Dummy tape works best for me.especially with stone fruit.
Definitely I’ve had apparent issues with parafilm tape not wanting to stretch well or stick to itself.
The the main cause I’ve found is that the tape is too cold.
Secondarily I’m sure the tape becomes less supple over time.
I try to keep mine sealed in a ziploc.
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Yes on both accounts, it stretches far less when cold and doesn’t stick nearly as well to itself. We have also had rolls get hot over the summer and be completely impossible to get the backing off of the next year.
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I used parafilm for my first year but found it unsat, for many reasons, so I switched to using a razor blade to cut different types of plastic bags about 3/4” wide. With a variety of plastic types you can readily get all the advantages for just a bit of extra effort. Using various colors of plastic allows me to easily document the type of bud or scion I graft as I do it on my mobile device (iPad or iPhone) befor going to the next. If the graft takes I can then place a permanent label. Won’t go back to parafilm!
Thanks all for your help and guidance!
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Is there another name for dummy tape? I googled it but didn’t really get a result.
I wonder if Buddy Tape is what was intended there …
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You’re probably right. The letters aren’t actually that close on the keyboard, but it seems to be the only thing that would make sense.
Put square wheels on a bike too
It wouldn’t be my first choice, but it’s better than a lot of things I spose. My preference is 1/2” parafilm and friction tape for binding. Sometimes I’ve used flagging for wrapping large bark or cleft grafts when topworking. Lots of things will work. Kinda fun to play around with different materials and see how they do. When it counts, though, like when a rate or hard won variety is at stake, I’ll use 1/2” parafilm and friction tape every time.
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I used Temflex 2155 splicing tape on bark grafts today and it was outstanding. For small diameter I use grafting rubbers. I over-wrap with 1" buddy tape for small to medium, or paint with Doc Farwell’s for larger.
Teflon tape sounds like a real pain in the ass. The opposite of parafilm or rubber tape that bond to themselves.
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I don’t know that splicing tape, but I’m curious about it. Does it tear easily? I like that I can pull a strip of whatever width off the roll of friction tape. I’ll often use strips 1/4” , so a roll is really 3 rolls. It stays tacky long enough to remove easily, and often eventually kind of loosens and petrifies. I like to double the end over for the last 1/2” or so leaving a pull tab. You can get a lot of pressure with it if you need, too. I’ve used it also to redirect scaffolds upward and to draw a side branch upward to dominant position when field grafting. There is a limit to its strength though, which lessens with heat and time, so redundancy and a bit of upkeep is needed to prevent the errant branch popping loose. 1/2” wide strips work well here, and I use a series of loops loose around branch and trunk, and secure in the center with a couple wraps, making a sling of sorts in the shape of an “8”. It’s fairly handy. I bought some non impregnated cloth stuff online though and it’s been rubbish. The adhesive is not temperature stable. I ran around last night checking and rewrapping after a day of hot weather
I just bought it for the first time. I had a roll of rubber tape before that was given to me, this was the first I’d bought. I think I may have seen the model number recommended here.
It tears to length easily. I’ve had no need to tear the strips narrower. If I want narrow strips I use grafting rubbers and tie them.
This is the temflex and I also cut it in 3 strips per roll.
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I’ve used a good bit of PTFE tape (the generic name for Teflon) in various water and air fitting uses over the years (not air through PVC, though). I’ve also used some of the tape that is yellow, specified when dealing with propane or natural gas. It seems to me that the yellow product doesn’t slip as much, so it might have a higher coefficient of friction that would make it more suitable for staying put.
But the point of PTFE is that its lubricious - slippery. Seems like a poor choice for graft wrap.
@murky, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the yellow PTFE tape necessarily bonds to itself, just trying to raise awareness that anyone who is interested in trying a Teflon type of product as a grafting tape has a different one which might stick better for their purposes.