Renowned apple expert, Tom Burford, is teaching an apple grafting workshop at Crabtree Farms on March 7 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Participants will learn about apple varieties suitable to our region and how to graft apple trees under the supervision of Mr. Burford and his trusted associates. Participants will leave with two grafted apple trees, a grafting knife, experience, and a helpful resource book. The cost of this one-of-a-kind workshop is $50, and pre-registration is required. A delicious local lunch is available for an additional $10.
Mr.
Burford’s family has a tradition of growing fruit in Virginia, dating back to the 1700's. Mr. Burford is the author of Apples of North America: Exceptional Varieties for Gardeners, Growers, and Cooks, and teaches workshops on a wide variety of apple-related subjects.
In his “Fruit Grafters Handbook,” Mr. Burford explains that grafting is a technique used to propagate plants, including apples, which dates back to ancient times. The reasons for grafting are many: some farmers and hobbyists turn to grafting in order to improve disease and pest resistance in their plants, to help repair damage, or to accelerate production, while other apple enthusiasts graft in order to create clones of favorite varieties. Crabtree Farms hopes that Mr. Burford’s workshop will increase awareness of this valuable skill and empower Chattanoogans to produce edible fruit in their own backyards.
Registration information for the workshop is available online at
http://crabtreefarms.org/events/apple-grafting-workshop, or by calling 423-493-9155 x10.