I get pretty much 100% success on my cleft grafts with mangos. Let me see if I can help you. You didn't say if you wrapped your grafts with rubberbands. Thats very important. It shouldnt matter what rootstock you use. I've grafted onto random seeds that i've grown. Dont waste your time with parafilm if you have rubber bands and plastic bags. Thats all you should need. Parafilm is good for other things but mangos you dont need it. I usually also graft with budwood that hasnt flushed yet. Right before it does I usually graft it with. I usually also take off all the leaves off the budwood but leave some leaves onto the rootstock. Make sure to also keep the plants in a shaded area. That plastic bag plus direct sunlight will cause the plant to get too hot and die. Also make sure to keep your budwood in a cup of water while you graft. Dont just leave it out while you prepare the roostock. I am sure there are other ways that are successful but this is what works for me.

Does it have to be grafting bands or could i just cut an office rubberband so its not in circular form. Would that work.

Also make sure the cambium layers line up as much as possible on one side...both is obviously best. If your seedling plants are still alive, you could try again using Murahilin's advise above.

Thanks Jay. I forgot to mention the most important part about grafting. Making sure the cambium are touching.

Compostworm, I have never tried regular rubber bands but I don't see why they wouldn't work.

I've used regular modeling rubber bands and I'm convinced these have been my number one reason for graft failure. All documents concerning grafting state to make the wraps as tight as possible. I did and I've actually witnessed girdling of that area. I've been told that grafting rubbers will deteriorate much faster than normal rubber bands. Maybe that has something to do with it. But when using these, I've lost many grafts and sometimes the rootstock plant doesn't recover either.

I've been using that green, gardening tape. Even after wrapping it tight, the graft area swells to the point of breaking the tape...normally a good indication that you have a good graft going.

Anyway...experiment and see what works best for you.

Thats good to know Jay. I am almost out of grafting rubber bands and I was planning on just using the regulars once I ran out. I guess I am gonna have to go look for some grafting ones now.

I have seen some places using that clear green gardening tape instead of rubber bands. I think I might try it out. Is there a special kind thats used?

Just what I've picked up at any gardening center. Pretty cheap stuff.

I have used several things for grafting and have seen several more. My early lessons in grafting mango came from watching Crafton Clift doing a demonstration at Broward RFVC. He has a unique approach. He buys a new bicycle tire inner tube from Walmart or where ever and then he cuts the tubing into strips of different lengths to use in accordance with the size of the grafting material. The inner tube material stretches nicely but won't break as some rubber type materials will as you attempt too put that last tie off knot.

The clear tape that you are referring to is called grafting tape and it comes in different sizes (widths). One of the best grafters I know takes that....double it and then twists it into a rope.....very strong and can be pulled very tight. I have recently purchased some very heavy duty and large elastic bands that seem to be quite good in the processing of the grafts. Now lets see if they take and I'll report further.

My thought is that it isn't so much about the material used to secure the graft on...it is mostly about cutting the scion and root stock accurately (my downfall...I tend to do too much whittling), having good healthy stock and scion and then getting a good tie to keep the materials together.

sabaspyglass, I like the idea of the clothespin. There are a number of things one can use besides rubber bands. I find rubber bands awkward because all the twisting and manipulating can cause trauma to the rootstock roots. But I've heard of people using twist ties, as well as Zip ties, or even those pronged orchid clips that attach the bloomstalk to a stake. Of course you must remove them after the graft has healed.