WVU Extension Service Partners with AmeriCorps VISTA to Offer Fruit Tree Grafting Workshop
Submitted by: Brandy Brabham, WVU Extension Service, 927-0975 or 354-6332 or brandy.brabham@mail.wvu.edu
The Calhoun and Roane County offices of West Virginia University Extension Service are partnering with the AmeriCorps VISTA Program to offer a Fruit Tree Grafting Workshop to educate growers and home gardeners on proper grafting techniques on Thursday, February 25, 2010 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Heritage Park Community Building in Spencer, WV. Dr. John Jett,
Horticulture Specialist with WVU Extension Service, will be discussing grafting techniques. Robin Wilson, AmeriCorps VISTA, will share his personal experiences with fruit tree grafting. Robin will also be facilitating the fruit tree variety cuttings exchange for interested participants.
The goal of this workshop is to increase local production of fruit and nut trees by finding the varieties that are best suited to our growing conditions. Saving trees proven by time allows one to create grafts of these varieties onto young trees. Participants are encouraged to take cuttings from local trees that are good tasting, good keeping, and good disease resistance. After learning how to graft, these cuttings can be used to create a new tree with the same fruit as the old one.
A good portion of the workshop will be hands-on. Participants are asked to bring a sharp pocket knife or utility knife and practice wood to perform their own grafts, following instructions from the workshop organizers. Practice wood should be made of freshly cut fruit tree prunings about pencil width to a half-inch in diameter of last year’s growth. Cuttings to be used for practice or future grafting should be cut into eight to twelve inch lengths with at least two buds on each cutting and then placed in moist (not wet) paper towel and placed in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator where it will remain fresh and dormant. Plastic bags containing cuttings from good fruit tree varieties to be grafted later should be labeled, listing the collector’s name, contact information, and the fruit tree variety contained. If participants have extra cuttings from good varieties they would like to exchange with other participants, time has been allotted to facilitate this exchange.
The West Central Master Gardeners Association will be selling refreshments and homemade desserts at the workshop to raise funds for their organization.
There will be a $5 fee to cover the cost of hand-outs and grafting materials. Participants can pay at the door. For more information or to register, contact WVU Extension Agent, Brandy Brabham at 927-0975 or 354-6332 or email brandy.brabham@mail.wvu.edu.