Hello. First time I post. I grow chestnuts and pines. I am considering using the so-called Texas inlay bark graft on some chestnut trees. It seems like a neat and easy method but appears only to be used on Pecans. Would it work for chestnuts? Thanks.
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Yes.
Texas inlay, Mega-chip, I think they’re one in the same. You can search for mega chip demonstration on here. I did one.
It works great for all hardwoods. I graft pecans and nuts, & fruits semi-professionally.
Dax
P.s. grafted chestnut trees experience significant #'s of delayed graft incompatibility and it’s recommended to use improved seed for cultivation and no more grafting.
Thanks for your answer, But, and please bare with me as I am new to grafting, Texas inlay bark grafting and the Mega chip method do not seem the same at all to me. On the web there are many youtube demos of grafting Pecan using the Texas inlay method and it is apparently for limbs of over 2 inch diameter. I saw your demo on the mega chip method and Tom Wahls also. It is interesting but, to me, it looks like a sort of budding method and maybe somewhat like the modified bark graft. I may be totally wrong, but I am trying to find the highest efficacy method to graft my chestnut seedlings that are now of a diameter of 2 to 3 inches. Rudy
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I, I don’t know it Rudy, sorry.
For a 2-3" tree, personally, I’d be bark grafting. I’d put 2 or 3 scions on each graft with a couple buds Rudy. Then electrical tape a tall branch or a stake to tie the graft to that has the best vigor. Keep the other grafts on the tree and cut them back while they’re growing and with green shoots to 3-6" so you have back up grafts should the most vigorous one fail or if the wind blows it out or a hawk lands on it or whatever else. The other scions you don’t choose as the vigorous one will callus the 2-3" diameter wound, also. Eventually you cut them flush but leave them for at least a full year and you can always use them again for more graft wood. Eventually they gotta go though. You need a single leader tree. I’m telling ya, keep that stake in place for several years and add to it to keep your new tree functionally a single-leader, tree.
Tom does that mega chip all the time on big stock. I’ve done it a few times. It’s easy and it’s as effective as a bark graft. There is absolutely no reason you couldn’t use it for a 2-3" tree.
Remember Rudy to keep a few nurse branches below where you’re going to do your grafting. Those are removed over the course of a couple years until the scion is the only thing remaining.
Best regards,
Dax
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