I am interested in grafting some loquat trees. I need to find a source for seeds or seedlings and I have the budwood source growing. I need to know....Can you bud them or bark graft them like I do citurs? When and what time of year works best? I assume that mixing the cultivars is OK...since I will be using seedling rootstock. Any tips and tricks that I need to know.............anyone salt them? Anyone know of a source of a tutoria on loquat propagation and grafting on the web...........thanks to anyone who can help.

Loquat grows easily from seed, which should be planted directly from the fresh fruit. Trees used only for ornamental purposes are grown from seed, as are seedling used as under stocks. All improved varieties of Loquats, are T-budded or whip grafted onto seedlings, or grafted on an older tree. Loquats can also be grafted on quince seedlings, in order to obtain a dwarf tree. Lastly, they can also be propagated by air layering, using rooting hormones on the layered part. - Millet

Thanks Millet. This year after reading (loquats are hard to propagate by cuttings) I cut two terminal ends off my loquat and cut the ends at an angle. Using a dip in rooting hormone I placed the cuttings in a homemade propagation chamber with a bunch of other stuff I was starting. To my surprise since (they are hard to get by cuttings) both of these filled with roots and put out new leaf growth. I just transplanted them to 1 gallon pots.............???? I can air layer but would really like to graft some. I need fresh seed. Planted 50 seed from an internet source....not one germinated.........they were dry when I got them and I dont think they were very fresh...............Did I just "luck up" with the two cuttings or could it be easier to root from cuttings than folks think????

I grafted several this year, about half by chip budding and about half by veneer grafting, using a 3-4-inch scion. While generally, I'm quite adept at chip budding, none of those scions lived. But nearly all the veneers lived and grew well. I did not prepare the wood in any special way. I did totally cover the scions with vinyl grafting tape until healed, then rewrapped to expose the swelling buds for another 3-4 weeks, to be sure the unions were well-healed, and the scions had made their first full flush of growth. Then I unwrapped them completely.

Good information MM. It appears that I will have to get the information on veneer grafting. I have done budding and chip and bark grafting....have not done any veneer....but will investigate. Thankd for the input. I am going to pursuethe loquat propagation and get some plants going. I have a "big Jim" growing in my yard.....abotu 8 years old and would have fruited last year for the first time but............the late cold snap that we caught knocked the blossoms/fruit off. Next year......

Hi All, I planted Loquat seeds in March 06 & I kept one plant that is 4 -5 feet tall (in pot).
How long does it take to get fruits from seed? About?
Thanks

David-
I am curious about your homemade propagation chamber.
I recently put together the one from this site:
http://www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics-gardening.com/homemade-aeroponics.html
Too early for results yet.

Your is much more advanced that the one I build. Mine is simply an old aquarium that I painted white and left enough unpainted glass to give me 30 percent of norma light levels. I use a plastic opaque bottom tray (wall mart) that I cut a 8 x 10 inch hole in the bottom and covered it with screen wire. Into the tray is a soiless, sterile potting mix of perlite and milled spagnmum moss. Wet the mixture well and press it down tightly. When you are ready to install your cuttings I use the half ripe terminal ends of the subject plant. I cut them off at a slight angle and dip in rooting hormone. Use a pencil and make a hole in the soiless medium and intall the cutting pressing the medium around the base. Place the cover on it (old aquarium) and place it in filtered sunlight. You can forget about it at this point. It takes about 2 weeks for the cuttings to root and then you can take them out and pot them. I just did a full load of Mayer Lemon, Loquat, Bay Laurel, Camelia, and LSU figs. 100 percent on the rooting so far...I just potted them all up. I used it to start seed too. Key Lime, Persea Borbonia, P trifolata, Loquat, Persimmon and other.........works like a champ for thm too..................... here us a link to the simple system that I use. http://www.freeplants.com/frame%20set.htm Its simple and cost nothing....and it works like a champ.

In grafting loquats, I like to use a cleft or chip bud. If doing a cleft graft I normally protect the new graft with a plastic bag (I use the bag my newspaper comes in). If you are using large stock, I am sure a bark graft would do fine. Here is an interesting "loquat" info site:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG050

Ned

Thanks Ned. I think that I will try to bark graft some material from my producing tree onto some seedlings that I have....with the standard bark graft. I like the bark graft and I think that it will work with the Loquats....I find that when bark grafting on larger material you sometimes need to tape or tie a support along side the graft (new graft and rootstock) to keep the graft from breaking off in wind or passing animals and people. I have not tried a cleft graft but intend to learn and try it somewhere down the road. I have trouble finding loquat seed and seedlings.......................

David,

Around next April or May, I will have plenty of seed. If you still need some then, let me know. If you plan to go to the citrus expo in Tifton, I can bring all the seedlings you will ever need.

Ned

Thanks Ned. I would love to go to the expo in Georgia but at this time I dont see how I can make it. I have some prior commitments and unless some things change I will have to make them...hope springs eternal that some things will change and if they do I will go. I would love to have seedlings...I would love to have seed. If you will send me seed I will make a donation to your favorite charity....even if that is you. Thank you so much. I sincerly hope to make the Georgia expo.................fingers crossed. David

At one visit to Ned's I was a little surprised to see that he does his loquat grafts nearly in the same manner that I do. I was tickled that he even uses the newspaper bag over the graft like me. This is pretty much how I do my Wedge Graft:


I usually spray a little water in the bag or place a small moistened napkin or paper towel in the bag before using a twist tie to seal up the bottom of the bag.

A grafted Panzarella Loquat I did with this method:

Very informative and good pics too. Thanks I intend to graft some Loquat. It appears that the wedge graft is workable and that the wedge allows the cambium layers to line up on scion and understock. Thanks for the clarification.

Good pictures G!

David, remind me in early spring about the loquat seed. Say around April 1.

Ned