Fruit trees from cuttings??

[MRWHITE87]

I have tinkered in the garden a bit with tomatoes and beans and peppers but never trees.

I am now curious about starting a small orchard of sorts but buying fruit trees isn't as simple as Amazon. I'm also reading that seeds don't produce good nuts/fruit so you have to clone or graft from existing good fruit trees. Is that 100%?

Anyone here have any experience they'll save me from gaining the long way? Or better yet anyone in DFW willing to hook me up with some cuttings from a good tree that I can use to start mine? Peaches, figs, apples, chestnuts, persimmons, cherries whatever, I'm game for whatever can be started at this time of year.

My end goal would be maybe a couple trees in my backyard and maybe a dozen out on the "lease" for the critters. My young sons will get to see science happen and observe the slow resilient growth of trees and HOPEFULLY learn something valuable about starting long term projects.

[MetalMan2004]

In for this. I’ve never tried fruit tree cuttings just for this reason. Never really understood why you have to graft onto a different root system but at the store it seems thats all you can buy so there must be something to it.

[Calrob]

Are fruit trees grafted the same as nut trees? If so, you wont get the exact same size or type fruit. Meyers lemon trees wouldnt make meyer lemons, etc. I would think that to be so but not sure.

[Johnny Dangerr]

In for this. I’ve never tried fruit tree cuttings just for this reason. Never really understood why you have to graft onto a different root system but at the store it seems thats all you can buy so there must be something to it.

You want a root system that works in Texas. From there you add what you want to make fruit and nuts. My Dad's pecan trees threw 2 or more different types of pecans..

[MRWHITE87]

Honestly I'm confused by it all hence my query. The green screen sometimes is able to boil things down very simply. Im hoping someone can give me the TL;DR version of "fruit/nut trees on the cheap for dummies."

Buying the "good producing" trees just seems like a scam to me. I'm cheap though. I grew up watching the ladies swap cuttings from flowers for their gardens and that worked so why do trees have to be so difficult? Lol

[djs303]

Get with your County Extension Agent. He/she can tell you what varieties work good in your area and even in the type soil that you have. Some areas have master gardener organizations that have plant sales that you can pick up fruit and nut trees that work good for your area.

[jhunter77]

Start with mulberries and figs. Those grow from cuttings. Then start doing a little grafting buy adding to native pecans

[Possum 1]

Here is a link to the website of John Panzarella. The citrus guru for the gulf coast area. He has over 200 trees in his backyard. And sells different varieties of trees that produce well in this area. For example I have bought peach trees from him that require low chill hours which suits our climate. He normally teaches grafting in February and has an open house where he lets people come over to his home and sample his different varieties in December. Not sure if this will happen again with this COVID crap. Most citrus trees are grafted on to Trifoliate root stock. Trifoliate root stock (sour orange) is more cold hardy. I have bought different varieties from him and have attended one of his grafting classes. I’m pretty sure that he will be able to help you select the trees suitable for your area.

http://www.panzarellacitrus.com/

Good luck!


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[RifleBowPistol]

You are correct, to the best of my knowledge. Most modern fruit and nut trees are genetically altered versions of a native tree. To get one of those genetically altered trees, by far, the easiest way to get one, is to graft a limb from a tree that has been altered and graft it onto a base or trunk of a native tree. Tree farms typically do this, and then sell them as grafted trees, so you don't have to go through the process.

In my search for specific pecan trees, I met some guys who have grafted pecan trees, they told me the process, seemed a little strange at first, but it may make sense. They said you have to graft the trees at night, I guess, when the trees photosynthesis, is low or stopped. What they told me, is you just cut a limb from a tree you want, you have to have a same size native tree, same size trunk native tree. Then wrap gauze around them and tape them together. Both cuts of the trunk and the limb, have to be very fresh, for it to work. There is likely more to the whole process, but that's what they told me, said they could graft some trees for me, if I wanted. I found some already grafted and just bought them.

I would bet, if you do some searching online, you can find more info on the subject. Probably more difficult finding limbs from a specific tree you want, then a native trunk that limb can be grafted to. Then be able to have both at the same place some night for this grafting. Buying grafted trees sounds a lot easier to me.

[flywise]

I bought an Afghan mulberry the other day and your right, not like amazon. My delivery date Is September 24. In the mean time to am trying to grow on from cuttings. I have 6 in pots now....

[Jason Fry]

Run down to DeLeon and get trees from Womack's Tree Farm. Good honest folks, and know a ton about the trees they sell and which ones will do the best in your area.

[jeremy360]

Some things come true to seed. some don't. you have to google to see what does. Some things dont come true but arent necessarily bad if they dont. Peaches have a tendency to be very close to the fruit you ate. Apples can too, but can be hit or miss. Some citrus come true to seed. polyembryonic. multiple sprouts from one seed. Two true and one not.

Mulberries and figs go great from cuttings as mentioned. For things that dont do cuttings well, air layering works. I have done propagation on the following fruit trees with success. Most folks will start a seed and then graft the variety to it. Grafting isnt difficult. Its almost more about timing than technique.

-Asian persimmons on wild persimmon trees
-Ground layering apple trees
-grafting edible pears to bradford wild pear
-Pear air layering
-Tame plum to wild plum
-mulberry cuttings
-fig cuttings
-citrus chip budding and grafting
-papershell pecans to wild pecans
-jujube air layering
-etc.

I grafted close to 60 trees this year for myself, family and friends. Shoot me a PM for specifics if you'd like or if you want to call and talk. I have a small orchard of many different trees with very few purchased trees.

It takes a little bit of technique, a lot of luck, and a huge amount of patience.


-P.S. - I have grafted pecans at any time of the day and had success, not just night.

-P.P.S - trilfoliate rootstock is common for drawf citrus, but is completely different from sour orange. Sour orange is used for something like 90%+ citrus rootstock in Texas. One is often preferred over the other when you have alkaline soils.

[jeremy360]

Heres a hachiya persimmon grafted to a wild american persimmon (diospyros kaki to diospyros virginiana). The black persimmons in the hill country area are diospyros texana.

This one was grafted with two scions, or budwood, with two pieces about the size of a AA battery back in april of this year. Grown a lot since then.

[Man]

I'll post a picture of what my father in law does when he finds a really good producing fruit tree when I get home. (He liked our peach tree in our backyard)

[jeremy360]

Heres an air layer example of a good producing pear for our area. You just ring the bark and wrap damp potting soil or peatmoss around it and saran wrap and then foil. Do it on a limb on a good tree about a big around as a Sharpe marker. Do it when sap is flowing and bark peels easy. Should be done on the tree. Pics are once they were cut off about 2 months later. Roots will grow. Rooting hormone powder can help but most of the time I dont use any. I have several of these pear trees and all are doing great and producing good fruit even though they are not on grafted rootstock.