Pereskiopsis grafting = pic heavy

[Driller64]

Bad news about the Ario graft. This is probably due to my OCD that this happened, so don't get too accusing. I took the Ario graft out of the pot to make the hole a little deeper because I thought that would aid rooting. Just because, I decided to do the side pressure test again. It wiggled a little. Again, probably because of my OCD, I poked at it again. It fell off! I quickly got out my grafting equipment and tried to regraft it. The seedling was too small to see very well though, and I misliced and the scion was finished. It was also probably due to the fact that I just got home from school (if you read my profile, you will see I am still a junior in high school) so I was not in the right state of mind for grafting small things. Still, to replace it I grafted one of my far more handleable Astrophytum coahuilense seedlings onto the stock I used for the San Pedro. Hopefully that will work.

Also I seem to be having real trouble getting Pereskiopsis to root for some reason. It should only take a week to root right? Well some of them have gone three weeks without rooting! It must have something to do with the time of year

[paulzie32]

Do you have them somewhere warm?
Mine root where ever a piece falls. Just keep the soil moist and they seem to root for me.
Use some good potting soil and you should get roots quickly. Try rooting a bunch. If you need more, PM me your address.

[Driller64]

For free?

My plant setup is is around 70 F. Is that a good rooting temperature?

Also looking at the Ario graft, it didn't look like there was any union at all

[paulzie32]

Have you got any Opuntia? humifusa grows around you... try to find a pad and use it to graft. Doesn't need to be rooted. Look up "next generation Grafting" on youtube and try that

[Driller64]

I do have some Opuntia but it is slow growing for some reason, probably because most of it is freshly rooted.

[paulzie32]

The pads (cladodes) should have enough energy/food stored inside them to be able to get the graft going.
Did you look up the video I mentioned? http://youtu.be/-glXJrswWtw

Oh... You are sanitizing your cutting tool before cuts... right? IF not, that could be why you are getting the failed grafts too.

[Driller64]

I wipe the blade off on a piece of cotton soaked with alcohol, and then sort of try to do it after cutting the rootstock, because you are on a time limit after cutting the rootstock and there is no time to wait for the alcohol to dry. I also wipe down the piece of metal I cut on.

[Driller64]

Just checked, and I currently have only 2 actively growing Pereskiopsis plants. One of them is a "stump" which is a very small cutting with no leaves. To help aid me in this Pereskiopsis crisis I have potted up singly a Pereskiopsis plant that was sitting in the same pot as my Opuntia plants. It stopped growing a while ago and I repotted it to help me better manage it. What conditions are conductive to Pereskiopsis growth and rooting, such as temperature, soil, etc...

To answer your question. I did look at the video. I think that would be hard to do with a small seedling because you would have to avoid crushing it.

[paulzie32]

Try using a piece of paper towel instead of cotton. It won't leave as much alcohol on the blade. Also, when you cut the root stock, Cut a second thin slice and leave it on the end of the rootstock. Then you can wait for the alcohol to dry, cut your scion and then just push the thin slice off to place the scion on to the rootstock.
Don't worry about rushing too much. Just take your time.
Have you watched youtube videos on grafting? Search Cactus Grafting. You'll see about how fast some people move... sometimes Not very
This guys videos were some of the ones that I learned from - https://www.youtube.com/user/DRCEVNL" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
As is this one - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhsxNkASuTw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
This is another good one for Pereskiopsis grafts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYVnoc38ns0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
And here's the technique with the plastic wrap - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPe6qCEG3mc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Enjoy

[Driller64]

The Ariocarpus trigonus graft fell victim to the rust color and had to be removed. I'm just going to let the scion throw out roots again and give up grafting until the next growing season

However, even thought the Astophytum graft looks bad, I did the gentle sideways pressure test on it and it stayed on. Could it have worked?

[paulzie32]

Could have. I would remove the cover though. It looks like mold growing on the sides... the white fuzzy/hairy looking stuff.
Keep me updated

[Driller64]

That's just the natural hair of the plant. The bottom of the bag is open so moisture is free to exit.

[paulzie32]

Wow! Really? Lucky you! You got the good kind! Mine don't grow that fuzz, but they do have Plenty of spines and glochids!

[Brunãozinho]

Some stocks have the power to make the scion pump even before there are any visible roots. I guess they use some kind of spare energy. This happens with bigger stocks in my experience.

[paulzie32]

Hey Bruno... Long time no speak
Yes... Stored energy. That's why I suggested using Opuntia instead of unrooted pereskiopsis. More stored energy in the Opuntia pads.