After grafting one seedling pecan tree last May the buds on the scion were very slow to pop and then they only grew about two or three inches during the season. Normally, the expected growth with this size seedling stock tree would be one to three feet. When I took a closer look at the graft union this Spring, I could guess what happened. The graft method was a three-flap – or banana graft – so named because after the seedling stock tree is cut off, three flaps of bark are pulled down about three inches and the inner core is cut out. Then the scion is carved so that three faces of exposed inner wood slightly shorter than the three flaps of the stock are separated by narrow strips of bark. This carved scion is inserted into the three flaps of the stock with the flaps completely covering the faces of the scion wood and the combined graft wrapped up tightly.
As you can see in the next three pictures below only one of the three flaps on the seedling stock tree mended together with the scion. Despite the flubbed graft the scion did manage to survive.
In May of this year I decided to cut off last years graft and graft the seedling tree again. If my grafting skills have improved, maybe the tree will grow better this year – hopefully it will grow out one foot or more before Fall.
And, of course, there are more bloomin’ flowers to show.
