Grafting eur. Olive?

[Jaberwky17]

I've searched for what I thought would be a fairly common question but nothing.

I have a nice fat eur. olive whose apex died off a couple of years ago. Since then I've been letting it grow and it is super healthy now. I'd like to gain some foliage a bit further back on the good branches and have plenty of material to either graft with scions or even approach graft in some spots.

How well do olives handle this kind of grafting? Also is there a preferred season - since this is one species that can handle repotting at almost any time of the year... I winter mine under good grow lights indoors.

Pics soon

 

[Jaberwky17]

 

[Adair M]

Mine sends out suckers, and buds off the trunk that I'm constantly having to rub off, trim off, and cut back.

I suggest taking it out of the bonsai pot, plant in a grow box filled with coarse well draining soil, fertilize, and stand back!

The idea is let it grow out to get the root growth going really strong, then cut back on the foliage, hard. This should induce backbudding everywhere!

Then pick and choose.

I suppose they would graft just like any other tree, but they way they back bud, I don't think it's necessary.

 

[Cypress187]

I thought each plant could get approach grafted, but I don't see any long branches to do it with.

 

[JudyB]

Is the apex actually still alive at this point? Grafts won't work in deadwood, and it may be dead. I imagine if it's alive, it would graft easily, during the growing season.

 

[Jaberwky17]

Is the apex actually still alive at this point? Grafts won't work in deadwood, and it may be dead. I imagine if it's alive, it would graft easily, during the growing season.

No the apex is dead. I wasn't going to try to do anything with that - only a few of the living branches. In fact I am not enamored with the shape of the deadwood and have been considering just cutting it off. If I take Adair's advice (and the way it's been growing this season I would be foolish not to) I can combine the removal of that with the grow box.

 

[Jaberwky17]

Mine sends out suckers, and buds off the trunk that I'm constantly having to rub off, trim off, and cut back.

I suggest taking it out of the bonsai pot, plant in a grow box filled with coarse well draining soil, fertilize, and stand back!

The idea is let it grow out to get the root growth going really strong, then cut back on the foliage, hard. This should induce backbudding everywhere!

Then pick and choose.

I suppose they would graft just like any other tree, but they way they back bud, I don't think it's necessary.

I like that idea. I have never had suckers grow on this tree in the three years I've had it, and only 3-4 minor backbud locations. I will see what happens if I give it some room for roots. Thanks!

 

[Adair M]

I just looks and saw you're in MN. That's kinda far north for them! They like it hot!

Good luck with it!

 

[Jaberwky17]

I thought each plant could get approach grafted, but I don't see any long branches to do it with.

That's because I've been cutting them back to promote a thicker canopy. If I choose to let a runner go it will be graft length in no time.

 

[Adair M]

Are you jetting it "pinched back"? How long do you let the new shoots grow before you cut it back?

 

[Jaberwky17]

Are you jetting it "pinched back"? How long do you let the new shoots grow before you cut it back?

Because the tree was again healthy after losing its apex and I was pinching for density, I let them grow to maybe 6-8 pairs of leaves before cutting back to 2.

 

[Adair M]

Let it grow far more. Get 18 inches long or so. Before cutting back. Builds much stronger roots.

 

[Cypress187]

That's because I've been cutting them back to promote a thicker canopy. If I choose to let a runner go it will be graft length in no time.

I would grow also a backup branch perhaps.