I use a double bladed Italian pruner (amleo.com) for my splice grafts, here is a video of a man that uses a grafting knife to do it. Grafting of fruit trees (Splice-grafting) - YouTube
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After seeing you post about these in the past, I bought a pair last year (off Amazon). Iām impressed with how smoothly and easily they make the angled cuts for W/T grafting. I still use my knife to make the tongues as I prefer them for stability. I also am often dealing with scions and stock that donāt match up perfectly in size.
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I agree that the simple splice is easy and strong. I think the sole advantage of the w&t is that itās nice to have the two pieces hold on to each other a bit while you get the wrap going. But once youāve done a simple splice with the tape or parafilm already on the rootstock and ready to go I doubt youāll go back to w&t.
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it also has more chances for cambium contact and mechanically stronger.
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A long slanting cut provides all the contact that is needed. Iād like to see a real life comparison but the whip and tongue technique might slow healing by creating more borderlands that have to be bridged than a straight line. Not something that can be resolved by speculation. I have never once lost a splice graft secured with electric tape to mechanical failure.
My general business rule is the shortest road to a result is usually the one to take. Race ya!
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One might think so, but is it? I understand the argument: the two pieces grip each other and there are more places where the cambia can knit together. But itās also true that each piece is weakened by being cut and it may be true that the healed cut will not have as much integral strength as the original, uncut pieces might have.
On the other hand, the healed cuts with callousing may be even stronger than before.
Youāll notice my generous use of weasel words, āmayā and āmightā. Thereās a reason for that.
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Iāve probably never done more than 50 or so grafts in a season. Iām not in a hurry.
Iām not trying to talk you out of doing splice grafts. Clearly they are working for you. I was just responding to Markās comment about the āsole advantageā.
You may not put much stock in the other advantages I mentioned, but they are advantages.
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Hi Jerry,
Ideally once you make the slanting cut and are satisfied with the smoothness, with the cut side facing you and the tip pointing up, you should start the tongue cut about 1/3 down from the tip. The cut should be parallel to the outside of the scion. Then make the rootstock cut a mirror image. The cuts go as deep as necessary to allow the two pieces to come completely together tip to heel on both scion and rootstock.
Practice on similar throw away wood until you can match both perfectly, then use your scions!
Good luck
Dennis
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Good description. It seems that many people have trouble with cutting the tongue.
For some reason, that has always seemed the easiest cut to me. Much easier than cutting a good, flat, long symmetrical taper.
I suppose if wood is especially hard, brittle, thin and supple, or prone to splitting, it is harder.
I practiced w/t on some spare apple scions this morningā¦
Then did a couple w/t grafts of carmine goumi on to my red gem and sweet scarlet.
First grafts of the year done.
TNHunter
Perfectly answered, no offense to prior responders. Iām now understanding the angle of the tongue cut and placement.
Thank you, Mr. Dennis
The splice moves about too often so I donāt typically use it.
For scions some smaller than root, I use a side graft usually, but sometimes a cleft.
For scions less than half the size of the rootstock, I do a cleft, inserting 2 small scion, one on each side, lining up one side to the cambium of the rootstock.
Andā¦sometimes a bark graftā¦may do more than usual as sap is up in trees already and itās not March.
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For once I agree with Alan, but what do I know, Iām a newbie, lol. I just use a secateur and cut. How easy can it be. I see some growth with my jujube grafts. I like the KISS method on just about everything.
@BlueBerry ā¦
My first modified cleftā¦ carmine goumi small scion to larger sweet scarlet goumi wood.
Hope some of these take. Carmine produce larger fruit.
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Very nice.
Have used that option but not too often.
I like whip and tongue for the stability and more cambium contact, in theory. However, the part that sometimes gets me is sliding the tongue of the scion into the slot on the rootstock. It has a tendency to compress back together after making the cut. At times, I break off the whip or snap the rootstock, so I end up having to start over. Not a big deal, but frustrating at times.
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I recently did a whip and tongue graft on my cherries but a week later I donāt see any callous. I saw that the cambiums of the rootstock and scion were aligned, and were tightly wrapped in parafilm. The temps were mostly in the correct range, what could the problem be?
Hi Jerry,
If you Google ādouble tongue side graftā, the videos show you another version which is especially useful when there is a great difference in diameter of scion to receiving rootstock wood. I use this method quite often when I get very small scions. It takes quite a bit of practice but like the conventional W&T itās very strong.
Dennis
Kent, wa
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I have limited experience with that but it worked well. When both scion take I just remove the least vigorous at the end of the season.
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I agree. Cutting a flat, long symmetrical (surface in a same plane) is very hard for me. I practiced, tried different techniques, and still am unable to achieve that level. I think the good cutting surface is more importan than graft methods.
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