This week in the orchard we had a lot of small tasks to accomplish. Some students weed-eated rows of grafted trees, some ran the ATV and sprayed herbicide, and I sprayed the big barn with the backpack sprayer.

Filled with a water-bottle full of trust RoundUp and three gallons of water, I made my way in and around our huge equipment barn. I'm sure it once was a cattle barn because of the chutes and pens, but now it houses 5 tractors and half a dozen other large implements for harvesting.

The barn had become overrun with weeds inside and out, so I put out 15 gallons of spray all around the structure. Very soon, the entire barn and the pens should be void of any pesky weeds. I wouldn't call it an exciting task, but necessary nonetheless.

After a few weeks of family emergencies in the northwest, surgery, and sickness, I am finally back to the orchard!

This week in lab, we worked on an essential orchard operation, grafting. Dr. McEachern and Jose Franco assisted our lab session in two different grafts on two different species.

The grafts used were actually quite fascinating. We used an Omega graft on peaches and the French V.  on grape. The French V was really just a giant cleft graft cut by a fancy grafting machine from France. Unfortunately the machine was well-loved, and quite dull. We had a lot of trouble aligning cambial tissues because of the sloppy edges left by the machine. Nevertheless, some were adequate.

The Omega graft was exquisite! It's exactly as you would imagine, a similar machine slices an omega-shaped relief into the scion wood and rootstock. The two pieces then snap together and fit precisely as a puzzle piece. Cambial alignment is easy and the graft holds well.

We then used small rubber bands to secure the grafts, dipped the apical bud and graft in wax, and dipped the base in growth hormones.

Check back soon to see them grow!

Fresh grafts after being dipped

Groups of grafted wood were bundled for storage

Dr. G. R. McEachern operating Omega grafter