2928]

What is in the spray bottle?

[@SkillCult]

Just water

[@jonathanulloa4657]

good night ... with which I disinfect the cut to graft

[@SuperPeoplevoice]

Can you graft in October in wisconsin

[@SkillCult]

Not likely. The graft would probably be too tender to survive.

[@SuperPeoplevoice]

@@SkillCult thank you

[@Dyshof]

So why should this be easier than the conventional T-cut budding?

[@WaterLilly91]

Потому что такой способ не привязан к срокам активного сокодвижения в древесине. Его можно проводить с марта по сентябрь непрерывно. Удачи! )

[@ОляДеркаш]

We want to see how you graft walnuts. Please show us some video. Answer please if you do it.

[@SkillCult]

Watch this. This is the person I learned from. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYLZZ2idjrmnhLc It is not hard if you get the timing right.

[@marko176schneider5]

Интересное формирование грядок, свободно можно открывать и закрывать пленку.Кроме того защита от сорняков, советую посмотреть, kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaqxo4KCeb-Hf8k

[@radj4719]

Great video thanks for sharing grafting is addictive and fun I grafted many trees I just can't stop 😀I recently grafted eggplant onto a huge tree that lives for over twenty years check it out if you get a chance tell me what you think

[@SkillCult]

Very cool, is the stock tree tomato?

[@radj4719]

@@SkillCult yes thanks for your comment

[@quintond.7888]

I like how he says "you can't" and then you go home and do ALL of the things he said not to. Do you have any interest in trying this on other fruiting trees or is this mostly just used on stone fruits drupes and grapes?

[@SkillCult]

I think with the parafilm his point was not that chip budding didn't exist, but that it became more relavant, especially to commercial production. We are dealing with some pretty basic principals. Line up the cambium, don't let it dry out, some timing. Those could be achieved many different ways.