I actually did the grafting this morning! 15 wee little peach trees will be watched over in the shade until the grafts callous over. Then they can start to get some spring sunshine!
(More photos in the next post)
More graft process photos. I have 15 trees total. They are in a covered, protected area right outside the kitchen door so I can watch over them.
@ulidig @LJ yesterday I found the description below. I believe that the function of the bottom cut is to allow the bark of the rootstock to be gently opened along the length of the contact surface.
https://propg.ifas.ufl.edu/06-grafting/02-graftingtypes/13-grafting-sideveneer.html
In the WikiPedia article on grafting I found the following statement:
"While grafting continued to grow in Europe during the eighteenth century, it was considered unnecessary in the United States as the produce from fruit trees was largely used either to make cider or feed hogs."
Now I understand why there are so few fruit trees in rural USA. Oh dear.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grafting#Europe_and_the_United_States
LJ
Naomi P
Thomas
Ulrike