Apple Grafting Workshop

In this workshop, you will learn the techniques and processes required to successfully bench graft new apple trees. We’ll walk you through the process of splicing dormant scion wood and root stocks. Once the splice is made, the new trees will need to rest and heal under cool and damp conditions, then be planted outdoors. There are few things a gardener can do more gratifying than to graft and grow their own apple trees, and we look forward to walking you through the process.

Note: Apple trees grow best in zones 4-8. Although we will send materials to all contiguous US states and accept all virtual registrations, for best results, we recommend planting apple trees within zones 4-8.

Date & Time

April 5, 9-10:30 a.m. Central: Grafting Instruction with Q&A (Session will be recorded and available for later use)

April 6, 9-10:30 a.m. Central: How to Care for Your Young Tree, with Q&A (Sessions will be recorded and available for later use)

Choose your time for small group grafting & knife coaching (all times are listed as central time):

Friday, April 5, 10:45-11:45

Friday, April 5, 12:15-1:15

Friday, April 5, 1:30-2:30

Friday, April 5, 2:45-3:45

Saturday, April 6, 10:45-11:45

Saturday, April 6, 12:15-1:15

Saturday, April 6, 1:30-2:30

Save the dates for additional instruction, with Q&A. Registration for these events is included in all three levels of registration.

April 26, 1:00 p.m. Planting Your Tree: Q&A

You will receive a tree planting tutorial video via email prior to this session. This session will be a Q&A to answer any questions you may have after viewing the emailed video.

May 31, 1:00 p.m. Disbudding & Taping Up: Q&A

You will receive a disbudding tutorial video and a taping-up tutorial video via email prior to this session. This session will be a Q&A to answer any questions you may have after viewing the emailed videos.

October 11, 1:00 p.m. Protecting Your Tree for Winter: Q&A

You will receive a tutorial video about protecting your tree for winter via email prior to this session. This session will be a Q&A to answer any questions you may have after viewing the emailed video.

Level I – Instruction only (all instructional sessions, no trees, no grafting kit): $35

Level II – All instructional sessions Scion Kit  $75

• Scion Kit includes: five (5) heritage variety apple scions from SSE’s historic orchard, five (5) rootstock (size M-7, ¼”, semi-dwarf), practice wood, grafting tape, thumb cot, and tree tags 

Level III – All instructional sessions Full Grafting Kit $115 (Full Grafting Kit includes: Scion kit, grafting knife.)

Note: We are not able to accommodate specific variety requests for this workshop. This allows our orchard team to select the best scion available when it becomes time to collect scion. It also allows us to send out lesser known and rare varieties that we may only have a small amount of scion for. You will receive 5 unique, rare, and historic varieties from SSE’s historic orchard. Along with your kit, you will receive names and descriptions of each variety. If you are looking for specific varieties, we recommend going to the Exchange to order additional varieties from IA SSE HF. Note that varieties requested from the Exchange do not come with rootstock. To learn more about the Exchange, go to exchange.seedsavers.org.      

Also, please note that scion kits can only be shipped to contiguous US states. Your grafting success is dependent on using the right tools. A bench grafting knife has a single bevel with one straight edge in order to create a flat grafting surface on the rootstock and scionwood. If you do not already have your own grafting knife, we highly recommend purchasing one.      

Registration Deadlines

Level I: March 29

Level II: March 14

Level III: March 14

Place

This is a virtual class. Registrants will receive an email with a zoom link. 

Instructors

Lindsay Lee, Seed Savers Exchange’s Orchard and Horticultural Advisor, describes himself as an “old-school nurseryman”. He has logged over 45 years in the ornamental horticulture trades, with 30 of those running Willowglen, a seed-to-sale perennial plant nursery near Decorah, Iowa. Lindsay served as the grafting team leader in 1989 when SSE collected the first trees for its Heritage Orchard. “I believe the knowledge and skill of grafting has been eroding among gardeners,” says Lee. “It is my goal to rectify this by teaching gardeners to graft and share their favorite fruits.”

Jamie Hanson‘s journey into the world of horticulture began at the College of the Atlantic, where she cultivated a deep-seated passion for the historical significance of fruit trees and their cultivation. Her fascination with the intersection of history and horticulture set her on a lifelong journey to preserve and celebrate the legacy of these remarkable trees. As the orchard manager at Seed Savers Exchange, Jamie oversees the maintenance of two eight-acre apple orchards. Her daily responsibilities include collection management, comprehensive tree care, and historical research. Beyond her professional commitments, Jamie is an avid adventurer; when not tending to the orchards, you can find her cycling on local trails, hiking in the great outdoors, or working on craft projects.