I heard that you can take a cutting from 1 tree and actually cut another completely different tree and stick the cutting in the cut and wrap it up and you can grow 2 different trees in one. Is that true? If so any info about it? Thank you, Aaron
It is true , and often done with fruit trees - one tree can be "grafted" to produce several different varieties of apples, for instance. There is lots of great information and instructions about "multiple grafting" at this site: : http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/agg ... g06971.htm
Many years ago, when I worked in the nursery trade, we did do some simple grafting, mostly on young Japanese Maple trees. It was all for the purpose of giving the fancier varieties stronger root systems. I really haven't had any reason to use grafting in my own garden.
I am really interested in grafting. I had no idea it was possible. It doesn't make a new breed right. You just end up with 2 different trees in 1.
You're right, it does not make a new breed, it's usually more about changing a plant's form, or improving it's strength in some way. There are a couple of main reasons for grafting - for instance, when we used to graft those Maple trees, you might think of that as a sort of "root transplant" kinda like if your doctor thought you would do better with stronger feet, so he decides to cut your feet off and stick on a new "better" pair. Another reason (and a different type of graft) is to add something to what is already there, like those multiple varieties of Apple tree I mentioned before, that is more like as if that same kooky doctor of yours decided that you should have more than 1 head :-? and so he decided to add some extras . . . each one that was different from the others in some way, maybe one that's better at math, and one that knows how to speak a lot of languages . . . etc. You're right, it really is a fascinating subject, but it's not just any 2 plants that can be grafted together, the possibilities are limited by compatibility, - so, while good ole Dr Frankenstein might be able to give you new human feet, he wouldn't be able to graft on kangaroo paws. Same with plants - you could graft one kind of Apple tree to another kind of Apple tree so that you could harvest several kinds of apples from the one tree, but you could not graft on a citrus tree limb so that you could harvest oranges from it, too.
Thank you very much for all the info. I am going to do some more research and then I am going to try it!
In our first home we had a flowering crab and in the spring it was spectacular..half was a beautiful pink and the other part was white. Those were grafted together and it was so beautiful that people would stop and look at it. Sad to say we moved and the people must not have liked flowering crabs because they have something else planted in its spot.
That sounds really cool. It is a bummer when people do that. I bet they did it before spring and didn't see what it looked like before they dug it up.
That is really cool! I am going to attempt an orange, tangerine, lime tree. We will see what happens, I hope it works out. Do you have any pictures of your tree? Did you do the grafting yourself?
My husband bought our grafted apple tree at a nursery and didn't realize what he had bought until he got it home. He's not very good with plants.
Okay, don't laugh at me, but what about those pomato/totato plants, where the upper half is tomatoes and the roots develop potatoes? I've actually seen ads selling them.
Yes, I've seen those too. Pretty cool, huh? CLICK HERE This is an example of "compatible" grafting, Potato and Tomato plants are related, so the graft works.
That pomato plant is something else. I would have never thought. Well mtathome your husband scored if you ask me. I would send him out more often!
