I know this is a super basic question, but what’s the difference between the clear tape and the greenish tape? Are they both used the same way? The clear tape is wider than the greenish tape, but are they otherwise the same?
I’ve never had the greenish tape so I may be wrong but I think it is used generally for stabilizing the graft. The white is more likely parafilm that stretches and can be used to wrap and seal the scion and/or the graft union. It’s not usually strong enough by itself to stablize the graft union but does do a great job of sealing it against the elements.
I bought that same kit for myself before finding this forum. This style of tool is called an “Omega” while the other two more common styles you may come across here are the “Zenport” style grafting tool and the “Fieldcrafter” which the zenport is modeled from. You can read more about them in this post. I happen to agree with the initial assessment on the first post after trialing both the omega and zenport tools.
Is the clear tape soft and pliable or is it like plastic wrap/saran wrap? If it’s the latter, I’ve had bad results trying to use that type of “grafting tape” but if it’s more like buddy tape or parafilm then that’s the good stuff.
I don’t recognize that green tape, it doesn’t look the same as the green garden tape that I use to stabilize grafts and occasionally to label things, which is strong and almost fabric-like. It looks shiny more like parafilm does from the side, so it’s possible that’s sometimes sold in that color? Closer photos of pieces of the tape stretched out would help ID them.
In my kit both were just plastic. I had a very low percentage of apple grafts take using that tape, however, they were also my first grafts so that definitely played a factor. Buddy tape was a night and day improvement.
I’ve tried using the green grafting tape/film in the past. It didn’t go well. It is too thin to get any pressure on apple and pear grafts. I don’t think it’s intended purpose is for grafting of fruit trees. I could of course be wrong.
I don’t think the clear tape is parafilm or buddy tape. Those are expensive, and these type of grafters are extremely budget oriented.
I don’t recommend using the scissors end for cutting wood. Maybe for cutting the tape. To me it seems like a needless hazard for it to be included, because when you are making grafting cuts, your focus is going to be on where the wood is getting cut, and I can imagine inadvertently getting something caught in their path
Just finished some of my bench grafts. It is supposed to freeze next day or so (NY Hudson Valley) can I plant these grafted apple tree directly outside? I see people leave them inside for sometime to let callus?
I cut the whole thing off at about 4’ or 5’ high. I did bark grafts of Harrow sweet, Harrow delight, and Potomac. To protect the grafts, I did a layer of grafting tape (like stretchy plastic wrap, that came with my omega kit), covered by a layer of electrical tape. And I cut a garbage bag to cover the tops of the big cuts and taped around them to keep rain and bugs out. Dabs of wood glue on the ends of the scions. The weather is 53 and sunny today, the forecast is highs in the 50s and lows in the 40s for the next week, it’s meant to rain tomorrow though. Now the tree looks like this:
Looks good. You might want to tape on some dowels or sticks to keep birds off and to loosely tie the green growth (when it comes) so it doesn’t blow out in a strong wind. Bark grafts have a weak union for a long time- I usually figure a year. I leave my tape on until next spring, others may have other ideas.
Haha, I wish I had a waterfront property, too! This is actually at my parent’s house. Funnily enough, those aren’t fishing poles, they’re used to keep a boat from banging up against the dock.
We do fish from the dock, but not anything big enough to require big fishing poles… Mostly just snappers. And lots of crabs, which require no poles at all!
Thanks! I added a 10’ bamboo pole, but forgot to take a picture!
Since I just used regular electrical tape instead of rubber tape, is there any worry about the tape strangling the new growth before next year? (I don’t think strangling is the right word, but I don’t know what the right word is…?)