Apple Scions

15th July 2016:

This is Adamson collecting apple tree scions on his fathers farm about 150 km North of our farm in Lusangazi, in Mphompha. Laston is with him as well as Harisen.
This was planned to the exact date for about six weeks now, as Adamson is a stickler for timing and procedures, a real expert.
Chip budding is one of the easier forms of grafting. A bud, rather than a shoot, is attached to a rootstock to make a new plant.  Just one bud is needed to make a tree, it is very efficient.
I think the plan was to collect about 2000 buds on this trip with two more trips to follow.The plan is for over 5000 apple trees this year and about 35,000 fruit trees in total.
It will be full steam ahead for the next few week