Grafting Lesson #10, Grafting Onto Established Trees, Frameworking and Topworking,

How to graft new varieties onto existing fruit trees by frameworking and topworking, Make Frankentrees, or fix broken trees.

Playlist for this series:    • GRAFTING LESSON #1, The Possbilities,...  

If you want to really geek out on grafting, The Grafter's Handbook is awesome. It is way more than necessary for home grafters, but truly broad: http://amzn.to/2qgeUaa
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General Grafting Playlist:    • Grafting Dwarf Interstem Apple Trees ...  

Sometimes it is necessary to work an existing tree to a new variety or put many varieties on one tree to make a, frankentree aka tree of many fruits, fruit salad tree, multigrafted tree. Grafting on new scions can be done by one of two main approaches, topworking or frameworking. In topworking, the tree is cut back to large stubs and several scions are inserted into each. In frameworking, the larger branching structure of the tree is preserved and jus the smaller fruiting wood is replaced. Topworking is still more common, but it shouldn't be. Backyard orchardists, homesteaders and other small orchardists are generally much better off using frameworking. Frameworking requires more labor, time, thought and scions, but it is much less likely to introduce rot into the tree and comes to fruition much faster. You can also add many varieties to one tree right away. Topworking requires that you regrow most of the tree, so it necessarily takes longer to regain at fruitful state.

Various grafts can be used in frameworking, like cleft grafts, whip and tongue grafts, bark or rind grafts, side grafts, etc. Long scions can be used and I prefer to use scions with 6 or more buds when framework grafting as the scions with more buds can potentially produce fruit a year sooner. As with other grafting, it pays to paint our scions with something to seal in moisture. Any branches left exposed to strong sun should be painted to prevent sunburn. that is very important. Borers will almost always find and enter at a sunburned bark site and cause more damage. Wrap the grafts very tight. Sometime in mid to late summer check the grafts and cut the tape away so they don't strangle. If it's very windy, consider re wrapping them. If they are not strangling the stem, you can leave the wrapping in place longer.

All you need is clippers, scions, a sharp knife, something to wrap the grafts with and something to seal them up like paint or grafting wax. Much of the other information on grafting tools, grafting knives, different kinds of grafts, and so on are available in the playlist for this series.