I am sure how do you use Parafilm. When I do cleft grafting, after I lined up the cambium layers, I use the black tape(used on electric wires ) to stabilize the scion and rootstock together first then wrapped Parafilm over the graft to cover entire gratfting area. If the scion was pre wrapped with Parafilm then I only need to wrap Parafilm around cutting area. If the scion was not wrapped with Parafilm then I wrapped the rootstock and scion all together. Either ways, I think the Parafilm increases the take rate.
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Of course they are always rootstock buds!!!
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I think itâs because everything is bigger and stronger in TX including those buds 
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Lol. Well never underestimate jujubes and persimmons!!!
I donât wrap scions, or dip them. Just wrap the graft and seal the tip. I picked up a grafting technique from Ken Coates that I believe has improved may take rate. He instructs you to not attempt to line up the cambium. If youâre off, you graft will fail. He instructs you to cross the cambium of each piece and that intersection is enough for your graft to take. I do exactly that, attempting a long, shallow cross of the two pieces insuring the cambium touches in at least one place. If the rootstock and scion are of equal size you can get cambium contact on each side. This works for most any type of graft.
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Good tip.I will try it this spring. Do you have tips on grafting scion is way bigger than rootstock? This year, I got some peach scions that are twice thick than my peach rootstock.
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Hi mamuang! Is this the temflex tape you and everyone else keeps referring to?
https://www.lowes.com/pd/3M-Temflex-2155-Rubber-Splicing-22-ft/3129711
Additionally for posterity, I couldnât find the Craftsman Handi-cut at Loweâs (craftsmanâs new home) but there are a few of them available used on ebay. There is another tool which appears to be a copy of the handi-cut called a Ronan Multi-cut which may be more widely available. Both appear to be available with the larger 3 and 7/8" blade and the Craftsman version also seems to have a standard utility blade size as an option. To anyone who has tried both - is there a huge advantage to one size or the other, other than the obvious larger blade/bigger cut aspect?
Well, when this week of awful weather breaks, Iâll be anxious to do the first graft or two. The ones Iâve done in the outdoor cold weather in February have in the past done nearly as well as ones done late March.
I am not so sure that any of the cleft grafts get as much contact with the cambium layer as either a saddle graft or the whip and tongue!
But, the way clefts work for me, without leaving a huge ugly wound, is to take the rootstock and put in a thin piece of scionâone on either side of the cleft. The wound heals much better if both the small scions grow. And one can be snipped in a year or two, with no entry points lingering for disease and rot.
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Took me next to forever to learn that!
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These Kobalt brand cutters were at Lowes,a number of years ago,on clearance for under $10 as a pack.Looking at the price now,I should have bought the whole lot of them.
https://www.amazon.com/Triple-Cut-Utility-Cutter-contains/dp/B00GSGLONC
When first using them,the bigger blade was my preference,thinking that a longer cut meant better cambium contact.But the replacement blades are very difficult to find,so the smaller one is used and does fine.
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Yes, thatâs the one. It is very stretchy. Some people split it in the middle to make a thinner strip and make it last a lot longer.
I donât split it but I like to stretch it well before I wrap a graft union. It sticks to itself well.
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I bought a craftsman cutter that is similar that uses a utility knife blade (box cutter blade). I really like it for making nice cuts. Iâve looked for another like it and unable to find one. Those are similar but the ease of purchasing the box cutter blades that are sold everywhere is a winner for me.
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This is what I have. Very hard to find now.
Annie, I often do a modified whip-n-tongue on unequal size wood. I cut the smaller piece first (rootstock), making the long diagonal cut, then mark the scion for the length of that piece. I then cut out a strip on the scion equal in length and width to the face of the prepared rootstock. The cut on the scion wonât be anywhere near the width of the stock, just a piece off the side. Then I cut a tongue on each piece, the larger piece having a tongue cut near the bottom of the piece. Essentially, the whip and tongue is just done to the side of the scion. Difficult to describe, I was looking for a photo for you but donât have one. I refer to it as a side graft.
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Andy, I think youâre talking about what I would call a side graft, and for scionwood about 45 to 90% the size of the rootstockâŚI often go that route. (Youâre suggesting that method when the scion is larger than the rootstockâŚhavenât done that, but the idea is the same one.) The scar is a bit slow to heal, like a cleft graft is. When the scion size is less than 45 or 40 % of the size of the rootstock, thatâs when I insert two little twigs, one on either side of a cleft.
If I was up to speed on taking pictures and uploading them, I could show a nice 2 year old
Cornish Aromatic on B-9 root that was about 60% the diameter of the rootstock when I put them together by whip and tongue. I expect some blooms this spring on it. Will allow at least one fruit if that happens.
Andy, I think I know(can picture) what you are talking about. The challenge part of this method is to cut the same width /length on the scion. And the rootstock cut has to be long enough because part of cutting surface will not be used. This is advanced grafting method and really tests the cutting skills
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I may have that one too.The smaller Kobalt cutter uses the 2 inch blades also.
Yes . . . and popcorn, too, please.
Iâm new at this too . . . and think Iâm doing a pretty good job. ? One question . . .
You have your scion wrapped and cut a nice âwedgeâ - and itâs time to ârockâ your knife on the host branch. So . . . . . hereâs the question -
Do you do your cut on the branch North and South . . . or crosswise - East and West?
My gut tells me that it will be stronger healing with an East and West cut. The bottom side will be âuncutâ . . . unlike the âup and downâ cut. Seems that it would support the branch, better, in the long run. ? Is there a right and wrong way?
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