Grafting is a traditional system to reproduce plants identical to the mother, something different from the traditional concept of seed multiplication. In the case of grafting, the process is accelerated, although it is necessary to have a more or less efficient technique to achieve this. In the case of the olive grove, when can olive trees be grafted?
In this article, we focus only on knowing which date of the year is the most appropriate carry out this multiplication technique in olive growing
Contents
The grafting technique
Grafting is a technique of vegetative or asexual reproduction which consists of selecting plant material from another plant and reproducing it separately on another plant. With them, it is possible to multiply the species but also the variety, without variations.
Within the process, we must distinguish the scion from the rootstock:
- Graft: plant part of a plant that is introduced into another plant to transfer genetic information
- rootstock : plant that receives the grafting material and serves as a base.
When to graft an olive tree
According to the latest recommendations made by personnel specialized in the field, The ideal date for grafting olive trees is in spring and autumn. These months are the most stable and optimal for the development of the olive tree in terms of temperatures, since very low or high temperatures are generally not common, causing heat stress in the crop and favoring graft rejection.
Ideally, spring is the best season, as the process begins with an increasing range of light and temperature, favoring future germination and crop development. If carried out in autumn, it is better as soon as possible, since the main enemy of grafting in the olive grove is frost and freezing temperatures.
We advise against grafting an olive tree in summersomething that is usually common in home gardening due to having more time and holidays to perform this operation.
From what age can grafts be carried out in olive groves?
It is recommended a minimum of 1.5 to 2 years of life of the olive tree, because it is assumed that with this lifespan of the tree, it produces shoots that are viable enough to select suitable plant material. As for the maximum age, there is no limit and grafts have been made on centuries-old olive groves.
If you want to perform a transplant in an olive grove in full production, after 10 or 15 years of life, usually main branches are selected (2 or 3 branches) to carry out the grafting, removing the upper part to improve the circulation of the sap in the grafted part. It is usually done in the spring and with periods of ascending light, to activate germination.
in the olive groves of greater age and thickness of branchesyou have to look for the secondary branches.
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