In 4 years, there’s many more videos on the internet…
but
a sharp knife, keeping the rootstock healthy (not dry, not too moist) during the callousing phase
and either a tight fit or some good tape
then keeping air and rain out of the fresh cut until it’s healed and making progress.
There are lots of differing directions, but those are the necessary grafting ‘skills’.
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Since those posts in '18
I have performed over 300 grafts
and the only cleft I am happy about are a couple dozen real thin/skinny scions stuck one on either side of a cleft…bigger clefts are ugly and take a long time to heal.
And bark grafts can succeed and are good on existing trees.
Saddle graft is another option that is fine if you get it taped/secured good.
Mostly whip & tongue–and both the prettiest and strongest grafts are produced that.way
if the rootstock and scion are the same size.
About time to get the first one or two done for this year!
(Most roots don’t arrive for at least a
month though.)
Soon as sap is up in callery pears,
I’ll get started on some of those.
61 F at 3 a.m. so it isn’t going to be long…
Splice grafting is simple, beyond just the coordination required to hold the scion to tree wood while taping. Here is an illustration that shows how simple it is, although it is to a rootstock. I usually splice onto a watersprout of equal diameter of the scion wood on an established tree. I use black vinyl electric tape instead of rubber bands. I wrap the scion with Buddy Tape parafilm after grafting and the result is very strong.
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There are many ways to graft. Im still learning(i hope).
I use z graft for bigger scion, or a similar style, and wedge graft for same size, and z or offset wedge or Tbud for smaller scion. There’s other and better or more complicated methods. Im not a expert but I usually get good take rates.
These 3 points make it simple though:
#1) Line up Cambium.
#2) Seal union good and tight, and also cover scion with parafilm. So it dont dry.
#3) Timing, different trees are different, apple and pear are among the most flexible and easiest(I usually get 100%) and ideal is at bud break. Stone fruit and persimmon maybe a week after bud break is ideal, if temps are between 50F-75f low-high for the 10 day forecast. Fig and citrus in early spring when growing.
Jujube and Pawpaw are what Im still having a hard time on…, any pointers on timing?
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You can also graft pears and apples a week or more before bud break. I need to wait at least until about 2-3 weeks after first growth of peaches and persimmons, but J. plums can be grafted at first growth just fine- at least within the context of temps above 65F or so. After many years of grafting E. plums at different times, I still haven’t sorted them out.
I don’t get 100% success with anything, but I consider 90% quite adequate. I’m satisfied getting 75% with peaches- that’s a good year. Last season, almost all of my E. plum grafts failed and they’ve been poor for 2 years in a row after never being a problem before.
Horticulture is ever mysterious- there are too many variables to ever be completely sure of anything.
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Good thoughts. Yeah I did 3 E plum grafts last year and only one took and even it struggled a lot. They seem tough! Compared to pear and apple I did about 15 of each last year and maybe 10 each the prior year that all the pear took and i believe only one apple failed 
And my peach this past year did great too last year was my first big peach year out of about 20 grafts I lost only 2, and yeah I think it was about more like 2 to 3 weeks after bud break like you say, they were leafed well and decent 10 day forecast they can take more heat than persimmon I did some of both late and the late persimmon that were in full sun wilted but not the peach
And I have decent persimmon success but they are more picky on timing and needing a established rootstock(established rootstock helps on everything except E plum mine were very good and still did poor)
Success like that is exciting though!
But yeah on the other hand my Jujube and pawpaw have been poor, maybe one take out of 5. And I plan to do at least a dozen of each this year so Im hoping to figure out a better timing or whatever…
I have 3 nice Myro plum rootstocks ready to try grafting E plum to again so I will grab a twig off my President and try again!
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Beginners should probably start out with pears - you have dare them not to ‘take’!
They’re a real confidence-builder for beginners’ perhaps-not-so-perfect initial attempts.
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I was hesitant to do splice because there is nothing holding the scion except tape so I did clef. When I finally did splice it worked fine. It is fast since pruners can be used instead of a knife.
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To me that is an advantage because I can see where the graft is for a few years, although as the wood grows it is eventually hard to see where the graft is on the branch.
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