How to Take Care of Grafted Fruit Plants & What to Expect From Them
Currently, a lot of home gardeners are showing their interest to grow fruit plants in their home garden. When it comes to investing in fruit plants, grafted plants are the best ones. Grafted plants are basically created by joining two different parts, which mostly consists of a top part that can aid in producing the fruit and the root stock. Both the parts help the plant to grow as one plant. This is helpful for the home gardeners as this technique creates smaller and stronger trees and ensures faster-fruiting and the quality as good as the parent plant.
What is a grafted fruit plant?
A grafted plant is created by attaching a selected fruit variety (scion) onto a hardy rootstock.
Why are grafted plants preferred over seed-grown plants for home gardens?
Grafting of two parts into a single plant ensures better disease resistance, faster maturity, more consistent fruit quality and higher survival rate.
What to expect after you receive your plant?
If you notice that your plant is exhibiting slight leaf yellowing, leaf drop or temporary drooping after you receive your shipment or relocating your plant, this might be due to mild stress to the plant or adjustment of your plant to the new environment.
What is the usual recovery time for a grafted fruit plant?
Most grafted plants stabilize within 10–21 days with proper care.
How to care for the grafted fruit plants correctly?
If you have decided to buy grafted fruit plants for your home garden, then you may need to know this step-by-step care guide for your grafted fruit plant.
-Choosing the right location: The grafted plants should be kept in a location, where the plant can get at least four to six hours of bright sunlight. For initial 7-10 days after receiving, morning lights turn out to be good.
-Potting and soil mix: If your grafted plant arrives in a grow bag, you should repot the graft within 3-5 days using a soil mix that contains 50% Garden soil, 20% Coco-peat, 20% Vermicompost and 10% Sand or Perlite. This mix ensures good drainage, airy roots and strong growth. Always use a pot with drainage holes.
-Watering schedule: Do not overwater the grafted fruit plant, water only when the top 1–2 inches of soil feels dry. Water deeply until excess drains out and do not allow water to stagnate in trays. Typical frequency for watering in summer should be every 2–3 days, while in winter it should be every 5–7 days. You need to adjust the schedule based on your climate.
-Fertilizing grafted fruit plants: You can start fertilizing the plant 2–3 weeks after planting. Best options for fertilizing your plants are applying Vermicompost once every 15 days, Liquid seaweed or organic liquid fertilizer once every 10–15 days. Avoid heavy chemical fertilizers, especially during early establishment.
-Pruning and training: Light pruning helps shape the plant and improve branching. It can remove weak, dry, or damaged branches. Do not cut below the graft joint. Keep the graft union always above soil level. Proper pruning leads to better flowering and fruiting.
When will grafted plants bear fruits?
This basically depends on the Plant variety, Climate, amount of daily sunlight and the Care. If everything is maintained properly, some grafted plants may flower within 6–12 months, whereas most start fruiting within 12–24 months. Healthy growth comes first. Strong roots and branches give rise to better fruits later.
Why do flowers or small fruits sometimes fall off?
This is normal in young plants. Possible reasons for this might be because the plant is still immature, there might be temperature fluctuations and the plant might have undergone stress from transplanting or irregular watering. As the plant matures and stabilizes, fruit retention improves naturally.
How to prevent pest & disease for the grafted fruit plant?
You should check plants weekly for any trace of pest and disease. If you notice pests, you can spray neem oil once every 7–10 days. You need to keep the plant area clean, ensure good airflow. You should always keep in mind that early prevention avoids major problems.
What are the key tips for success?
First, you have to be patient as consistency is more important than perfection. Provide proper sunlight, avoid overwatering, use organic feeding regularly, and do not disturb roots frequently.
Final Thoughts
Grafted fruit plants are long-term companions in your garden. With the right care and a little patience, they reward you with healthy growth, beautiful flowering, and delicious home-grown fruits. If you have any query, please contact us on 8882184978.
