Having trouble finding Doc Farwell’s for sale in quart size. A couple places say not available. Anyone else know what’s going on with Doc’s?
I had to re-stock a few weeks ago and found the same thing. Maybe there are more grafters now and it is out of stock? NW cider supply was my final source, my quart showed up yesterday (minus the markers I also ordered, though, and they have yet to reply to my email query on that). Harmony Farm looks to also have it.
Thanks Scott!
Anyone know where to find Doc Farwell’s this year?
Oesco has it. Google oescoinc.com. On its Search, put in Dr. Farwell.
Dr. Farwell cannot be shipped in freezing temp. Oesco will not ship it now. You will have to wait until April.
I have Dr. Farwell grafting seal but has not used it at all these past two years. I see no need because my grafting has been with small scionwood, no big cut or stump grafting. Wrapping the cuts/exposed surfaces with parafilm has been sufficient, judging from over 90% takes of about 100 grafts.
Dr. Farwell is more expensive than I remember.
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If you can’t find it, I have used wood glue instead. Doc Farwell’s smells like Titebond, or Elmer’s wood glue to me, and it’s cheap/ easy to find.
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There was a discussion awhile back here where someone thought it was a mix of latex paint and latex caulking. I expect that mix would work fine, add paint to some latex caulk until it is flowing easily so it paints on well.
Toilet ring wax works as good or better than anything else in my opinion. In March I cleft grafted two small twigs of sweetheart cherry onto G5 and used toilet ring wax to fill the open cleft and seal the graft. Below is a photo of the graft taken November 5th after tremendous summer growth of the scions and you can still see how well the toilet ring wax held up. Tons of graft callusing and every bit of void space still sealed up by the wax.
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I use toilet seal wax now and pruning sealer. Those grafting compounds work fine but like anyone I like to have multiple methods of grafting and multiple methods of sealing grafts. The most creative method I saw was @Derby42 method of using caulking to seal the graft and it does not crack.
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Yes, someone mentioned it on the old garden web I think but I don’t remember who. Here is a photo of a peach rind graft with eletric tape and latex caulk.
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Fruit Grafting does not get much more difficult than peaches. Caulking obviously worked great on the hardest of fruit grafts
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[quote=“scottfsmith, post:7, topic:5698, full:true”]
There was a discussion awhile back here where someone thought it was a mix of latex paint and latex caulking. I expect that mix would work fine, add paint to some latex caulk until it is flowing easily so it paints on well.
I don’t have any problem with Doc Farwell’s grafting seal as long as you use a slightly thinnned out Yellow formula for whip/tongue grafting, NOT the green heal&seal, which is great for painting over large pruning cuts and stump grafts but is much too tough and permanent otherwise. The yellow is less obtrusive, yet marks the graft site for future removal of the sealant. The green formula never wants to come off which is fine for pruned off or broken branches, not grafts. That’s why they make two formulas, green and yellow.
Asphalt-based sealing goop is a bummer to use and almost always cracks as it dries which negates the sealing effect.
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I understood a mixture of wood glue and latex paint would give you a reasonable copy of Doc Farwells.
I’ve used the green Doc’s for a couple years now in grafting and it has worked great. My highest ever results on Peaches and Nectarines. Of course, I assume I’m also a much better grafter than in prior years, but who knows.
I have never used Doc Farwells so I don’t know how it compares but I have had luck with liquid latex from ceramic suppliers and horror makeup suppliers. You need to dip your brush in water each time before you dip it in the latex or it can get too thick. Buds grow through it fine if not applied too thickly. Much less expensive.
Since Doc Farwell’s is basically latex, I’m going to try non-toxic face make-up used by actors to alter their appearance. It’s almost 100% latex, skin safe if you’re not allergic to latex, way cheaper than Doc Farwell’s, and readily available by mail order - it still has the same freeze issues as Doc Farwell’s, so don’t let it freeze. Look for HX-80 latex or liquid face make-up latex - also, it is available in small quantities and is inexpensive.
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