Hot Callus Pipe DIY
credit: Ryan Russell
WALNUTS - do not graft using this callusing system. Pecans, hickory, hican, over 90% success.
YOU MUST ELEVATE THE UNION SO IT IS NOT TOUCHING THE CABLE !!!
ALWAYS KEEP THE BUD OR BUDS OUTSIDE OF THE HOT CALLUS PIPE THE REASON BEING THE BUDS WILL “WAKE UP” BEFORE THE GRAFT UNION MAY HAVE ADEQUATE TIME TO CALLUS.
CHIP BUD GRAFTING WITH A CALLUS PIPE MAY BE DONE BUT BE AWARE THE BUD WILL NEARLY ALWAYS BREAK DORMANCY AND BEGIN GROWING INSIDE WHERE THERE IS NO LIGHT. THIS is USUALLY O.K. (IF) YOU UNDERSTAND HOW TO PROCEED FORWARD - ALLOWING CHLOROPHYLL TO RETURN WHILE NOT ALLOWING TOO BRIGHT OF LIGHT AT LEAST INITIALLY.
A friend emailed this PDF to me. He’s done a lot of grafts on his already with super takes. He waxes or parafilms the scion and the union and he wraps the roots in moist paper towels and bags them. 21 days on the pipe. [Hot pipe DIY propagation method and grafting techniques. Hot pipe DIY propagation method and grafting techniques.pdf (4.1 MB)
You’ll see he has his own grafting technique. It’s pretty slick! There are photos showing a lot of exposed tissue but when I asked if that is typical he said definitely not. He wanted to emphasize how the green ribbon of cambium matched so well on his scion and rootstock and I’ll assume that was his best example. He’s giving a grafting seminar and that PDF is for the people showing up.
The foam pipe you’re going to use should have these specs:
(Bought mine at a Menard’s)
Back to the photos I’m talking of, you’ll see two side by side and the bark is different. The one on the right is a healed version of the one of the left where all that open tissue callused over. They’re identical in craftsmanship but are two different plants.
The heating element and cable I found on Amazon for 40$ and it’s already assembled. My friend paid 4$ a foot for the cable alone at his local Ace. This is a great deal. You can buy them in 4’, 6’, then they skip over 8’ and go to 10’ and I wouldn’t doubt if they go even further. I’m going to use a 2 x 4 x 8’. My bud said to cut the foam every inch. His photo shows further than in inch. He said an inch is great. He’s built a few of these so he’s changed it up. He said you can get 90 grafts on an 8’ system. Isn’t this great? I like 1.5 inch spacing best for bagged/bareroot grafts. (When using containers, lay your containers in place on the pipe to find proper spacing for slits.)
Heat Tape Easy Heat Freeze Protection Cable Waterline Heater Pre-cut to 10 Foot includes Installed Plug Head - - Amazon.com
This is a must for many of us and it’s affordable and it works effortlessly. Especially for more difficult to graft hardwoods. Hot callus grafting was designed for hardwood plants notoriously known to be difficult to graft. The built in thermostat heats the cable at 84F / 29C.
YOU MUST ELEVATE THE UNION SO IT IS NOT TOUCHING THE CABLE !!!
ALWAYS KEEP THE BUD OR BUDS OUTSIDE OF THE HOT CALLUS PIPE THE REASON BEING THE BUDS WILL “WAKE UP” BEFORE THE GRAFT UNION MAY HAVE ADEQUATE TIME TO CALLUS THE GRAFT UNION.
CHIP BUD GRAFTING WITH A CALLUS PIPE MAY BE DONE BUT BE AWARE THE BUD WILL NEARLY ALWAYS BREAK DORMANCY AND BEGIN GROWING INSIDE WHERE THERE IS NO LIGHT. THIS is USUALLY O.K. (IF) YOU UNDERSTAND HOW TO PROCEED FORWARD - ALLOWING CHLOROPHYLL TO RETURN WHILE NOT ALLOWING TOO BRIGHT OF LIGHT AT LEAST INITIALLY.
Certainly you can do chip budding or whichever technique you do best. If you do not know already, scions or budding material + rootstock are always dormant or rootstock is advancing/“growing” and scions / budwood will be dormant. You can get away with scions and buds slightly advancing so graft; your takes percentage will become less but if this is important budwood or scionwood you must-always no matter the condition/time of year being cut, graft. It may be the last and only chance you get. You may graft bareroot or potted; It does not matter.
A cool basement or similar is what they need. Not a warm greenhouse. I’ve my board on my basement floor already. Total cost for me 39$ for heating element & cable; 3$ for foam pipe insulation and I had a 2 x 4 x 8 and electrical staples so a grand total of 42$ or appx. 50$ if you haven’t the materials.
Dax
