Wow . U r a grafting maven . Hope it takes.

Hi sunshine,

following your encouring words, I will try some grafting this year! I just bought myself a poncirus trifoliata from brugmansia-quebec to graft scions on it.

Sunshine, what is the transparent tape you use in your picture? I see that some people use parafilm grafting tape but like usual it can not be found in Canada at a reasonable price! Also, what is the red rubberband used for in your picture?

If I want to start a cocktail tree with different scions what type of graft technique is best?

Hi Amy, it is awesome that you decided to enter the world of grafting :) it is a lot of fun! First, practice how to choose scion and rootstock size, how to make the cuts, how to wrap grafts on pieces of willow or other outdoor tree, so you can get to feel the wood, how it behaves in your hand, just the general feel for it. You don't have to do it outside in the cold, cut long, younger branches or suckers of a tree outside, bring them home and practice on them different techniques of grafting. Fruit mentor on YouTube is a good one to learn from.

The tape I use, is a thicker plastic bag (not used one, it must be new) that I cut in long pieces, the one that stretches well without breaking or I cut brand new medical gloves in to longer tapes, works wonderfully, has good stretch. Rubber bands you can buy at stationary department of a store, I use them sometimes on top of wrapped graft, to get tight graft joint. You don't have to invest hundreds of dollars in your grafting tools, knowing all the steps and doing them correctly is all you need for a successful graft, people have been grafting for thousands of years on Earth and they perfectly did it without parafilm, culture of consumerism is a distractive/destructive force. Always sanitize you hands and tools before grafting, work fast and that's all to it.

The type of graft for any kind of tree depends on your own skills, whatever you are confident and comfortable with, often you will have to make your decision right on the spot, depending what size of rootstock and scion you have.

Have fun with it and good luck, Amy!

Sunshine,

Please keep us updated about your success or failure. I am seriously looking for a rootstock that is compatible with Kaffir.

Ok, John! I am really curious about the compatibility of the grafts as well :)

That's awesome sunshine great work. Sunshine I see citrus with stems all the time in the stores although usually mandarins oh the possibilities . Learning how to graft would be so fun , it would make a great hobby when I retire . Lot's of great info Sunshine thankyou.

Brian

Sunshine, thank you so much for taking the time to answer all my questions!

I had tried a couple of time to graft but never succeed. Do you have to wait for your rootstock to get a minimum diameter before you graft?

Thank you for this idea! I have 4 citrus seedlings in houseplant pots, and I don't even know if they are oranges or limes, because I know that a few different times over the past 4 years I've tucked lime or orange seeds into houseplant pots, and they just sprouted last spring. Now I know what to do with them, thanks!

Amy, the smallest diameter that I have grafted, was 3- 4 mm and 6 months old rootstock, You also might have a rootstock with multiple branches and different diameter branches, if you want to make a cocktail/combination tree.

Thank you sunshine!

Sunshine, I just lucked out at Trader Joe’s and found some delicious mandarins with lots of fresh twigs attached. I removed the leaves and am soaking them right now. How do you disinfect them? I am lost now. What type of grafting do you do with yours? Also, the only rootstocks I have are unknown lemons or calamondin. Will any of those work? I can graft onto my other trees, but was more interested in creating a tree, not a mix. Any help you guys can give would be appreciated!

Hi Laura, where have you been :) Choose very green twigs that are not bruised or damaged, with fat buds between the leaf and stem, rinse them couple times in warm tap water, then rinse them in a bleach solution (1:10) leave for 2-3 minutes, discard the bleach, rinse with warm clean water one more time. Leave them soaking in warm, clean water overnight on your kitchen counter and make them in to cuttings only before you start grafting the next morning. You can bud graft, patch graft or cleft graft, whatever method you feel comfortable with. Graft on to lemon or any other seedling that is 5-6 month old or older. If you don't have rootstock, graft it on to one of you vigorous limes, for you the choices are endless (with the amazing citrus collection you have).

It would help if you practice a little the way I instructed Amy on this post at the top.

Thanks Sunshine! I’ve been preoccupied and we were on vacation:) I’m so tired of winter! Counting the days till my trees can go back out. I would not have taken the leap had I not seen such green and fresh twigs. I tasted the mandarins and they were yummy so I’d not mind having one of those! I will take your advice and practice with some forsythia limbs from my bush outside. I ordered tape and a knife. Can I soak them till Monday? Would that be bad? Otherwise, I’ll try with a sharp knife and cut up some disposable gloves into strips like you suggested. I may need to go out and buy bleach tomorrow, I don’t have any. I’ll update you soon!

They need to be grafted tomorrow, can't leave them for too long, don't use the parts of the scion on both ends, it is going to be saturated with water, cut little bit off the ends of the twigs. Just use sanitized blade/knife and practice couple of times, before you make a final cut on your scions. After you done grafting, water the rootstock, so all the parts are hydrated.

Ok. Thanks Sunshine...you answered my question from my reply on my other post...tomorrow it shall be then.

Go Laura!

Sunshine - on some other thread u mentioned some YouTube videos on grafting, cant find it . Could u please mention the details again

Laura - best of luck.

The channel is Fruitmentor

Yes, fruit mentor videos were the ones I watched.

Thanks sunshine.

Laura, you have been mentioning that you want to do some grafting and I am glad you now have the opportunity. I wish you success. I plan on doing some citrus grafts in the spring with cuttings from CCPP. In the mean time, I am about to graft cuttings on my figs.

Thanks Vladimir! I’m nervous about it and will have to tackle it later today, but appreciate the support :). I’ll update when completed.

Just an update on the above mentioned grafts, this is how they look as of today:

The last one is budding out.

How wonderful, sunshine! I see that little bud! :) Thank you for posting all of the steps, sharing your knowledge and helping others with their questions. Wishing you continued success on your grafts!

Thanks Jinny, I know Johnmerr is observing this thread to know the compatibility of these two varieties :) One is dead, second one is half there and third one is about to bud out, one out of three, graft survival rate just plummeted :))

That is great Sunshine! I’m so happy for you! Your grafts look so neatly done. Someday mine will look that good I hope. Fingers crossed for that last one that’s budding.

Nice job.

Steve

Look closely at the second picture, guys :)

This rootstock is so in a hurry to push buds out of every inch of the wound and around it, unbelievable, I just noticed it :) The same was happening at the top, I had to remove the new growth.

I am sending good vibes for you and your cuttings, Kvetch :))

Selling citrus fruit with stems and leaves attached is illegal over here.

These kaffir lime leaves and mandarins with twigs are everywhere in stores in this part of the world.

How are your grafts coming sunshine? We have summer weather hitting us this weekend and everyone seems happy with the warmth! I hope your grafts start growing out soon for you

I checked on my twig cuttings today and am happy to say they have not died on me yet. In fact, I saw the front twig pushing new growth. Huzzzah!!!

Good for you kvetch! I hear you on the summer weather....too much too soon!!!

Speaking of weather, as I am writing this, the wind, the snow mix with freezing rain are going crazy outside my window. Winter is back, in April :(( According to the weather man, we are not going to see sunshine for more than a week. This is outside my window right now, -4C feeling like -11C, winds 90 km/h :

Thank you Laura! It's a tango mandarin twig too so I just had to share the photo! Lol I can agree with you on that. There is never a spring season anymore!

Sorry to hear that sunshine :( I thought that the warm weather would stretch up to you guys but I'm so wrong! Bundle up and I hope you stay in good health for that moment you get to move them outdoors!

Today's weather is so depressing, I tossed my spring vegetable starts in the compost bin, they didn't do well this month, went on the decline.

sunshine

Sorry to hear of the loss. Starts are a lot of work and I hate loosing any.

Steve

Sunshine, I’m sorry you’ve had such terrible weather! I hope it warms up for you guys soon!

So sorry, Sunshine - I had to start my tomatoes over too. I did find some fresh tangerines with stems on them - I’m going to give this grafting thing a go!

Go Kelley :)) Don't forget to update us :)

Go for it Kelley! It feels like the most exciting project you can do since you're not hassling to get $80 budwood. Plus you get to savor the fruit attached to the stems!

1 out of 3 of my twigs is dying and it had the least nodes. The other 2 twigs were also longer and one of them is multi-branched. They also had larger green swollen buds and buds that were already pushing out unlike the dying twig so definitely look for these types of traits when you get yours!

Thanks guys! I have my para film, rubber bands, and box cutter (no grafting knife yet) - should I leave the tree on a heat mat while it’s healing? Our temps are a bit unstable outside right now.

Yes Kelley, you can give it some warmth, water the rootstock before or right after grafting, so the juices start flowing to the graft joint. Don't keep the graft under direct, hot sunlight, keep in partial sun or shade for few days, unwrap in 3-4 weeks. Good luck!