The next in the series of Gardening Round Table sessions at the Woods Hole Public Library will feature grafting, the technique of attaching a piece of new plant onto a host plant, where it will hopefully grow and prosper. Most commonly, grafting is used on fruit trees, when new scions are attached to the mother plant, matching cambium to cambium and sealing with wax. This will be the focus of the Library demonstration.
Josh Leveque, who leads these Library evenings, has ordered scions of Baldwin and Chestnut crabapples to share with the participants. He will also bring small apple trees. There will be a $ 15 materials fee for all this plant material. The Baldwin is known as an antique apple which originated in Massachusetts in 1750. It is still known as a great “keeper” and good for eating out of hand as well as for cooking. The Chestnut Crabapple, less well known here, was developed at the University of Minnesota in 1946, and produces 2″ pale yellow crabapples with streaky red blushes and some russeting. Obviously, with its heritage, it is very cold-hardy. It also is great for fresh eating, cooking or making jams, and has, reputedly, a nut-like flavor.
All who wish to learn how to graft their own fruit trees are welcome to join this session at the Library on April 2 at 7 PM. Everyone will take home a small grafted apple tree. For more information, call the Library at 508-548-8961.