TucsonKen
1246833094
Posted 1336158431
Reply with quote #1
I've been threatening to post some step-by-step grafting shots, and with my UCD cuttings arriving yesterday I had an opportunity to get some photos this morning. I take no credit for the technique--it's one Joe Real (who is a real expert) posted for grafting persimmons, but it's worked nicely for me with figs as well.
It's a pretty forgiving method, but these points are important:
It works best when the scion is considerably smaller in diameter than the recipient branch.
Always sterilize your hands, tools, and any bark involved with the graft with rubbing alcohol prior to cutting or handling.
Don't forget to trim a tiny sliver of bark off each edge of the angled cut--it seems to help both cambium surfaces bond to each other.
Once the scion is trimmed and ready to graft, immediately put it in a glass of water to keep the cut surface from drying out.
Use Parafilm grafting tape. It keeps the scion and graft union from drying out, and the growing buds will push right through it. It also sticks to itself, if stretched and then squeezed against the layer beneath.
For the grafts I did about two months ago, I didn't give them any extra sun protection, but now it's hot enough that I added a bit of aluminum foil to shield each graft.
I haven't figured out how to embed photos in the text, with captions, but I think you'll be able to see a caption for each shot by hovering your mouse over it. If not, I'll add more info below in a "reply."
I'm also experimenting with another graft that I'm optimistic about--if it works, I'll post images in several weeks.
Attached Images A)_useful_stuff.jpg (98.98 KB, 284 views)B)_scion.jpg (63.96 KB, 310 views)C)_scion_angled_cut.jpg (60.69 KB, 319 views)D)_scion_edge_trim.jpg (57.99 KB, 338 views)E)_trimmed_scion_in_water.jpg (90.94 KB, 301 views)F)_recipient.jpg (166.88 KB, 329 views)G)_cut_recipient_branch.jpg (124.28 KB, 350 views)H)_branch_removed.jpg (147.64 KB, 322 views)I)_slit_bark.jpg (115.61 KB, 330 views)J)_separate_bark_along_cut.jpg (156.29 KB, 334 views)K)_slip_scion_beneath_bark_flaps.jpg (110.33 KB, 348 views)L)_in_position,_end_view.jpg (140.59 KB, 350 views)M)_in_position,_side_view.jpg (101.15 KB, 323 views)N)_wrap_the_cut_with_Parafilm.jpg (102.81 KB, 320 views)O)_continue_wrapping.jpg (106.08 KB, 278 views)P)_be_sure_cut_end_is_well_covered.jpg (100.83 KB, 292 views)Q)_wrap_with_rubber_band.jpg (101.08 KB, 281 views)R)_not_too_tight.jpg (100.50 KB, 267 views)S)_more_Parafilm.jpg (86.71 KB, 281 views)T)_three_layers_around_union.jpg (128.41 KB, 265 views)U)_single,_tight_wrap_on_scion.jpg (119.54 KB, 272 views)V)_finished_mummy.jpg (120.38 KB, 277 views)X)_aluminum_foil.jpg (170.45 KB, 287 views)W)_four_old,_four_new.jpg (175.14 KB, 302 views)Y)_almost_2_months.jpg (142.17 KB, 309 views)
Remp
1317358446
Posted 1336161101
Reply with quote #2
Ken,
Nichole
1333814555
Posted 1336162087
Reply with quote #3
This is very interesting. Bookmarking this for future use. Not sure how or when...
http://www.niroha.com https://sites.google.com/site/nicholesgardeninventory/fig-trees
Chivas
1283819505
Posted 1336167498
Reply with quote #4
Great post, you make it look really easy, almost as easy an air layer.
TucsonKen
1246833094
Posted 1336174441
Reply with quote #5
Eric, I've only done a few on figs (10) so far, but it's quite easy. The only known failure (to date) was a Violet de Bordeaux on which the buds had started to open. I did it as a quickie demo for some house guests, and used what was on hand without being as selective as I should have been. It might still have made it if I had wrapped the entire scion with Parafilm, but I left gaps for each bud thinking that would help, and it just dried out in the sun. I don't know how it would work if you removed leaves--seems worth a shot, anyway. I'd clip them but leave the petioles in place, and wait for them to drop off on their own before cutting the scion off the tree. I'd probably also cut off the terminal bud and wait for one or two new buds to start swelling before doing the graft, but I'm just guessing.
Nichole, it'll probably come in handy at some point!
Chivas, thanks--I actually think it's quite a bit easier than air layering--but on the other hand, my plan is to air layer these once they're big enough, so I guess I'm not saving much labor. The hardest thing is finding a few rolls (rather than a case) of Parafilm. a generous fignut gave me a couple of 1/2" rolls, and my brother-in-law had an extra 1" roll. Either works fine, but I've started using the 1" on the union, and the 1/2" on the exposed scion.
Dave
1312388324
Posted 1336176967
Reply with quote #6
That's some good information and thanks for sharing it. Connecticut - Zone 6B Wish List - Bordissot negra rimada
Remp
1317358446
Posted 1336200050
Reply with quote #7
Thanks again Ken.
Johnparav
1282396529
Posted 1336221967
Reply with quote #8
Awesome info & pics
DesertDance
1247674606
Posted 1336222337
Reply with quote #9
Thanks for sharing! So by doing this method, could you have several varieties on ONE tree? If so, those of us who don't have a ton of space could enjoy many kinds of figs.
theman7676
1305721469
Posted 1336223735
Reply with quote #10
love it ! will try next time. i guess needs to be done while tree is dormant or right when its coming out of dormancy - right?
strudeldog
1278124225
Posted 1336224394
Reply with quote #11
Excellent Ken,
TucsonKen
1246833094
Posted 1336258317
Reply with quote #12
Thanks all, I'm glad this was useful.
Phil, I wondered about the strength issue, especially on some of the persimmon grafts, which have gone crazy and are longer and more lush than new growth from the main tree. I guess I'd better keep a close eye on them to make sure the union is really thickening up. I noticed the Parafilm and rubber and were already largely deteriorated on one of the fig grafts, so I added a little tape--maybe I should reinforce it some more. In nana7b's recent thread, she showed how she added splints to some of hers. On the other hand, maybe if it's too rigid, it might not add as much new wood. Who knows? It's all new territory right now--the "learn as you go" method.
DesertDance, there are six different varieties grafted onto that one tree right now. Three are thriving, one died (my fault), and the jury's still out on the two varieties from yesterday--but they looked solid and I'm optimistic about them. As far as I know, there's not much to limit how many varieties you can add to one tree--maybe the perfect solution for that disappointing variety that you're ready to yank out and replace. It's a great way to "trial" new varieties without committing a lot of space and irrigation. No risk of receiving contaminated soil, and the growth rate (so far) seems much quicker and more dependable than waiting for cuttings.
Eli, based on the Joe Real tutorial, which is much more detailed and informative than mine, I think you want to wait until it's past dormancy--for persimmons, if I recall correctly, he suggests waiting till the branch has five discernible leaves before cutting it off to make the graft. I jumped the gun a little on the first few figs, but they worked anyway. Just make sure the bark is "slipping" so it's easy to separate.
I can see one reason why it works so well--the rootstock tree is pushing sap with such pressure that within a few days, beads of it were popping up here and there through all those layers of Parafilm--particularly on the cut end, and drying into hard little scabs. Contrast that with rooting a cutting--it doesn't have anywhere near the energy resources, because it has to do all the work. The graft only has to tap into what's flowing up from an existing root system.
One other important point from Phil that I forgot to mention--be vigilant about removing any new buds sprouting from the branch stub. If they're allowed to grow, your graft will quickly slow way down or even die. Keep checking for new, unwanted bud break every few days and rub them out before they can get going.
theman7676
1305721469
Posted 1336304935
Reply with quote #13
Thank you ken
I tried few grafts 2 weeks ago or so. used another method that an older italian gentleman showed me. so far, i dont see any growth and in few cases it seems the graft are drying up.
if i understand your comment above correctly, i need to remove any buds growth from the same branch below the graft ??
TucsonKen
1246833094
Posted 1336305823
Reply with quote #14
Correct. Good luck!
Dieseler
1215735852
Posted 1336307674
Reply with quote #15
Ken very nice detailed pictures you showed .
nana7b
1297809004
Posted 1336327815
Reply with quote #16
Nice photo essay Ken! Thank you for sharing. I would like you try your technique next year.
zaitun
1299436297
Posted 1336371614
Reply with quote #17
Its very nice detail pic.http://www.greffer.net/?p=7
TucsonKen
1246833094
Posted 1339258227
Reply with quote #18
Update:
I'm finding that timing may be much more important than I had thought--the results have been quite varied. The LSU Improved Celeste and LSU Scott's Black grafts I did three months ago (March 10) are doing great. The LSU IC added 14 inches and is still going strong, with several figs forming. On the other hand, the Black Madeira put out a few wimpy leaves and hasn't done anything since.
The grafts I did on May 4th, after it was already hot, haven't progressed at all. I don't know if this is due to the advanced state of foliage on the other branches, or the temperature, or some other factor I haven't thought of. Maybe it was just beginner's luck on the successful ones--I hope not! (At any rate, 100% of the persimmon grafts "took" and have grown like weeds.)
I'm still guardedly optimistic about the grafts that don't seem to be doing anything, because another graft (Violette de Bordeaux) that I thought was dead is just starting to shoot out a leaf--but I'm guessing not much will happen with the others till the summer monsoon's typical growth flush, or maybe not even till next spring!
So, my best guess, based on very limited experience, is that fig grafts should be made just as the recipient tree is breaking bud, or very soon thereafter.
Attached Images LSU_IC_graft_9_Jun_2012.jpg (145.41 KB, 80 views)LSU_IC_&_LSU_Scotts_Blk.jpg (196.73 KB, 76 views)Black_Madeira_graft_9_Jun_2012.jpg (115.18 KB, 75 views)VdB_9_jun_2012.jpg (72.08 KB, 80 views)
Figfinatic
1330272993
Posted 1339266529
Reply with quote #19
After wrapping in the parafilm, what is it that you are using in the picture over the parafilm. Are those shoelaces? So spring would be the best time to do this? I see the Parafilm comes in 4" x 125 ft. I'll be grafting everything up.
TucsonKen
1246833094
Posted 1339272005
Reply with quote #20
After the first layer of Parafilm I wrap the union with a rubber band--not stretched too tightly, but still fairly snug. If you "mouse over" the thumbnails, you'll see short captions to explain what's going on. This is the first year I've done any grafting, but based on that little bit of experience I'd say yes, spring is the best time--just after the recipient tree has started "waking up."
cis4elk
1347840383
Posted 1366185786
Reply with quote #21
Bump.
Axier
1191346607
Posted 1366191326
Reply with quote #22
I have grafted figs many times, I always used the chip budding method with very good results, but like all grafting methods, it is not perfect, so I look for other better methods (if possible!).
cis4elk
1347840383
Posted 1366225339
Reply with quote #23
Axier
TucsonKen
1246833094
Posted 1366239404
Reply with quote #24
I continue to have good success with the modified bark graft, and have not noticed a problem with die-back of the rootstock wood at the union. Axier—are you completely wrapping the entire union (including the end of the cut stub) and scion with Parafilm so it doesn’t dry out?
Timing appears to be the critical factor for me—three of four grafts that I tried after the recipient tree had already leafed-out didn’t do much throughout the season, and then died over the winter. However, the ones I grafted just after the rootstock tree broke dormancy grew very well, and quickly produced strong unions. They also produced fruit the same season. I don’t see any advantage to grafting figs other than as a means of producing material to air-layer, but it seems to work well for that.
I’ve had 100% success using this method for persimmons, and it also worked on two out of four avocados I tried in the middle of winter, when a band of bark at the base of a small branch died and I wanted to experiment and see if I could salvage the growing tips. The scions were very thin—from toothpick diameter to about 1/8 inch, and the survivors are currently doing great on grocery store seedling rootstock.
Axier
1191346607
Posted 1366967425
Reply with quote #25
Ken, I completely wrapped the grafts very well with Parafilm and for long time.
I always do so, I am especially careful with this matter since I lost many grafts when I started to graft years ago, due to doesn't wrap adequately, or unwrap very early.
baumgrenze
1329774832
Posted 1371361110
Reply with quote #26
Ken,http://citrus.forumup.org/viewtopic.php?t=1762&mforum=citrus http://citrus.forumup.org/viewtopic.php?t=500&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15&mforum=citrus http://citrus.forumup.org/viewtopic.php?t=7114&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=baumgrenze&start=15&mforum=citrus
TucsonKen
1246833094
Posted 1373741298
Reply with quote #27
Baumgrenze, thanks very much for the links. I found that the success rate of my more recent grafts has not been quite as good. A Panachee graft from last year hung on without doing much until this spring, when it finally took off. However, the union didn't look very strong. My intent from the start was to air layer it, which I did, and I'll soon remove it--but for some reason the roots don't look as robust as I'd like. One graft never "took" at all, and another is growing slowly. I had a couple of Persimmon failures, although most did great. Here are some photos:Inline image Panachee graft, air layered and soon to be removed.Inline image Panachee roots Inline image Cecil's neighbor's Celeste, graft Inline image Cecil's neighbor's Celeste, rooted cuttings
