SANTA FE, N.M. - New Mexico State University will host a fruit tree grafting workshop to help commercial growers and home gardeners alike.

The workshops take place at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, July 24, and at the NMSU Sustainable Agriculture Science Center at Alcalde on Wednesday, July 25. Both workshops will be from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m
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The free events are co-sponsored by Santa Fe and Rio Arriba counties' NMSU Cooperative Extension Service offices and Shengrui Yao, NMSU Extension fruit specialist.

"Grafting is very useful in fruit tree production for both commercial growers and home gardeners," Yao said. "There are many reasons to graft."

Commercial growers can use grafting to propagate their own trees especially unique cultivars. Top-grafting can be used to switch cultivars to make the orchard more profitable.

Home gardeners can graft multiple cultivars in the same tree to keep heirloom cultivars alive, or introduce pollinizer varieties to a solitary tree.

"Grafting can also be used to save trees that have partially damaged bark," Yao said.

There will be a 30-minute presentation followed by a one-hour hands-on session. Participants should bring a small sharp knife or grafting knife to use during the hands-on session.

Space is limited to 20 people at each location. To reserve your seat in Santa Fe, call Pat Torres at 505-471-4711. In Alcalde, call Augusta at 505-852-4241.