Plant grafting and Exchange events update plus other SJC

The South Orange County chapter of California Rare Fruit Growers (CRFG) is hosting a free plant cutting and scion wood sharing event on Sunday February 11, 2024, from 10:30 am until approximately Noon.
This meeting will be held at the Irvine Great Park, Farm + Food Lab. It is near the big orange balloon.

This will include an "Anything Garden Related" exchange.
Bring cuttings of known varieties (except citrus or those under current patent) of fruit trees, grapes, blueberries or other plants.)

You can also bring gardening items you no longer need i.e. books, sprinkler fittings, chemicals, old tools, pots (whatever you have that is still good, but you were hoping it could be of use eventually, but you probably will never use).

Attendees can expect to get while supplies last

5 black nursery type pots
various types of seed packets
1 white food grade buckets with lids (last use had frosting in them)
Registered attendees get 2.5 gallons of mealworm frass,
Not registered attendees prior to the event only get 1 gallon mealworm frass.
Registering at the event does not count.
Other items received will be dependent on what attendees bring, which is visible on our exchange event page bottom right

Register for Sunday's event at: https://southoccrfg.org/exchange-event/

Several nurseries and gardening businesses will have tables. recommended to bring

Ricardo's Nursery in Long Beach - Rare and unusual fruit varieties.
Exotica Rare Fruit Nursery in Vista - This well-known nursery will soon be closing its doors permanently.
Aguinaga Green Soil Company in Irvine - Very good quality soil.
Foothill Feed / Canyon Feed - Animal feed and supplies. (bigger but cool)
The Farm + Food Lab will be offering Banana plants for sale.
There will be someone selling Ollas, or buried terra-cotta pots, commonly used for efficient irrigation in permaculture and gardening. Ollas work by slowly releasing water into the surrounding soil, allowing plants to access moisture as needed.
Parafilm grafting tape will be available for purchase. ($3 per 5 feet)

We have confirmation that CDFA staff and CDFA SCIENTISTS will have a booth.
(CDFA = California Department of Food and Agriculture) Great time to ask questions

Attendees can learn about IMPORTANT current information on Citrus diseases, Fruit Fly infestation, pests, and quarantines. It is very important to understand what is going on.
You may think that Southern California is unaffected by Citrus pests or diseases.
You would be mistaken. Have you noticed the difference in commercial Orange Juice now vs. 15 years ago?

There is a current outbreak of a fruit fly in Southern California. The life cycle of the fruit fly is as follows:

An adult female lays eggs on fruit. They hatch within 2-4 days (up to 16-18 days in cool weather).
The larvae feed for another 6-11 days, ruining the fruit.
The larvae leave the fruit and pupate in the soil under the host plant for 6-11 days,
The adults emerge and can live for up to 2 months, reproducing and laying eggs, up to 500 at a time.

So, the fruit flies can rapidly destroy all the fruit on trees at your home or in commercial groves in a very short time.

We anticipate some representatives of the media to attend.
Note to media representatives - This will be a great opportunity to meet influential people from the CDFA. plus Media Representative's get 2.5 gallon container of Mealworm frass.

Instructions for preparing plant cuttings for donation:
Cut them 4-8 inches long, with 3-4 buds per piece.
Store them in a plastic Zip-Lock bag with a damp (NOT soaking wet) paper towel.
Be sure to label the bag with the variety name and DO NOT mix varieties.
You may drop off cuttings or other items ahead of time by contacting Frank Wagoner.

Instructions for selecting scion wood:
Be sure to label each variety as you pick it. It is useless if you do not know what type or variety it is.

Some people use blue masking tape and a pen or pencil that can write on it. Write on the tape and attach to the cutting. - observe how experienced others at the event are doing it.
Beige masking tape also works, but being extra sticky, may be more difficult to remove.
Please remember that others also want cuttings. Take just one or two pieces of each type you’re interested in. If you want more, wait until later and ask if it’s ok to take more.
‘Leftovers’ are often used by the club after the event.

Note: Only current chapter members will be allowed to pick scion wood for other members that are unable to attend.

Volunteers needed.
During the week prior to the event, we will need help transporting the black pots to the Great Park.

Saturday, February 10 to set up folding tables.
Sunday, February 11 8:30 am.

A) Greet people at the gate and give them directions to the meeting site.
B) Help organize the cuttings by type on the correct tables.
C) Help at tables with preventing cross contamination of types.
D) Monitor for people taking too many cuttings.

All volunteers will receive a bag of mealworm frass (approximately 35 lbs.).

Register for Sunday's event at: https://southoccrfg.org/exchange-event/

Registered (by the night before event ) attendees will receive a 2 1/2-gallon pot of mealworm frass.
Nonregistered attendees will receive a 1-gallon pot of worm castings.

For directions, search with Google maps for Irvine Great Park, Farm + Food Lab

Visit crfg.org for information about other chapter's scion wood exchanges.

From Wikipedia: “Grafting is a horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion while the lower part is called the rootstock.” You can think of this as plant surgery.
Generally, both plants need to be the same type i.e. apple to apple, dragon fruit to dragon fruit,
avocado to avocado, citrus to citrus. Some avocado growers graft multiple varieties onto a
single tree in order to extend fruit production. Grafting can enable a rose plant to have multiple-colored flowers.