grafting question

[coldcactusmontreal]

Hey, I did some grafting yesterday afternoon. I was just wondering, is it usual to see the seedlings get a little droopy the day after grafting? I know I'm just being a bit nervous and I haven't seen any details about what to expect.

[CactusFanDan]

They can do, it's not unusual for it to shrivel a little before being pumped back up by the stock. It just means the vascular connections between stock and scion haven't been established yet. Be patient and if everything's right, then it'll take as right as rain. Is the cut being kept somewhere humid? Low humidity might be sapping water from the scion.

[coldcactusmontreal]

Well I didn't have an area that was extra humid. But yesterday I got a cheap plastic bell to put over my stock. So it should increase the humidity today for it. Here's hoping, I've done three more grafts in the meantime so I'm hoping they are all healthy!

My grafting stock is inside a 3x3 little case, so I couldn't easily cover it previously.

Also noticed the dew drop on the right. I figured it made the most sense to cut the pup off because the stock had two branches. But I didn't realize it wouldn't heal up! This is 12 hours after the graft and it seems to be still forming a large droplet on the side where I removed the pup. I should have removed the pup earlier but I wanted it big enough to root, and didn't realize it would have this issue. But only a few of my stock had an extra pup

IMG_6379.jpg (32.4 KiB) Viewed 2283 times

[Onzuka]

I see that the compost in your pots is quite wet and for growing Pereskiopsis there is nothing wrong with that. However, for seedling grafting, the bead of sap on the cut surface can and does wash the seeding off of the cut face. To avoid this, only graft on stocks which are in dry compost. Even then, I mop the end of the cut Pereskiopsis with a tissue prior to placing the scion.

I'm not saying whether it's right or wrong, but I never graft on side branches, only on new single stemmed stocks. I use the ones that are branching as providers of new cuttings.

Anyway, I'm sure you will have better success in the humidity chamber, I like to see the walls of mine dripping with condensation for the first few days after making grafts.

Good luck

Steve

[coldcactusmontreal]

Ah okay, I'll keep that in mind for the future. They seem to not have been pushed off at this point. But they're too small to tape. I'll make sure to let the ones that I haven't grafted to dry in the soil before the next time I do it.

[CactusFanDan]

A good alternative to putting a plastic bottle or whatever over your scions or taping them in place is to use plastic sandwich wrap over the scion and the point of union. The plastic wrap can be used to apply some pressure and it also keep the humidity relatively high around the graft point.

[coldcactusmontreal]

Maybe I'll try putting some water on the plate. It's not very steamy in there. I know it would be it I put it outside though, but I think that might expose them to too much sun? Though they were getting some light before anyhow. A few seem to have been falling off. I've re-cut and taped a few of them now, but I think I should be meddling with them less. :-\

[Onzuka]

A very, very gentle touch of the scion about 48 hours after doing the graft will tell you if it is attached to the stock or not. Most scions can be grafted around 3 times if they have not taken on the first attempt. Don't cut too much of the seedling scion away at the first attempt or you will not get any further chances.

Steve

[coldcactusmontreal]

Yes okay, I'll wait a few days for my next check. I'm not cutting too much off when I graft. Though it's somewhat saddening to cut a seedling to a perfect size and then to have to cut a little more later