Makeover your tree

Suppose you have a friend whose apple tree bears particularly tasty fruits. You could take a branch from that tree and graft it onto the apple tree in your yard to change part or all of your tree to your friends variety.

Whip grafting is an easy way to do this makeover. You could also use whip grafting on many other fruiting and ornamental trees, as long as they are the same kind of plant or very closely related.

The "scion" is the piece of stem from the plant you wish to propagate. Collect a few scions anytime before growth begins, choosing pencil-thick, young stems preferably without flower buds. Cut the scions into foot-long lengths, then store them until you are ready to graft by bundling them into a plastic bag, along with a moist towel, in your refrigerator.

The tree onto which you are going to graft one or more scions is the "stock." On the stock, select for grafting one or more branches originating near the trunk, each with a diameter equal to or slightly thicker than that of the scions.

Ready a stock branch for grafting by using a sharp knife to make a sloping cut one to 1 1/2 inches long through the wood. Then, holding a scion piece firmly in one hand with its bottom end facing you, make a similar cut on it.

Between the bark and the inner wood of any branch is the cambium, a thin layer of tissue where healing occurs. As you bring the cut ends of stock and scion together, line up their cambiums. If the scion is thinner than the stock, line up both cambiums along just one edge.

While holding the pieces together in one hand, use your other hand to wrap a cut rubber band around the graft union. This wrapping keeps the scion immobile and in intimate contact with the stock while the graft heals. Tuck in the free end of the rubber band as you finish wrapping to prevent unraveling. Finally, seal all cuts on the graft against drying out with pruning paint, grafting wax, or even strips of plastic food wrap.

Once the scion is growing strongly, cut the rubber band off to prevent it from strangling the stem.