3 grafted varieties on apple tree

deb long

Hi, i hope you can help.  I have a dwarf apple tree about 5 years old.  It has grafted on it 3 different varieties.  The most dominant variety is golden delicious, the 2 other grafts aren’t very strong with fairly weedy branches.  What can i do to make the weak branches stronger and the golden delicious branches less vigorous?  I have pruned the golden del  more that the other 2 this jan.  thanks for any advice.

Regards

Deb Long

Dovefromabove

Believe it or not, the best thing to do is to prune the spindly growth hard, and don't prune the stronger growth as hard.  

Pruning encourages growth so  next time, by leaving the Golden D. more or less unpruned and giving the others a bit of a shock they will grow bigger and stronger and it will all balance up eventually.

deb long

ah, that's great, i'll do that today then.  

regards

deb

 

Dovefromabove

Lots more info here https://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=90 

Phaidra

I have a young crab apple (Golden Hornet) and as the dessert apple trees I have look very old (but really tasty) I would dearly love to use this young tree for grafting on some dessert apples.  Does anyone know whether that's possible, please?    

pansyface

In theory it's possible but grafting is a darn sight harder than it looks.

Danae(dan-Ah-ee)

Hi Phaidra, as Pansyface says it's harder than it looks.  I tried it with pears two years ago and out of the five tries only one succeeded; but you don't succeed if you don't try, so I would, most certainly,  give it a try if I were you.

I believe there are various ways of grafting, so when it's done, please, let us know which method you used and what your results were.  I should love to know and in time might even emulate you!

Good luck!

Phaidra

Well, if it's possible, Pansyface, I will have a go.  I won't admit defeat before even trying!

Danae, if I have the slightest success, I shall certainly let you know here.

Thank you both for your replies.