Gheez. I have a few miles of that stuff lying around. There is another medical tape that holds grafts tightly; but it sticks
Derma something
Cant find Temeflex near me… but a Lows store over in the next county has this rubber splicing tape that works very well.
It stretches well, holds tightly…
Note… you dont put the rubber splicing tape directly on the scion or rootstock.
You first wrap those in parafilm and then add the rubber splicing tape on top to really tighten up the area where the graft union is.
Works great for me.
That rubber splicing tape is so sticky that if you put it directly on the scion or rootstock… it would most likely take the bark off when you remove it.
Apply parafilm first… then rubber splicing tape over that… when you remove the tape it may take some of the parafilm off when it comes off. Not a problem at all.
Scion and graft union gets wrapped in parafilm first… then rubber splicing tape is used to really tighten up just the graft union area.
TNHunter
5 Likes
I have been doing the opposite for a few years now, putting buddy tape on top of the temflex.
1 Like
@disc4tw … perhaps temeflex is not as sticky as the 3M rubber splicing tape I use.
Pretty sure it would pull bark off of some scion.
TNHunter
Agree.
Confused. What would be the point of putting buddy tape on if you already have temflex on?
The order of parafilm or temflex depends on how even my cuts are. If the cuts are uneven with gaps and need more force to compress the grafts together then I use use the temflex first since it’s more stretchy and sronger, then the parafilm goes on to seal the moisture. If the grafts fit together nicely then I use the parafilm first, since I find the temflex can be peel off easier later if the parafilm goes on first.
3 Likes
That’s an awesome idea. I have some great rubber grafting tape, but the tubes would be stronger for big stuff and re-useable. Plus easily removed. I need to find a source.
I have a tiny pickup with a lumber rack and find inner tubes to be the best to secure many things easily - trash cart, bikes, cattle panel and such. Very easily attached and removed.
1 Like
Temflex provides strength for the graft union to heal, buddy tape decreases dessication.
Ackshually, we’re splitting hairs here. Either the rubber or the paraffin film will both tighten and seal the graft union until it calluses. Both will degrade in sunlight, split, and drop away, thus not needing to be removed to avoid girdling the union. Using both (in whatever sequence) is customary though. If you want extra work, paint over the tape with asphalt sealant.
1 Like
I don’t feel buddy tape in the way I stretch it has the structural support necessary to hold a union in place. Temflex pulls the wood together on my whip and tongues until I get better at doing them, too.
2 Likes
I have used electrical tape put on backwards. It sticks to itself instead of the bark.
5 Likes
Normal cheap electrical tape isn’t very sticky to trees.
2 Likes
I am married to an electrician, cheap electrical tape is verboten😂. I was just pointing out that if tape sticks to the bark just wrap it with sticky side out.
2 Likes
Both sides are the same amount of stick for temflex as far as I can tell. Glad to see you back on the forum, hope the cold breaks for you soon!
Thanks for the welcome, the snow is all but gone, minus weather still at nights. I like that the nights are still cold, if we get an early spring that usually means buds will get killed for sure as we often have a hard frost as late as the end of May, sometimes the first week in June. I would rather they stayed dormant as long as possible.
2 Likes