No wax no tape, just budding strips.

humidity 90% or very high so there's no water droplets on the foliage.

your understocks need to be trimmed so light can reach the scion. after the scion has pushed and is being blocked by light from new growth on the understock, then you need to prune the understocks, again. I trim understocks so that 2-3 branches are on the seedling(s) "total". This can be done now but it should have been done prior to bringing them in the greenhouse. next year for you. it's not a big deal though. you probably should prune them and then spray with a fungicide, right now (prior to grafting).

When 2/3 of a flat shows root growth (white root tips) then the entire flat can be grafted onto those seedlings. Or, if 2/3 of the flat has any noticeable bud expansion.

I close my tent until the conifers push root or top growth.
Then I graft - and keep the tent completely sealed until the scions push for two weeks or so. Then you will need to at this point, trim the understock foliage. Once the scions have pushed for three weeks - out of the chamber and onto racks in the greenhouse that aren't tented.

Waxing is needed for all deciduous grafts but the grafts may not be tented!

don't worry too much about the temperatures when you're collecting and cutting the scions. Keeping your greenhouse between 50 and 60 is perfect.

I'm photographing things here as they are progressing. I only turned my greenhouse on about 4-5 days ago and expect to have understocks ready between 2 and 3 weeks.

Dax

Here is a link that might be useful: Dax's Photo Album - Grafting 2011

i am by no means any expert.. but since you are wondering.. here it goes ...

you said: Why does the rootstock need to be growing and the scion dormant?

===>>> it needs to be moving its vital fluids.. so as to make the sap to heal the wound ... and we would like it to start healing .. before the scion itself becomes active ...

in other words.. you want the scab to heal.. before you add weight to the scion ...

simplistic .. yes.. but thats how i understand it ...

you said: Then I graft - and keep the tent completely sealed until the scions push for two weeks or so. Then you will need to at this point, trim the understock foliage

===>>>>NOT MY UNDERSTANDING .... on anything but green.. i was told to leave the green of the understock on for up to two years [and it doesnt hurt with the all green stuff either] .... after bud burst.. we will retard the new growth by trimming it back [by cutting off next years buds after they set] .. but we want as many needles as possible.. old ones.. to hang on.. and feed the roots and the scion.. while the scion if getting going ...

i would leave it all on until at least fall ...

but again ... i will defer to anyone who has a better experience ...

think of it this way.. the roots are all there.. to support the plant that was there.. so the old needles are not really a negative ... at the beginning ... if you were to denude the plant.. but for the scion.. what is going to make the chlorophyll to feed the plant all next summer.. and store food for winter???? .... that little scion???? i doubt it will support that relatively large trunk and roots ... and dont get confused by some method where the guy is doing hundreds of grafts.. if he cuts early.. and loses a few... its a cost of doing business ... if you are doing one or two.. err on the side of waiting ...

and temp is kept as cool as possible.. for as long as possible.. to let the wounds heal... rather than having the scion burst early.. and fall off the trunk ... overly dramatic.. but the point is made ...

again.. its all simplistic.. from two classes at gee's tree farm.. long ago ... just my recollections of what they told me.. others have much more experience with hands on.. and i will defer ... just trying to give you some word pix to help that 'wondering' ....

ken

ps: how about this.. if we were attaching a finger to your left hand.. we wouldnt need to cut off your right hand ... or else you wouldnt be able to feed yourself ... maybe later.. when the transplant is all set.. but not right away ... as with just about everything with trees... whats your hurry... there is always next season ....

I'll jump in with a grafting question of my own. Actually comes from on old post by Dax on "how to graft", so if you see this, Dax, maybe you could post an answer. My question is about the use of parafilm tape. I was a little confused, but looks like the post states that parafilm tape should be used for all spruces and hard pines. Am I reading this right? I want to try grafting some mugo pines (sherwood compact) onto a pinus nigra rootstock. Do I need to use Parafilm? Not a problem, because I have some, but I'm also a little confused about the mechanics. Is it just parafilm, or parafilm in addition to a budding strip, and if the latter, is the parafilm below the budding strip or on top?

I really appreciate the time you guys take to answer questions from people like me.

Thanks,
Alex

i will jump in since i am here first.. dax can correct me ...

old school.. rubber bands ...

new school.. parafilm

6 of this.. half dozen of another.. again ... i see no reason why old school isnt as good as new school ...

though i gotta tell you.. teaching a novice.. the film is a lot easier.. lower learning curve as they say ... you try tying a rubber band with ONE HAND.. while holding the scion properly with the other hand .... what a fiasco ...

bottom line.. WHATEVER WORKS ... [wonder if anyone ever tried super glue and spit???? ... you know.. someone has to be the first] .... lol

correct dax???

ken

You have to trim stuff that gets in the way while the scions are pushing. When you trim new-growth foliage on the understock it doesn't do any harm to it.

If I was grafting a really large scion, something 1/2" wide or larger, then I'd use tape over the bud strip. A lot of people use parafilm tape on spruces and hard pines. You don't necessarily need to however, if you can keep the humidity in the chamber high. It's the humidity that "sweats" the graft union (work area on the seedling where the scion is attached). If you're not capable of creating an ideal environment, then I'd recommend you use parafilm tape on the hard pines (2-needled and 3-needled or combinations of 2 and 3 needled pines) or on spruces. Soft pines are the easiest to graft and will not require tape. Firs you can use parafilm tape on also if the scion is large or if you can't create a very good humid environment.

Whatever works for you is the name of the game. You gotta goof around until you find out what works best. Generally speaking, I've written above what is necessary.

If you graft a tiny ass scion then you'll keep as I mentioned (2-3) branches on the understock until you can establish enough of a "foliage mass" where the newly grafted scion can feed the root-system. You gotta look at things in a balance/proportionate "feel" or type of a way. If you think the newly grafted wood is too small in terms of mass to support the seedling, then keep some of the (2-3) branches on the seedling around until you "feel" like there's enough of a balance to keep both the scion and the seedling-understock, alive.

Dax

I am 100% wrong. If at all possible do collect the scions at about freezing or above if you can.

Best Regards,

Dax

Photos of prepared understocks have been added.

Prepared Pinus strobus are ready for grafting (11 days):
{{gwi:629823}}

Prepared fir understock - can graft low or high. Left a few branches both below and above:
{{gwi:629825}}

Dax

Here is a link that might be useful: Dax's Photo Album - Grafting 2011

Dax: Great photo album. Are you getting your rootstock already in the band pots or are you potting them up?

Both this year. First time I've purchased potted rootstocks. You can buy them from Western Evergreen a division of Drake's Crossing Nursery for about a buck each.

I made a new grafting video but my camera has the wrong memory card (new purchases camera + card) and the information is trapped on it. So it will be a minimum of a week until it's available on youtube.

Take care,

Dax

Hi all,

A couple questions of my own, as a grafting newbie.

I just recently completed some Abies grafts, and they're now healing under artificial light in my 63 degree basement. But I'm wondering how many hours of the light they should receive? Before grafting, the under stock were on my porch, where they had about 13 hours of (very indirect) daylight.

But obviously, days are getting longer. So, should I be increasing the light hours in accordance with outside day length, that is, 2 minutes per day or so? Or should I keep it steady? Or should I make it, like, 16 hours per day?

Thanks,

Josh