On April 5 from 1pm to 4 pm, the Grange will host a grafting workshop that is free and open to the public.
We will feature heritage apple varieties that will be grafted on to semi-dwarf disease resistant root stock.
The art of grafting is an old one. Since apple trees do not reproduce the same variety from their seeds, farmers and horticulturalists take scion wood (a young branch from an existing tree) and attached it to a similar sized branch that has roots. The two branches are matched for size and then taped together. If done well, the two parts will fuse and a new tree will grow. The scion wood is responsible for the type of apple, while the root stock controls characteristics such as the height of the tree, vigor, and disease resistance.
Materials will be provided. However, if you would like to bring scion wood from your own trees, it is best to collect young branches about the size of a pencil as soon as possible, while the trees are still dormant, and place in a bag in the refrigerator until the workshop.
To sign up for the workshop or for more information, contact Jennifer Childress at 503-801-4078.
