It seems to start more early every year. I just had to start growing grafts indoors in beginning of January this year, couldnôt wait. Microclimates under plastic and artilights.

When starting so early i graft only half of material, and leave the rest in snowpit waiting till may just in case.

First golden spruces pushing new growth 4 weeks after grafting.

This variegated pine was grafted in August last fall. i took it in to wake up in beginnig of January. New growth after 4 weeks but not wery strong, new bud is already visible so shoot is going to be very short.

Grafting premises

Jarpe, Thanks for showing these photos. Its good for me to see and read about the different grafting methods around the world. Are your benches heated or is the room heated? And what temps are we talking? Are your lights running on timers/if so what would the photo period be? There are times I wish I had a few years of grafting behind me,but I hate wo wish my life away! Thanks for any info you can provide.

Rob

Rob, those rooting boxes by the window are situated so that electrick heater that heats the room is beneath it, it gives them temperature ideal for root growth, i hope. Temperature of the room is about +20 decrees. Timer of the lights is set for 12 hours of light. There is also some natural light coming from windows .

Other box inside the plastic tent has no heating exept of room temperature. Now i get to compare results.

Jari,
That's a nice grafting set-up. And I'm sure my family can relate to the first pic as well!
Nate

Thanks Jarpe. best wishes with your grafts.
Rob

"Temperature of the room is about +20 decrees"
20ðC is too (in my opinion) it's the reason why your plants start. I graft to around 12/13ðC , the plant + scion start more slowly. And the union graft are better.
Clement

Ok, Clement, i take your word for it and turn down the heat. Thanks!

Very nice Jari!
It's good to see your grafting chamber and your results.
Clément is right, 20 degrees Celcius is too warm, lower is much better so the scion can grow nice and slowly at the the rootstock...
Good luck!

Good reportage, Jari, inspired:)

But what is the best temperature for spruce rooting? Do you tried to reproduce spruces or firs by this way?

Ireena

Ireena, no i havent been rooting scions before, but i read that optimal for rooting spruces is air temperature of 15-17 degrees and bottom temperature of 22-25 degrees. This should minimize drying of foliage and channel activity of scion into root growth. Also plastic covers and spraying for high humidity was mentioned.

There is some developement now in rootingbox. I am little worried about it becauce i bet there isnôt any root growth yet.

gold spruces 6weeks after grafting. Shoots look thin, i guess itôs like clement and edwin said. Too much heat. I turned heat down to 12-14 degrees and iôm also thinking about giving them little more light.

Bud have lenghtened and is ready to burst into new growth. This is graft of snakespruce called Raahe serpent.

further developement of variegated pine

So far, so good...

spruce-grafts at the moment

snakespruce developing

pinegraft starting

Fieldgraft from autumn with shade and plastic bag.

My snowpit has transformed into snowpile.

Looks good Jari!

Inspired by this thread, I am now trialing a low heat graft.

I dug the understock from the ground mid-February, potted it in a well draining mix, and immediately grafted the scion. Then left it in the basement for a quiet period of one week - under poly, little to no ambient light, with daily fresh air exchanges.

Once week post-grafting I moved the pot back outside and placed it in the shade of an Alaska cypress.

Two weeks post-grafting I put the plant back in the ground from where the understock was dug.

Ylivieska snake Norway spruce, on Colorado spruce understock
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February temps
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March temps
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Very inspiring experiment. Iteresting to see what happens. Mothertree can be seen by following link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Picea abies Pyhäjoki snake

Uups! i wrote a wrong name in that link. It was supposed to be Picea abies Ylivieska snake