Here’s some pictures from my initial attempt at grafting apple and pear. Used whip and tongue. Constructive criticism is valued and welcome.
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Looks about like my first grafts. Probably good enough for most to take on apple and pear. They are pretty forgiving. I’m no expert but I would probably cut around those buds a little more, don’t put a bud right where you are making the cuts. Mainly to make it easier to work. Also, you can cover that whole scion with wrap to keep it from drying out. The buds will push right through.
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That’s good to know about wrapping the whole scion for moisture, will do
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Pretty good for first time, the rootstock vertical cut is where it should be, but your vertical cut on the scion is too far from the sharp end of the cut. I like to give more strength to whip and tongue by cutting both scion and rootstock at about a 30 degree angle; it gives more bending resistance and strength to the healed graft union. Also when you cut at a 45 degree or greater angle the two simply do not fit together very well whereas with the smaller angle slices the two pieces are easier to bend the wood to close all gaps between the two. Practice more with waste wood to try to make the graft union longer and stronger.
Dennis
Kent, wa
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This photo shows the angle Dennis is talking about. It also shows where to place your vertical slice. It is a bit counterintuitive. The cut goes closer to the sharp/acute end of your rootstock AND scion. It really pulls the graft together nicely if you get these vertical cuts right. The picture also shows buds right at the graft, proving my suggestion wrong. It’s just easier for me to not have them in the way.
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It is counterintuitive to put both verticals near sharp end of both pieces. Will keep practicing.
That’s a great explanation of placing the cuts. I never quite knew how to word this when trying to explain to my inquisitive friends.
I cleft graft all of my apples and pears. About as simple a graft you can use, and I’ve had very high success rates. Just need to wrap them tight so they don’t slip.
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You’re grafts will probably take just fine. I noticed you have yellow delicious on M111. Here’s my yellow delicious grafted on wild crabapple with a w&t graft.
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Nice, thanks for sharing.
Once you practice you will see that it’s much easier to bend the sharp ends down to close the cambium gaps. Few can make a perfect cut but this allows you to make more cambium contact hastening the callousing between the two allowing nutrient transfer before your buds break open. Very good illustration above!
Dennis
I’m with you. I’m still gaining confindence, and I’d rather the buds be placed far enough from the cuts that I can focus on one thing at a time while I wrap. If a nice, healthy bud is too close to where I need to cut, I’ll try to save it anyway, but if I have lots of buds, I figure one less won’t hurt. I’ve also chipped the one in danger first as a backup on the same rootstem. Hopefully that doesn’t bite me with two wounds too close together.
I aim for thirds, with the slitson the pointy ends for my oversimplication trick.
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I see illistration shows bud at graft, but I avoid doing that because it seems like it has potential or possible cause for failure…and because I, like most people, only use two buds per graft. It appears the scions grafted on your rootstocks are rather long, and have quite a few buds(?) If longer scions are grafted onto rootstocks, more energy/nutrients are required to make the larger number of shoots develop, and it will slow the growth of the tree (at least this is my understanding). When the graft takes and two shoots (normally) begin to grow, once they are a couple inches in length, the best shoot is chosen to grow and the other removed so a single “whip” continues to grow at the most rapid rate–because it is the only shoot. If, on the other hand, you have 6 or 8 shoots, for example, you still want to rub them all off exept the one which is to become the whip–the “trunk” of the tree. I live in deer country, so I keep removing all shoots (lateral branches) until my whips are 4 feet tall, so the branches grow out of reach of the deer as the trees grow…and when the trees are established, fencing is not necessary to keep deer from destroying them.
One last thing: Don’t overwater those pots. Best wishes!!
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I agree with all the comments…a longer cut (smaller angle), a shorter piece of scionwood, and a strong wrapping will make for a stronger graft that’s less susceptible to an accidental knock (or bird landing, or wind gust). I can’t tell how tight you can get that tape, but I’ve always used rubber bands which can be pulled as tight as I need. They pull any imperfectly cut surfaces together and give stability to the finished graft. And wrapping the entire grafted scion is the only way to keep it from drying out, and that’s another reason for keeping the scionwood on the short side. Less wood to dry out and less wood to wrap.
Also, you can always shorten the grafted piece after the graft has healed and is strong.
That’s about what mine look like.
Im always behind grafting so i dont spend a lot of time on them. Whip and Tongue techniques
Nice, that sure makes me feel better, but I am wondering if I should have done something more than Parafilm to keep the union as tight as possible.
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Yes I use plastic tape or just electric tape then go over it with parafilm. The green garden tape is perfect then I get it good and tight. The parafilm for me is just a sealer. That garden tape has serious stretch and when I say get it tight I mean very tight. Take a look how I did this one as an example the grafts took with no issues Joey's red flesh pear -Top worked a harrow delight . You can tell there I was in a big hurry those are straight whip grafts with no tongue.
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I got tired of using parafilm AND a stronger tape, now I parafilm and then continue with parafilm but just let it twist as I wrap so it tolls up like a rope. It builds up pressure and is pretty strong. It works really well for me.
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