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Multiple T buds on one branch?

I have an unknown yellow fig with established roots that I would like to graft to. There are about eight broomstick diameter trunks on it each about 5 feet long and I would like to change half of those to another variety. Since I have the itch to do it soon, I need a graft that works in growing season and T Bud seems like a good choice. The videos I've seen show one T bud on a single small trunk which gets pruned away later. Any reason I should not do 3 or more T buds on each of the trunks I'm going to switch to a new variety? I'm thinking it will give me more tree mass sooner.

Sure give it a try. The worst that can happen assuming they take is that not all will grow when forced. I've budded about 50 this summer with 100% takes.

I've seen this done with stone fruit and apples/pears where multiple budding is done on a root stock so I suppose the same principles would apply for top working(that's what it's called for other fruit trees,don't know a fig name for this) your fig provided the diameter of the branches you are grafting onto is sufficient to accommodate the grafts.you would end up with lots of varieties on the same Same tree saving you space or fruit quicker as the roots should pump out loads of energy,and a better shaped tree even if you top worked just one other variety onto it.The only note of caution from what I know about other fruit is to be mindful of the differing vigour of the scion wood trees,if you had for example a weak growing variety and a very vigourous one on the same branch/under stock the vigorous one can out compete the weaker one for resources/light and make the tree grow unbalanced so you have to watch and prune accordingly to stop that happening.best of luck with it,sounds like a great experiment

Hi,
You can do it BUT...
If on the same stem two grafts take, you'll have to remove one, for shaping reasons and because if they grow on opposite sides their weight will, in the long run, get them to split open.
Remember that you have to wound the bark to insert the grafts and for that zone to strengthen it is best to just have one graft per stem.
At least, that is what is said on grafts. Most grafters will make two grafts, but if both make it, they cut one. And that is to avoid the wood-splitting issue.
So to have better odds of success, yes graft 2 or 3, but if more than one makes it ... just keep one.
Good luck !

Thanks for the inputs and encouragement, I would not have thought of these things on my own. I'd be delighted to have most (or any) of my grafts take.

Here's someone who is about 10,000 times faster than me:




The problem with multiple t-bud grafts will be getting them all to break dormancy. The highest on will tend to have more dominance than the lower ones.

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