Hello
@EdinN . Although my work involved propagation, I have never attempted grafting, and it was never required of me during my employment at the nursery. Not only that, I have admired this tree from a distance only, and it is a lovely and fascinating plant. What I can say is congratulations to you for your work so far, you have clearly managed to do everything correctly until now, and your success is obvious.
As those are now two year old trees, and you have previously hard pruned them, the roots will be very large I would think, and for that reason, it may be best to donate the ones that will be gifts sooner better than later so that they can ''settle in'' before the winter is properly over and be transplanted bare root or root balled into a sack for moving.
I daresay that actually digging one out to inspect the size of the root will help you decide what the plant's requirements will be. It is often the plant itself that will give you all the right answers !
I do know that a graft should be high enough above the ground not to be buried, that the Catalpa likes to be in well drained soil. Watering once a week in dry periods only, and if there is insufficient rainfall. I think this will apply more while the tree is young, and it will take care of itself more as it matures. Putting these in pots for sale might be best done (in pots the right size for whatever the roots dictate) very soon. It will be a much more difficult job when they are a year older.
I will be very interested to know what you decide, and would like to follow your progress if you could let us know how it goes.
. They are over 1 meter height
.
