I Didn’t Expect to Learn Apple Tree Grafting From Zach Galifianakis – but It Only Takes Minutes to Try at Home

If you haven't seen it already, Zach Galifianakis' This is a Gardening Show on Netflix is worth a watch. In the episode on apple trees, I was most intrigued to learn, as Zach puts it, 'the only way to get a good tasting apple is grafting.'

Apple tree grafting is common practice in commercial orchards, and you can easily try it at home. It's a necessity for growing brand new apple trees that produce tasty and desired fruit, with cuttings from an existing tree fusing onto a healthy, mature rootstock. The apple tree you bought from the nursery (like this 'Honeycrisp' apple tree from Fast Growing Trees) is likely already grafted, as it's actually one of the only ways to guarantee you'll end up with recognizable varieties.

If you want to rejuvenate an older apple tree in your garden or want to propagate a specific variety, then apple tree grafting is worth a try. Bear in mind it takes time for the new tree to become productive (usually fruiting in 2-5 years), but it's a surprisingly straightforward and rewarding process. Here, with insights from a fruit growing expert, I talk through how it works.

Why Graft Apple Trees?

Apple tree grafting is one secret of the horticultural world not many home gardeners know about. It's actually the most common way apples are grown (as well as other fruit trees like pears, cherries, peaches, and more).

Growing apples from seed is incredibly unreliable, as the fruit tends to vary genetically and doesn't produce true to type from seed, i.e. the seeds from the parent fruit don't necessarily produce the same tree.

In This is a Gardening Show, Danielle Bellefleur (owner of Fruit Forest Farm where Zach visits) explains in each of her 'Liberty' apples there are around 20 seeds.

'Each of them will be a completely different variety,' she says.

Grafting, by taking a shoot off an existing tree and attaching it to a rootstock, allows for the continuation of specific varieties. It's a type of propagation that essentially clones the apples through a host plant.

It's the primary method of preserving heirloom and rare varieties, like 'Granny Smith' apple trees (available from Fast Growing Trees).

It also allows for apple trees to be more suited to the available growing conditions, as the mature rootstock provides size control, hardiness, and disease resistance.

Of course, grafting also offers much faster fruit production than attempting to grow apples from seed, which can take over a decade.

As well as using this technique for propagation, grafting a new variety onto an older tree can rejuvenate it and help repair damaged wood.

How It Works

Apple tree grafting may seem daunting at first, but there are just a few steps to follow. Though, the time of year can determine the method you use.

In the episode, Danielle shows us how to graft apple trees in summer, using a dormant bud. But, spring is often the preferred time to do it, in which you rather use a cutting of a shoot.

Here, Susan Poizner, fruit tree expert and founder of Orchard People, talks through each step of spring apple tree grafting:

1. Take Cuttings

'The best time to take cuttings, or scion wood, is in the winter when apple trees are dormant,' says Susan.

Scion wood is a one-year-old shoot from a desired apple tree you want to graft.

'It's the new growth from the previous season. Older wood won’t work because it lacks the vitality needed for grafting. New wood is softer and often a slightly different color, making it easy to spot,' Susan describes.

'Cuttings should be at least 14 inches long. It might seem long, but when grafting, you’ll often need to cut the scion repeatedly to get a smooth cut that matches the cut on the host tree or rootstock perfectly,' she explains.

You should always use sharp essential pruning tools to take cuttings. While sicon wood is more flexible than older wood, it will still be quite firm, so you may find something like these Fiskars bypass pruning shears from Amazon are the best choice over snips.

Susan notes that if you aren't able to find a cutting 14 inches long, you might need to give your apple tree a boost.

'It might need better nutrition. You can spread a 2-3 inch layer of compost over the root zone each spring to fertilize apple trees, reaching out to the edge of the canopy. Avoid synthetic fertilizers,' Susan advises.

'Also, make sure the tree gets enough water during the growing season, as trees need water to absorb nutrients from the soil. Without it, growth will slow down,' she adds.

2. Store Cuttings Over Winter

'You’ll need to store the scion wood in a cool, dormant state over the winter until it’s time to graft them in spring,' says Susan.

This ensures grafting only takes place when the rootstock wakes up from winter dormancy and is in its active growth season.

The cuttings should be stored in a sealed, cool, dark place to prevent them drying out.

You can wrap them in lightly moistened paper towels, sealed in plastic bags. You should then place them in a cool garage or shed to stop them freezing outdoors.

3. Get a Rootstock Ready

Unlike propagating other hardwood cuttings, you're not attempting to root the scion wood from your apple tree.

'Rooting hormone isn’t necessary for this process. When you’re grafting, the focus isn’t on growing roots but on joining the scion to a rootstock,' says Susan.

'If you root a branch without grafting it onto a rootstock, the tree will eventually produce the fruit you want, but the tree will grow to be very large and may take up to seven years to bear fruit,' she adds.

You can purchase rootstock (like this 'Scarlet Sentinel' columnar apple bare root from Burpee) or you can use an existing apple tree in your yard.

'Rootstocks help control tree size and they often encourage the tree to produce a harvest in the earlier years. Rootstocks also can come with great benefits like disease resistance, making fruit trees easier to grow and manage,' Susan says.

4. Graft the Cutting

To attach the scion wood to the rootstock, you need a grafting knife (like this from Amazon) to make a diagonal slice in the rootstock's trunk and the end of the cutting.

You should also make a slice or 'tongue' on each of the slanted surfaces to slot into each other.

You should ensure the cambium layers (the thin layer located underneath the bark) are touching. This is a microscopic layer of living cells that create the tree's outward growth.

Over time, the cutting and rootstock fuse together to create one organism. The cambium layers grow together, transporting water and nutrients between the rootstock and scion.

Then, take grafting tape (like this from Amazon) to attach it and seal any exposed areas.

5. Monitor for Growth

You should monitor for new growth as your grafted shoot bonds with the rootstock and begins forming into a new tree. It's usually expected for leaf buds to appear within a month when you graft in spring.

Remove any suckers (new vertical shoots) that appear below the graft or at the base of the trunk, which can drain energy and steal nutrients. You should also make sure to keep the rootstock well watered to maintain moisture levels and improve chances of success.

After 6-8 weeks, you should spot significant new growth. At this point, remove the grafting tape to stop it girdling the tree.

Susan Poizner

Susan is an urban orchard-ist, ISA Certified Arborist and author. She is the creator of the award-winning fruit tree care training website Orchard People and trains global fruit tree growers through her online courses.

What to Shop

Apple tree grafting makes it possible to grow apple trees in pots, by using a dwarf variety rootstock. This 'Blushing Delight' columnar apple tree from Fast Growing Trees is a good choice for containers.

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