Creating Transgendered Persimmon Trees: Updated 14 months later

[NCHillbilly]

So, I cut my scions in December and put them in the fridge until April. I see that NCHillbilly cuts them in March. Is 4 months too long to keep them in the ice box..?? And, I whittled them down before I put them in…. Should I wait to skinny them down and do it when grafting ..?? Somewhere my supply line is going wrong and need to check each step to figure it out.

Yes, and Yes. I cut mine as late as I possibly can before the buds start swelling. And I don't touch them with a knife until about five seconds before I slip them under the bark of the rootstock. Dry=Die.

 

[Jim Boyd]

In spite of my best efforts to kill it, one of them lived….

 

[buckmanmike]

I ordered some persimmon trees yesterday from the GFC. Will I get male and females? How can you tell in the seedling stage? Delivery in Jan 2024.

 

[bhouston]

I ordered some persimmon trees yesterday from the GFC. Will I get male and females? How can you tell in the seedling stage? Delivery in Jan 2024.

In all likelihood, you will get mostly males. Good opportunity to use grafting from a known female.

 

[sportsman94]

I would tack on that you’ll likely be better off grafting them all after they’ve gotten some established roots versus waiting to see which ones are males and which are females.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Update: we’ve got dozens of fruiting persimmons all over the place now. The project has been a huge success.
Here’s one I was looking at today that I grafted in 2018. It’s pushing 20’ now, and absolutely loaded with fruit.

 

[Triple C]

Hands down, the best soft-mast tree ever! Zero maintenance, zero disease. And fruit every year.

Good stuff!

 

[NCHillbilly]

Those persimmons are almost golf ball sized by the way.

 

[SRShunter]

That's awesome, great work!