How to prepare cuttings for spring grafting: exactly what to do when the first frosts arrive
Experienced gardeners know: if the first frosts come, it’s time to start preparing cuttings, which you will need in the spring when grafting.
As the expert of the online publication BelNovosti, scientist-agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh said, the “material” should be taken only from those trees and shrubs that can boast excellent health.
The size is also important: the cuttings should be at least 7 mm in diameter. Cuttings that are too thin are not suitable for grafting.
We advise you to cut the cuttings from the southern side of the crown in the middle tier.
How to do it? It's very simple: choose a well-ripened one-year-old shoot and make a cut at an angle of 45 degrees.
Don't forget to treat the cut areas with garden pitch - these conditions are necessary for better storage.
Now the cuttings need to be wrapped in a damp cloth and lowered into the cellar.
No cellar? No problem – store the cuttings on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
We agree that since this option will not seem convenient to everyone, you can use another storage method by placing the cuttings in a trench and covering them with straw.
If you do choose to store them at home, remember: it is worth checking the condition of the cuttings every month to save them if they get wet, rotted or moldy.
