with all the plants behind.. i cant tell the scion.. from the undrestock .. from the stuff behind ...

but there isnt enough there to worry about cutting it off.. prior to fall.. for sure ..

better pic please

ken

Yes, it is best to wait until fall!

-Sam

Here is photo from better angle. How much upper foliage you guys see optimal for keeping the connection point alive?

No rush ever. That scion's size indicates after the needles have fully expanded that it will have enough mass to support the roots, but as Sam says, wait. Typically what I do is cut them off in mid-summer, end of June or during July, here.

If there isn't enough mass-proportionally to the roots- wait until you feel there is. For the smaller stuff, you may wait 3 and 4 and 5 years. Plants like Picea abies 'Wichtel'. Many you'll keep the understock on for for the first and second flush of the scion the following year and then lop it off. It's a proportionality-game.

Dax

i am no professional on this ... but let me try to explain .. as simple as i can.. so language does not get in the way ... lol.. hopefully ....

your scion has few needles ...

it needs the needles of the understock ... to feed the roots.. to add vigor to the plant ...

conifers hold their needles.. 1 to 3 years ... the understocks needles will provide vigor during that period ..

if your scion flushes out ... and makes its own needles... i would NOT allow the understock to bud out next spring.. perhaps cutting off the buds in fall ..

but i would leave the rest of the understock there.. for the needles on the trunk ...

by next fall ... 2014 .. it will probably be vigorous enough.. that you could make the final cut ...

there is no hurry to get the feeder needles of the understock off the scion ... but dont let it overgrow the scion ...

make any sense??

ken

Thank you, Ken, for good info! I get the picture now. Understock stays for now but no new growth allowed in it.
You see, this is not familiar situation for me for i have usually saved some foliage for the root maintainence below the scion like you see in picture below. This is unpopular among conifer entusiasts becauce plant will not look so good in early stage. But it suits me nicely for it allowes the scion to start its growth higher, abowe all the weeds that populate my garden. In the picture snakespruce, original tree is from Oulainen, Finland.

And here is freshly `highgraftedô plant

part of the equation... is how small/tiny the scion is ...

some who do the MINIs .. leave them on for an extended period ...

as i said ... i do NOT do grafting.. but for one time ... so i am sure.. there are other ways.. ideas ....

i am just enabling you... lol

ken