Driller64's Grafting Log
Driller64's Grafting Log
Just going to put this here for when I start grafting attempts again. I haven't have any grafts take yet, but of them showed less rust color on the wound when I put plastic wrap on the graft. It was a Astrophytum seedling graft on Pereskiopsis that I gave up on because it showed some rust color on the rim of the stem. But there was none under the graft like usual. Perhaps that one would have taken it I left it be. But for now I'm just going to build up a reasonable amount of Pereskiopsis until whenever I want to start grafting attempts again. I also need to get some clean knives if I want to graft. Should you sterilze the plastic wrap if you decide to use plastic wrap for a Pereskiopsis graft or is that unessesary?
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Brunãozinho
- Posts: 424
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Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
I don't sterelize the plastic and I have no problems... though I preffer to put the inner part (of the roll) in contact with the plant.
Bruno
Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
Just decided to do a grafting attempt with a shall we say lower quality than it probably should be razor blade 
I used a San Pedro seedling that was a runt. I used plastic wrap for it and paid extra attention to sterilizing the blade. The two surfaces seem to be in deep contact with one another, which is good. As always, I hope it works!
I used a San Pedro seedling that was a runt. I used plastic wrap for it and paid extra attention to sterilizing the blade. The two surfaces seem to be in deep contact with one another, which is good. As always, I hope it works!Say no to drugs, say yes to cacti
Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
Gah, I thought that I moved the graft slightly by breathing on it hard by accident. Gah, I can't even breathe around my grafts? It's probably just my imagination though. However my breath could have moved it cause the plastic wrap is blown a little when I talk near it.
Say no to drugs, say yes to cacti
Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
Pictures! They were taken today.
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Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
The graft failed once again, the rust color dominating the wound area. It seems to be coming from underneath the seedling. Is there something with the seedling I'm doing wrong?
Say no to drugs, say yes to cacti
Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
If you were doing 50 of them it would be easier to figure out since you'd have a lot of attempts. Even the best grafter in the world will get failed grafts on a semi regular basis. I am far from an expert grafter but I'll give you my 2 cents. I've had about an 70% success rate so far (I know I can get it higher with more experience). I may be saying some things you already know here, but it is worth saying in case any of it can help.
Anyway, for razor blades just go down to the hardware store and look in the paint section. I just picked up a box of 100 for $9 or so, and they come in as small as a box of 5. I use a Q-tip dipped in alcohol on the blade, then I make sure the alcohol has dried off before cutting into the plant. If you do it wet the alcohol can kill off the cells on the surface of the cut that you need to remain alive for the graft to work.
When I make the cut I start with the rootstock first. I cut off the top, then I make a second cut just below the first cut. Basically I make a thin flap of tissue as a cover to keep it moist, but is easy to quickly remove when I am ready. Then I cut the seedling and immediately take off the flap on the Pereskiopsis and put the two plants together, making sure the seedling overlaps the vascular ring of the rootstock. I avoid touching the cut part of either plant with my hands to reduce contamination. I press them firmly together. That can be the hard part because sometimes the scion sticks to my finger just enough to come loose or fall over when I let go. Just make sure when you finally get it right that you have firm contact.
I try to cut the Pereskiopsis as close to the tip as reasonably possible. The younger and fresher the tissue the more "willing" it is to accept a graft. That means that some of my grafts are 8" or more tall. I don't care for two reasons. First, a Pereskiopsis graft is almost always temporary, unlike grafting on bigger stock. Second, Pereskiopsis roots so easily that once you are certain the graft has taken and is doing well you can make a cutting out of the top part of the grafted Pereskiopsis and feel confident it will root quickly (as long as it is during the growing season). Another reason I like taller grafts is it allows for more leaves and green stem to remain. You want lots of area for photosynthesis to take place as the Pereskiopsis doing well is what pumps up the seedling to help it grow fast. You just need to constantly nip back the side shoots it wants to produce so you can force it to direct its energy towards the graft. That is something to worry about after you are successful.
I worry that your bagging technique may be causing problems. It seems pretty tight and seems there is a lot of chance of the graft getting bumped or moved. I am pretty relaxed about it and usually loosely cover it with a baggie or just a zip lock. It is fairly loose so it doesn't create a high humidity environment, just a higher humidity than the surrounding air environment. A very high humidity environment does favor the graft in theory, but since it also favors the growth of bacteria it has its drawbacks. I leave it like this for a few days to a week before removing the cover. I do not check it physically for at least 2 weeks or more because the connection is so tenuous that even a slight bump can break it. I figure it will become clear if it worked soon enough as if it didn't the thing will shrivel.
One last note on grafting. People more experienced than me have said that spring through summer is the best time to graft. We are heading into fall and winter now and the plants are slowing down their growth. Plants that aren't actively growing have a much lower success rate with grafts.
Anyway, for razor blades just go down to the hardware store and look in the paint section. I just picked up a box of 100 for $9 or so, and they come in as small as a box of 5. I use a Q-tip dipped in alcohol on the blade, then I make sure the alcohol has dried off before cutting into the plant. If you do it wet the alcohol can kill off the cells on the surface of the cut that you need to remain alive for the graft to work.
When I make the cut I start with the rootstock first. I cut off the top, then I make a second cut just below the first cut. Basically I make a thin flap of tissue as a cover to keep it moist, but is easy to quickly remove when I am ready. Then I cut the seedling and immediately take off the flap on the Pereskiopsis and put the two plants together, making sure the seedling overlaps the vascular ring of the rootstock. I avoid touching the cut part of either plant with my hands to reduce contamination. I press them firmly together. That can be the hard part because sometimes the scion sticks to my finger just enough to come loose or fall over when I let go. Just make sure when you finally get it right that you have firm contact.
I try to cut the Pereskiopsis as close to the tip as reasonably possible. The younger and fresher the tissue the more "willing" it is to accept a graft. That means that some of my grafts are 8" or more tall. I don't care for two reasons. First, a Pereskiopsis graft is almost always temporary, unlike grafting on bigger stock. Second, Pereskiopsis roots so easily that once you are certain the graft has taken and is doing well you can make a cutting out of the top part of the grafted Pereskiopsis and feel confident it will root quickly (as long as it is during the growing season). Another reason I like taller grafts is it allows for more leaves and green stem to remain. You want lots of area for photosynthesis to take place as the Pereskiopsis doing well is what pumps up the seedling to help it grow fast. You just need to constantly nip back the side shoots it wants to produce so you can force it to direct its energy towards the graft. That is something to worry about after you are successful.
I worry that your bagging technique may be causing problems. It seems pretty tight and seems there is a lot of chance of the graft getting bumped or moved. I am pretty relaxed about it and usually loosely cover it with a baggie or just a zip lock. It is fairly loose so it doesn't create a high humidity environment, just a higher humidity than the surrounding air environment. A very high humidity environment does favor the graft in theory, but since it also favors the growth of bacteria it has its drawbacks. I leave it like this for a few days to a week before removing the cover. I do not check it physically for at least 2 weeks or more because the connection is so tenuous that even a slight bump can break it. I figure it will become clear if it worked soon enough as if it didn't the thing will shrivel.
One last note on grafting. People more experienced than me have said that spring through summer is the best time to graft. We are heading into fall and winter now and the plants are slowing down their growth. Plants that aren't actively growing have a much lower success rate with grafts.
I'm now selling plants on Ebay. Check it out! Kyle's Plants
Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
Decided to do a variation on the "Next Generation Grafting" video, only this time using an offset from this nifty little Mammillaria plant (is it?) as rootstock. EDIT: Its Mammillaria vetula.
The scion is an Ariocarpus trigonus seedling. It's being left in the back of my plant area now and the plastic wrap is so ridiculously tight around the scion that it is impossible that the scion will be shifted. Also the Mammilaria sap seems to be very very sticky. I'm not going to say I hope it works this time because whenever I say that it ends up not working so I will say I don't think it will work 
Oh yeah picture:
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Oh yeah picture:
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Say no to drugs, say yes to cacti
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Brunãozinho
- Posts: 424
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Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
I have never heard of someone using a Mammillaria as a rootstock. The so called next generation method creates a very prone to rot environment because of the reasons Saxicola explained at his post, he has written some useful infos there.
Bruno
Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
I generally get a very poor strike rate if I try to graft over the winter, you probably could continue if your winters are mild enough. But generally the Pereskiopsis will slow to much over winter to get grafts to take. Also, wait until your Pereskiopsis are bigger until you attempt grafting. I had terrible luck with grafts until I waited for my peres to get bigger.
Buying a cactus a day will keep the madness away.
Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
Sorry, I wrote that post before reading Saxicola's post. I have a great amount of Pereskiopsis stock plants so producing more will not be a problem in the summer or over the winter for that matter. Not that I'm questioning what you guys have said, but why is it that some people graft in the winter and still get successful grafts? Crap, if the graft was destined to fail I should have used a disposable San Pedro seedling rather than one of my precious A. trigonus seedlings 
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Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
Well there's a first time for everything. After all any two cacti can be grafted to each other.Brunãozinho wrote:I have never heard of someone using a Mammillaria as a rootstock.
Say no to drugs, say yes to cacti
Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
I just unwrapped the A. trigonus graft and everything is looking good. It passes the gentle sideways pressure test with flying colors and the wound seems well calloused and rust free. I have put it in this pot to root. I hope this was succes- I mean I bet it's another failure
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Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
Not going to get too cocky yet since it hasn't even been a full day since the graft has been out of the bag, but I checked the A. trigonus graft in the morning and it has not shriveled at all! Usually if a graft has failed the scion will shrivel in a day or two so I'm going to check again when I get home. Also how long should it be till the scion starts growing since it is a cutting right now?
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Re: Driller64's Grafting Log
No shriveling! Yay!Driller64 wrote:Not going to get too cocky yet since it hasn't even been a full day since the graft has been out of the bag, but I checked the A. trigonus graft in the morning and it has not shriveled at all! Usually if a graft has failed the scion will shrivel in a day or two so I'm going to check again when I get home. Also how long should it be till the scion starts growing since it is a cutting right now?
Say no to drugs, say yes to cacti