| lass="bottom-link"> | | | | Other plants are grafted up high to create a |
| Are you wondering why your Weeping Cherry | | | | weeping effect. One of the most popular trees |
| tree is no longer weeping? This informative article | | | | that is grafted up high is the top graft Weeping |
| explains what makes a tree "weep" and details | | | | Cherry. In this case the seedling is allowed to |
| how you can keep it weeping with proper pruning. | | | | grow to a height of 5’, then the weeping |
| You are welcome to use this article on your | | | | variety is grafted on to the rootstock at a height |
| website or in your newsletter as long as you | | | | of about 5’. This creates an umbrella type |
| reprint it as is, including the contact information at | | | | effect. In this case the graft union is 5’ off |
| the end. Website URLs must be active links. You | | | | the ground, therefore anything that grows from |
| are welcome to use this article with an affiliate | | | | the stem below that graft union must be |
| link, | | | | removed. |
| What do the terms grafting and budding mean? | | | | Many people don’t understand this and |
| Budding is a form of grafting. Grafting is the art | | | | before they know it they have a branch 2 in |
| of attaching a piece of one plant to another plant, | | | | diameter growing up through the weeping canopy |
| creating a new plant. Grafting is usually done | | | | of their tree. Before you know it there are |
| because the desired plant is extremely difficult if | | | | several branches growing upright through the |
| not impossible to propagate through other means. | | | | canopy and the effect of the plant is completely |
| Dogwoods, for example, are easily grown from | | | | ruined. |
| seed, however, it is next to impossible to grow a | | | | At my website, I’ve got a couple of |
| Pink Dogwood from seed. The seeds from a Pink | | | | photos that show exactly what I'm talking about |
| Dogwood will produce seedlings that are likely to | | | | in this article. You can clearly see the weeping |
| flower white. | | | | effect that the Weeping Cherry tree is supposed |
| The most common method for producing Pink | | | | to have, but then up through the middle come |
| Dogwood trees is to remove a single bud from a | | | | these branches that are no more than just |
| Pink Dogwood tree and slip it under the bark of a | | | | suckers from the stem, or the rootstock as it is |
| White Dogwood seedling. This process is known | | | | known in the nursery industry. |
| as budding, and the seedling is known as the | | | | Looking closely at the photos you can see that |
| rootstock. This is usually done during the late | | | | these suckers originate from below the graft |
| summer months when the bark of the White | | | | union. This problem could have been prevented if |
| Dogwood seedling can be easily separated from | | | | someone had just picked off these buds when |
| the tree, and the seedling is about 1/4 in | | | | they first emerged on the stem of the tree. |
| diameter. | | | | Then they would have never developed into |
| A very small T shaped cut is made in the | | | | branches. |
| bark only, and the bud is slipped in the slot. The | | | | This tree can still be saved, but there will be a |
| actual bud itself is allowed to poke out through | | | | large scar on the stem when the upright branches |
| the opening and then the wound is wrapped with | | | | are pruned off. But under the canopy of the |
| a rubber band both above and below the bud. By | | | | weeping tree these scars will never show. |
| the following spring the bud will have grafted itself | | | | Another interesting plant that is grafted is the |
| to the seedling, at which time the seedling is cut | | | | Weeping Cotoneaster. In this case the seedling |
| off just above the Pink Dogwood bud, and the | | | | that is grown to serve as the rootstock is |
| bud then grows into a Pink Dogwood tree. | | | | Paul’s Scarlet Hawthorn, and Cotoneaster |
| Budding is usually done at ground level, and often | | | | Apiculata is grafted onto the Hawthorn rootstock |
| times the rootstock will send up shoots from | | | | at a height of 5’. Years ago a nurseryman |
| below the bud union. These shoots, often called | | | | found through experimentation that these two |
| suckers, should be removed as soon as they | | | | plants are actually compatible, and a beautiful and |
| appear because they are from the rootstock and | | | | unique plant was created. I have one of these in |
| are not the same variety as the rest of the plant. | | | | my landscape and we love it. |
| Flowering Crabapples are also budded and are | | | | Once again since the graft union is at 5’, |
| notorious for producing suckers. When removing | | | | any growth coming from the stem (rootstock) |
| these suckers don’t just clip them off at | | | | must be removed. In this case the growth |
| ground level with pruning shears, they will just | | | | coming from the rootstock will be Hawthorn and |
| grow back. Pull back the soil or mulch and remove | | | | will look completely different from the |
| them from the tree completely at the point | | | | Cotoneaster which is what the plant is supposed |
| where they emerge from the stem. | | | | to be. The easiest way to keep up with this type |
| Most people clip them off a couple of inches from | | | | of pruning is to keep an eye on your grafted |
| the ground, and then they grow back with | | | | plants when you’re in the yard. As soon as |
| multiple shoots. This drives me crazy! Get down | | | | you see new growth coming from below the |
| as low as you can and remove them completely | | | | graft union, just pick it off with your fingernail. |
| and you will keep them under control. On older | | | | If you catch these new buds when they first |
| trees that have been improperly pruned for years | | | | emerge, pruning them off is as easy as that. |
| I take a digging spade and literally attack these | | | | Walk around your yard and look for grafted or |
| suckers hacking them away from the stem. Sure | | | | budded plants, and see if you can find any that |
| this does a little damage to the stem of the tree, | | | | have growth that doesn’t seem to match |
| but when a plant is let go like that I figure | | | | the rest of the plant. Look closely and you may |
| it’s a do or die situation. The trees always | | | | find that the growth is coming from below a graft |
| survive and thrive. | | | | or bud union. |