SPHS students learn apple grafting

By Sonia Magana, FFA Sentinel Agriculture students at Santa Paula High School learned to graft apples with a “Learn by Doing” demonstration from Cal Poly agriculture students and members of the California Rare Fruit Growers, Ventura County Chapter.The SPHS Agriculture Department recently purchased 100 semi-dwarf apple rootstocks from the CRFG. These rootstocks are then grafted over the students’ favorite variety of apple. Grafting is common in the fruit orchard and the nursery to produce trees and fruit that are true to form and taste.The members of the CRFG assisted with the grafting process and provide the semi-dwarf rootstock. Students from Cal Poly include Agriculture Ambassadors and students majoring in fruit and crop production, environment horticulture, and agricultural education.High school agriculture instructor Alex Flores said, “It is a great way for our students to learn to graft and meet some college students who are pursuing careers in agriculture. In addition, the price is right!” The rootstock will produce a “semi-dwarf” apple tree, which will grow to be about 70% as tall as a full sized tree.According to Bob Vieth, member of the Ventura County Chapter CRFG, the grafting technique is not a difficult one. It involves the use of a very sharp knife to expose both the rootstock and the dormant top, called a scion. These two plants then heal together and grow into a single tree. Students will know if their graft is successful in just a few short weeks, when the top begins to grow new leaves.In one year, the trees will grow to be three to five feet tall. These will be planted or moved to a larger plant container. The tree will be allowed to set only one apple in their second year, because the goal is to produce a big strong tree at this early age rather than produce five to ten apples.