In figs the whip and tongue is the most successful technique i use, approaching the 100% mark when all the conditions are correct (mainly a good sap flow from the rootstock and adequate protection of the scion in the first weeks).
Here’s a video of the technique i did, just in case it may help someone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZczJJDXnr-o
It’s one of the techniques i used to do my 10 varieties in one fig tree project
http://growingfruit.org/t/grafting-figs-project-10-varieties-in-one-tree-video/14008
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Superb grafting skills and a very good video!! Really good info here and your experience shows! Do you make any cuts below grafting area to get rid of some sap or do you think it obstructs flow in cambium overly? I have completed 37 fig grafts in the last week, mostly whip and tongue and modified whip and tongue/z grafts with a few clefts and a few more bark grafts. I have around a dozen more to finish. I have found that you should be prepared to use all 4 techniques depending on your scion size and branch size. Also, the really big scion wood, which is not really even scion wood but cutting wood, will best be grafted as standard whip and tongue, using shears and grafting knife. Really appreciate the video and you sharing your knowledge! Also love your grafting knife! Pics of standard whip and tongue,modified whip and tongue/z graft, and very large scion whip and tongue performed with shears and knife.
The large whip and tongue pic is the top photo, middle photo modified whip and tongue/ z graft, bottom standard whip and tongue.
Thanks, fruitgrower.
Do you make any cuts below grafting area to get rid of some sap or do you think it obstructs flow in cambium overly?
Yes, i do, especially when the flow of sap is very strong. Nevertheless, as I try to remove all the buds below the graft, these wounds are, in most cases, enough to remove most of the excess sap, so rarely do i need to do any further shallow cuts in the rootstock. I tend to do them when grafting chip-buds as i place the bud near the base of the grafted branch and there aren’t many buds to cut in this situation (i preserve most of the upper one’s until the graft has taken)
I have found that you should be prepared to use all 4 techniques depending on your scion size and branch size. Also, the really big scion wood, which is not really even scion wood but cutting wood, will best be grafted as standard whip and tongue, using shears and grafting knife.
You are quite right. Versatility is a must to be able to solve the problems we are faced with when grafting in the field. It has nothing to do with doing bench grafts with bare root, standard size, rootstocks and normalized scion wood.
Last year i also had to graft some large diameter scions a friend sent me and the standart whip and tongue was still the best solution.
See photos 8-10 in this album:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/149505793@N06/albums/72157689776492000/with/39588765950/
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