Grafting & Growing Fruit Trees (on-farm workshop)

Description

This jam-packed half-day grafting workshop will introduce you to the amazing world of growing your own fruit trees and give you the knowledge and skills to grow trees from seed or cutting.

You’ll learn how to preserve heritage varieties and how to graft rootstocks or existing fruit trees to change the variety of your tree or create a “fruit salad” tree.

You’ll learn and practice three grafting techniques including whip-tongue, cleft, and bark grafting. Imagine how much money you’ll save by learning these ancient self-sufficiency methods.

By the end of this workshop, you’ll never need to buy a fruit tree again, but will have the skills and confidence to grow your own trees and continually improve your fruit tree garden to grow exactly the type of fruit you want to eat!

Who is this workshop for?

• People who are already growing, or want to grow, their own fruit
• People who look after fruit trees in the community
• People who are interested in organics, permaculture, growing their own food, or food security
• People who already grow, or are interested in growing, fruit or fruit trees commercially

What does this workshop cover?

• The theory of grafting, reasons for grafting, and the difference between grafting and budding
• Equipment required for grafting and budding
• How and when to collect seeds or cuttings and how to look after them
• How and when to plant seeds and cuttings
• Sources of rootstocks for grafting
• Compatibilities between different rootstocks/types of trees
• Techniques for changing the variety, or adding a pollinising variety, to a mature tree
• How to add create a “fruit salad tree”
• A calendar detailing the right time of year to do each grafting step
• Seasonal plan for growing your own trees

What’s provided?

• Equipment for grafting and budding practice (other than knives and secateurs)
• Knife sharpening equipment
• Workshop notes

What you need to bring:

• A knife to practice grafting techniques. Specific grafting knives are available (here’s a link to find out more about knives), but a sharp, clean pocket knife will do.
• Clean, sharp secateurs
• A pen for note-taking (workshop notes will be emailed to you after the workshop)
• Appropriate warm clothing

Workshop presenter:

The workshop is taught by Katie who learned at the knee of master grafter Merv Carr (her Dad). Merv and Katie grew all the fruit trees on Katie and Hugh’s farm, and these days they run Carr’s Organic Fruit Tree Nursery with Katie’s sister Liz.

What people have said about this workshop:

“Very informative workshop. Katie is a great instructor – everything was very clear. Her demonstrations were also very clear and loved that we all had ample time and help to do each grafting technique.” — Andrea T

“Thanks for taking time to answer specific questions and explain clearly to a novice.” — Eliza Gilchrist

SPECIAL NOTES:

1. This workshop is NOT APPROPRIATE for children.
2. Grow Great Fruit members receive a 50% discount on all on-farm workshops. The discount will be automatically applied at checkout.
3. Please do a COVID test before coming to the workshop, and if you have a positive result or are feeling unwell, stay home (refunds will be available for non-attendance due to illness).
4. A reminder email will be sent out in the week before the workshop, which will also give location details.