Hawthorn – grafting APPLE & PEAR

[Random Usr]

I’ve read that Hawthorn makes an excellent rootstock for both apple and pear. So I’ve been pruning a Hawthorn Yamadori for this very purpose with the intention of digging it up next spring and grafting a red-flowering crab apple, or Paul’s Scarlet.









The problem is that of all the non-thread grafting I’ve attempted it was only one (the first one!) that ever succeeded.

Anyway, I will probably try cleft, top, and bud shielding all at once and see what happens.

So …. what about grafting the apple and pear? Has anyone tried it and what tips and ”watch out for” and even ”don’t do it” advice can you give me?

 

[jk_lewis]

Apple is more likely to take then pear, or so I'd guess. I would not dig the tree up and then graft. Graft when the tree is in the ground and then -- in two years or so when the grafts have thoroughly taken -- dig the tree.

 

[JudyB]

Why not use the hawthorn stock as...... a hawthorn? Looks to be a nice one, and they make good bonsai, actually better than apple or pear....

 

[Random Usr]

I would not dig the tree up and then graft. Graft when the tree is in the ground and then -- in two years or so when the grafts have thoroughly taken -- dig the tree.

Well, once I've dug it up and stuck it into a training pot I can try grafting immediately as well as biding my time over the coming years. It's a decent tree anyway, so whatever I end up doing with it it will be worth having.

Why not use the hawthorn stock as...... a hawthorn? Looks to be a nice one, and they make good bonsai, actually better than apple or pear....

I agree but I already have one that I'm pleased with, and it just started flowering (white) this year.

 

[svnjones]

I’ve read that Hawthorn makes an excellent rootstock for both apple and pear. So I’ve been pruning a Hawthorn Yamadori for this very purpose with the intention of digging it up next spring and grafting a red-flowering crab apple, or Paul’s Scarlet.

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The problem is that of all the non-thread grafting I’ve attempted it was only one (the first one!) that ever succeeded.

Anyway, I will probably try cleft, top, and bud shielding all at once and see what happens.

So …. what about grafting the apple and pear? Has anyone tried it and what tips and ”watch out for” and even ”don’t do it” advice can you give me?

I saw this old post and wanted to reply to it. I apologize to the members of this exclusive Bonsai forum, but wanted to share some important info about grafting to a Hawthorne tree. I live in Wrightsville Georgia, USA and have an infestation of Hawthorne Trees on my farm and I believe them to be the Black Thorne sub species. In any event I have been amateur grafting for 2.5 years now. The second year 2021 , I grafted several wild crabapple scions to a 9 ft tall Hawthorne tree that I topped. Then I bark grafted 2 crabapple scions using the bark type graft. In about 3 weeks the buds started opening up on these two crabapple scions. These scions were partially shaded the entire time. After the summer of 2021 was over , those two 4 inch pencil size scions, had grown over 6 foot in length and were over 1 inch wide at the graft point..... This spring (2022) I ordered scions of several varieties of quince, apple, and pear. Already the Kaunching and Smyrna Quince, Anjou and Kieffer Pear, and Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Gala, and Winter Banana Apple scions are breaking the buds and growing. So far so good. My biggest problem has been the keep the direct summer heat and temps over 80 degrees off these new grafts at least part of the day. The apple scions seemed to be accepted sooner and are growing faster so far. Keep in mind Im new at grafting and some of my graft unions were no doubt better than others.