What is the best way to hold scion while shape the wood?

General Fruit Growing
1

I often rub bud/buds off while I am preparing the wood. Does this just happe me or happen to you too? What is the best way to hold the scion wood?

2

I hold my scions such that it is impossible to cut myself.

6 Likes
3

Annie,
To prevent your fingers from rubbing of buds while holding scionwood, wrap the whole scion with slightly stretched parafilm.

3 Likes
4

I don’t recall it happening to me, but maybe I’m lucky. Mamuang makes a great point about wrapping the entire scion with parafilm. I do that anyhow to store and then to use the scion. From the time I bring scions into the house they are wrapped; I graft them with the parafilm on them (it peels out of the way easily enough.) So yeah, what Mamuang said.

2 Likes
5

Thank you Mamuang and Mark. Wrap it might be a good solution. I will try it. I usually wrap after the grafting, so I don’t have to wrap entire scion collection

6

IL847, I hit upon the idea of wrapping scions before grafting because I felt like I was loosening the graft connection when I tried wrapping the scion during/after grafting. Then I realized, or had it pointed out to me here, that wrapping also served to help keep the stored scions from drying out before they were used.

If I did a lot of them like @barkslip then I would dip them in wax, but for the couple of dozen or so I handle parafilm is handy and tidy.

1 Like
7

Mark, does the parafilm on scion interfer the line up when you are grafting? or do you strip a section of parafilm away?

1 Like
8

Mark, does the parafilm on scion interfer the line up when you are grafting? or do you strip a section of parafilm away? <<

What I have found is that it’s a nonissue. I just take the scion like I always do, and cut right through the parafilm. The stuff you don’t need can easily be pushed out of the way while you marry the pieces together, and then the stray bits and pieces can be quickly wrapped in by the parafilm you’re covering the rest of the graft with.

Here’s a quick walk through for a simple whip.

  1. With your pruners cut the rootstock at the steepest angle you can. The rootstock can be a new plant or it can be a branch of an existing tree.

  2. Cut the wrapped scion the same way.

  3. Stick a piece of your favorite wrapping tape on the rootstock.

  4. Line up the pieces and wrap with the tape.

  5. Overwrap with parafilm just enough to cover the union just to be sure.

  6. Put a label on it.

  7. Check obsessively every day (I’m sure this step is important and I never omit it.)

You can organize the steps a little differently; some people wrap with parafilm first and then the stronger tape, for example.

For a cleft it’s the same except you have to split the rootstock and shape the scion wedge to fit.

I hope this helps!

3 Likes
9

Annie,
@marknmt is the one giving us an idea about wrapping whole scion. I really like that idea. I agree with Mark that with wrapped scionwood, I can store them in a ziplocked bags without providing any moisture inside the bags. No mold.

People may think it is a lot of work. I find it a fun and relaxing activity, wrapping scion with parafilm. When I am ready to graft, I just cut through parafilm. I may pull parafilm back a bit if it interferes with lining up cambium.

Once I line up cambium of a rootstock and scionwood well, I use another piece of parafilm to cover any exposed surface at the graft union. Then, tighten the union up with eith Temflex or garden tape.

3 Likes