Top 2 Tips When Grafting Multi-Variety Heirloom Fruit Trees

We have had several customers asking about grafting multiple varieties of heirloom apple or pear varieties of scionwood onto one tree. We don't do much of that at Maple Valley Orchards (MVO). However, we have one pear tree with several varieties on it because I ran out of rootstock one year. Here's my top 2 tips. Tip #1: Mark the branches with the grafted variety immediately. I can guarantee that you won't remember in 3 months and then you're not going to be happy with yourself. Tip #2: Use long-lasting labels. Masking tape won't last long. You'll thank me for these tips.

Materials for long-lasting labels: 1) We like to reuse materials at MVO so we use old white vinyl siding and white plastic jugs like bleach jugs, 2) poly chain that can adapt to growing tree, 3) Use a sign marker to write the variety name. Sharpie makes a few different types of non-fading sign markers.

Check out the pictures below.

Top Left: Moonglow pear tree with Japanese Golden Russet pears going on it.

Bottom Left: Same tree in the winter when you can see the labels.

Right: A couple more labels on the same Moonglow tree.