Budding tape

Yes, I think a big part of it is figuring out which materials work for you, in your climate. Here, scions wrapped in buddy tape with the graft union wrapped in black electrical tape works fantastically. To me, in my climate, buddy tape is vastly superior to parafilm. How do yall even use that stuff, it barely stretches! Thanks to our big temperature swings, scions drying out is the #1 cause of graft failure, and buddy tape solves that problem. The electrical tape has not presented any problems for me. Just take it off at the end of the season.
But… I did some grafting for an orchard in australia and was told not to use black tape, as the super high summer temps would kill the graft. So, everyone’s grafting “system” is going to be different.

1 Like

Parafilm Question:
I ordered my first roll of parafilm tape. This forum is my first ever experience with starting cuttings from my plants. So using this tape was completely new ‘news’ to me. I was surprised to find that it had no ‘sticky’ to it.
So how do you keep it from unrolling? Tape the end with Scotch Tape?

Putting a rubber band around it works, or maybe indent the end with your thumbnail, or just pull it very snug against the roll.

1 Like

thanks, Mark.

1 Like

If it is unrolling something is wrong. It dried out. I keep mine in a sealed plastic bag to prevent drying, it is like wax, it should not just uncoil. I have never ever had that happen. OK, now that I said that my next roll will! Really maybe it was compressed in shipping, but I never had them unroll, it sticks to itself rather well. It may be how I stretch it too. I stench as I layer scion, with tape attached to roll. I don’t take a piece off and stretch it. At times I do need to remove a piece to apply correctly, in field work. I still stretch as I apply and do not pre-stretch it. I find I can get a more even application that way.
I don’t secure it to scion either, it stay where put. if it breaks while applying it does make a flap, I just put a layer over it. I overlap it a lot too, so most of the scion has two (or more) coats of the tape. Don’t be stingy with the tape.

2 Likes

You should make a quick video of each step.

As you stretch it in applying it sticks to itself. Kinda like Saran or cling film but moreso because of the waxiness than static cling. It just melds into itself. Play with a piece of it before you start wrapping scion.

1 Like

I don’t find whip and tongue very easy to pull off. If you have a big understock a rind graft is great. If the tree understock is about the same size as the scion a cleft graft works good for me. I always have trouble with splice moving when I tape it up and I never made a whip and tongue that I could get to line up very good

2 Likes

Kate,

You may be aware, but there are different kinds of parafilm. I’ve read several folks who didn’t like the Parafilm grafting tape, so I’ve never tried that. I use the Parafilm M which is 2" wide. I like it because it prevents desiccation, but “breathes” some (probably like Buddy tape in that regard). It’s not super stretchy, but it does stretch reasonably well by my standards. If a roll gets too old it won’t stretch very well at all, and just breaks. That’s happened to me, but I ended using the roll up anyway. Like Drew, I keep it in a bag to prevent it from “drying out” so fast.

Last fall I ran out of Parafilm (but not Temflex) so in a pinch I used some packing paper I happened to have in the pickup to finish up grafting. I used the paper over the grafts, just like it was Parafilm to try to conserve some moisture. It ended up working OK, but I ordered a new roll of Parafilm.

1 Like

Picked up a couple rolls today at Lowe’s. Will give it a shot.

2 Likes

I haven’t experimented with it yet, on a real scion - just played with it a bit and noticed that it doesn’t really stretch well enough to imagine the buds pushing through it. ? It is supposed to be REAL parafilm / original or whatever . . . but it sure doesn’t seem to stick to itself. Hmmmmm. Maybe it’s not the same thing that you all are using.
I’ll work with it on a real cutting, and see what happens. Meanwhile, I’ve been going the ‘misting route’.
I’m not expecting much out of my first attempt at all of this . . . If I get even one to root, out of the 6 I have in pots - I’ll be happy ! :smile:

This is what I use. It can stretch well. I wrap my scionwood and store it that way until grafting time.

d

5 Likes

Try to stretch. Keep warm don’t get cold as it is like wax. The picture looks right.

2 Likes

Ed Fackler, who for many years operated Rocky Meadow Orchard & Nursery, told me that he just used masking tape to wrap his W&T grafts… nothing more… but… he was doing apples/pears… probably a lot of what we do (parafilm, rubbers, buddy tape, etc.) is overkill for those species… they challenge you to fail!

3 Likes

I want to thank you again for helping me with your grafting method. I’m having incredible success this year, including the peaches I’ve had trouble with for the last 2 years. I’m so excited to have a number of peach and nectarine varieties!

2 Likes

Thank you for the tip!
This is the first time I tried grafting. I grafted 10 scions last month following your method and they all took. Is grafting on plum so easy or I just got lucky this time.
I tried cleft grafting. I just used a Victorinox Swiss army knife for the job. The first one was a little bit difficult to get it right. But I got the hang of it starting from the second scion. Then it was pretty quick. I used Temflex (from Lowe’s) to wrap the grafting joint first. Then covered the joint and entire scion with grafting tape to keep the moisture. Next year I am thinking to buy the grafting tool, which can create better looking grafting joints probably, and more efficient.
PlumGraft

5 Likes

I do really like the tool, but be aware some of them break really easy. Mine broke and I fixed it. This thread discusses a couple different options of fixing a broken Zenport tool.

1 Like

Interesting, I do the reverse of your approach. I.e. parafilm goes on first and then electrical tape. Parafilm stretches and fills voids and gaps to provide better moisture sealing, it’s safe for buds and bark. The electric tape goes over the parafilm to provide structural support without directly touching the bark. It’s easy to remove the tape without impacting the bark. Stretched electric tape sticking to itself provides a significant amount of support (no having to reverse the sticky side to avoid touching the bark). You can also wrap the scions with parafilm ahead of time indoors and not have to do it at awkward angles while grafting.

6 Likes

I have been using florist parafilm. The green one. And I would not change it for anything else. It costs around 2 pounds in the UK and lasts forever. Best budding/grafting tape ever. I do hundreds of grafts each year.

Cheers

Good info. Next time I will try your approach. I think it makes more sense.
I haven’t removed the electronic tape yet, so not sure if it will cause any damage to the bark. We will see.
Like you said, it provides really good structure support. Also applies enough pressure on the grafting joint. I think that is critical to the success.