Parafilm vs grafting tape?

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crispy224
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Parafilm vs grafting tape?

Post by crispy224 »

Hello, recently I've been doing a lot of grafting with Pereskiopsis. Mostly with seedlings but I want to try some areole grafts and some grafts with smaller pups off some cacti. With seedlings I just plop them right on top and I don't have to fiddle with taping them down. But I imagine with the areole grafts and small pups I'll need something to hold them on there. So I looked on eBay and they have two options parafilm or grating tape. Has anyone used either of these. I've heard people meantion parafilm before. But the parafilm is $25+ for 250 ft where as the grafting tape is only Few bucks. I heard that parafilm allows air through so the scion doesn't rot. But does the grafting tape? I don't want to buy the grafting tape if it's just basically Saran Wrap. So what do you guys think? Shell out the extra money for parafilm or stick to grafting tape?
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DevilKnight
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Re: Parafilm vs grafting tape?

Post by DevilKnight »

A small roll of parafilm will last you over a thousand grafts. Any of these varieties will work as they are the same material.
parafilm.png
parafilm.png (276.94 KiB) Viewed 7868 times
I graft with parafilm. Its easy and inexpensive giving me anywhere from a 98-99% success rate on an average day.
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Re: Parafilm vs grafting tape?

Post by Pereskiopsisdotcom »

I will just comment to reaffirm what you probably have already experienced: grafting tape usually makes the process far more difficult with seedlings on Pereskiopsis. There is enough juice and ease with maintaining humidity that just placing them on top like you do is best strategy I have found.

Regarding which brand or roll to use, I have found that some of the rolls have been dried out too much or look like they were previously used. If that appears to be the case I would return the roll and request a new one. The grafting tape is definitely better than food film wrap. It is pliable and strong, while allowing air circulation. When I first started using it though, I pulled it too tight and smashed the scion into the root stock instead of holding it in place.

Whichever you choose, consider how the tape will be held in place. The tape will hold the scion down, but theoretically there may be nothing there for the tape to grab hold of, making it useless. I often secure it to spines on the root stock. I have seen techniques in which the tape is brought all the way down to the bottom of the pot. This can work but is a little more tricky and doesn't allow for much movement. I have also used toothpicks or long spines and stabbed them through certain root stocks to achieve a secure hold.
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Interests include: Rhipsalis, Turbinicarpus, Gymnocalycium, and Lophophora.
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DevilKnight
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Re: Parafilm vs grafting tape?

Post by DevilKnight »

Pereskiopsisdotcom wrote: Tue Sep 25, 2018 12:56 pm I will just comment to reaffirm what you probably have already experienced: grafting tape usually makes the process far more difficult with seedlings on Pereskiopsis. There is enough juice and ease with maintaining humidity that just placing them on top like you do is best strategy I have found.

Regarding which brand or roll to use, I have found that some of the rolls have been dried out too much or look like they were previously used. If that appears to be the case I would return the roll and request a new one. The grafting tape is definitely better than food film wrap. It is pliable and strong, while allowing air circulation. When I first started using it though, I pulled it too tight and smashed the scion into the root stock instead of holding it in place.

Whichever you choose, consider how the tape will be held in place. The tape will hold the scion down, but theoretically there may be nothing there for the tape to grab hold of, making it useless. I often secure it to spines on the root stock. I have seen techniques in which the tape is brought all the way down to the bottom of the pot. This can work but is a little more tricky and doesn't allow for much movement. I have also used toothpicks or long spines and stabbed them through certain root stocks to achieve a secure hold.
parafilm first wrapped around stock to provide surface for cover of parafilm to attach
parafilm first wrapped around stock to provide surface for cover of parafilm to attach
Screen Shot 2018-09-25 at 11.09.42 AM.png (99.38 KiB) Viewed 7810 times
Pereskiopsisdotcom wrote: Tue Sep 25, 2018 12:56 pm I will just comment to reaffirm what you probably have already experienced: grafting tape usually makes the process far more difficult with seedlings on Pereskiopsis. There is enough juice and ease with maintaining humidity that just placing them on top like you do is best strategy I have found.

Regarding which brand or roll to use, I have found that some of the rolls have been dried out too much or look like they were previously used. If that appears to be the case I would return the roll and request a new one. The grafting tape is definitely better than food film wrap. It is pliable and strong, while allowing air circulation. When I first started using it though, I pulled it too tight and smashed the scion into the root stock instead of holding it in place.

Whichever you choose, consider how the tape will be held in place. The tape will hold the scion down, but theoretically there may be nothing there for the tape to grab hold of, making it useless. I often secure it to spines on the root stock. I have seen techniques in which the tape is brought all the way down to the bottom of the pot. This can work but is a little more tricky and doesn't allow for much movement. I have also used toothpicks or long spines and stabbed them through certain root stocks to achieve a secure hold.
Parafilm holds onto itself. If you can't achieve a 95-98% success rate simply by growing your cacti as normal and grafting with parafilm your doing it wrong.

Placing a wring around the stock of parafilm creates a very sturdy and secure base as well for a top covering of parafilm to stick to. While the ring of parafilm is not needed, it does help. Especially so if one is inexperienced with parafilm grafting. To be honest, I get 98.5% or better success with parafilm and still utilize a small piece around the stock most times as the stuff is very inexpensive.

The addition of parafilm also means you don't have to worry about humidity or pressure . I.e. your graft will not slip off if you water the stock as your scion will be held securely in place.

Remember, parafilm is used in labs to hold liquids in containers without lids so it has to be able to adhere to itself fairly well to prevent loss of fluids.
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DevilKnight
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Re: Parafilm vs grafting tape?

Post by DevilKnight »

One more example of how parafilm grips tightly to itself to wrap around the stock.
parafilm provides a secure connection
parafilm provides a secure connection
Screen Shot 2018-09-25 at 11.24.12 AM.png (94.36 KiB) Viewed 7809 times
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DevilKnight
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Re: Parafilm vs grafting tape?

Post by DevilKnight »

Stretched thin
This is your cover... wrap it tight. You now should experience 98+% take rate with your grafts. No other special care needed.
This is your cover... wrap it tight. You now should experience 98+% take rate with your grafts. No other special care needed.
Screen Shot 2018-09-25 at 11.27.05 AM.png (161.76 KiB) Viewed 7808 times
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DevilKnight
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Re: Parafilm vs grafting tape?

Post by DevilKnight »

The end result with grafting with parafilm... an almost indestructible graft that will grow out of its protective cover on its own and will not need any special care from the moment it is grafted onward.
perfection
perfection
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Re: Parafilm vs grafting tape?

Post by Pereskiopsisdotcom »

Excellent examples DevilKnight. You are right. I did forget to mention the technique of securing some around the rootstock as well. That is because I often have a hard time getting it off after the graft has taken and sometimes lack the patience in letting it grow out.

I actually use Parafilm and the like more frequently when I am grafting with my perennial fruit bushes and trees and have better results with cacti from simply placing seeds on the rootstock and placing in a humidity dome.
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Interests include: Rhipsalis, Turbinicarpus, Gymnocalycium, and Lophophora.
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DevilKnight
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Re: Parafilm vs grafting tape?

Post by DevilKnight »

Pereskiopsisdotcom wrote: Tue Sep 25, 2018 4:05 pm Excellent examples DevilKnight. You are right. I did forget to mention the technique of securing some around the rootstock as well. That is because I often have a hard time getting it off after the graft has taken and sometimes lack the patience in letting it grow out.

I actually use Parafilm and the like more frequently when I am grafting with my perennial fruit bushes and trees and have better results with cacti from simply placing seeds on the rootstock and placing in a humidity dome.
Lack of patience has caused more grafts to fail than bad technique ever has.

As for removing parafilm, I often forget to remove the parafilm till it is time to remove the graft.

However, when I do decide to remove the parafilm early... I find a single stroke with a blade in a downward motion is often all that is needed to loosen the tension of the parafilm enough to enable it to simply fall off of its own accord.

Like you, I started out grafting cacti under a humidity dome. When I switched to grafting with parafilm my grafting success went from 95-98% to 98.5-100%. Never mind my grafts with parafilm actually grow faster from the very start. That faster growth is due to the fact that I can water my stock plants before, during, and after grafting without every taking them out of full sun.

Without the parafilm... I would have to let my stock plants dry up before and during the grafting process to ensure the seedlings didn't simply float off during the night.

Parafilm ensures my seedlings will never dry up nor will my stock have to be dry during any process of the grafting.

I might even have to move my grafts into shade.... again, I don't have to do that with a parafilm grafted seedling

Without parafilm... I might have to worry about bumping into my seedling grafts. I can safely toss my grafts on the floor with no worries. The graft will stay in place.

While I share your enthusiasm for using parafilm with trees and the like, I also like odd things like Co-ban for tree grafts.
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Re: Parafilm vs grafting tape?

Post by Pereskiopsisdotcom »

DevilKnight wrote: Tue Sep 25, 2018 4:39 pm
Pereskiopsisdotcom wrote: Tue Sep 25, 2018 4:05 pm Excellent examples DevilKnight. You are right. I did forget to mention the technique of securing some around the rootstock as well. That is because I often have a hard time getting it off after the graft has taken and sometimes lack the patience in letting it grow out.

I actually use Parafilm and the like more frequently when I am grafting with my perennial fruit bushes and trees and have better results with cacti from simply placing seeds on the rootstock and placing in a humidity dome.
Lack of patience has caused more grafts to fail than bad technique ever has.

As for removing parafilm, I often forget to remove the parafilm till it is time to remove the graft.

However, when I do decide to remove the parafilm early... I find a single stroke with a blade in a downward motion is often all that is needed to loosen the tension of the parafilm enough to enable it to simply fall off of its own accord.

Like you, I started out grafting cacti under a humidity dome. When I switched to grafting with parafilm my grafting success went from 95-98% to 98.5-100%. Never mind my grafts with parafilm actually grow faster from the very start. That faster growth is due to the fact that I can water my stock plants before, during, and after grafting without every taking them out of full sun.

Without the parafilm... I would have to let my stock plants dry up before and during the grafting process to ensure the seedlings didn't simply float off during the night.

Parafilm ensures my seedlings will never dry up nor will my stock have to be dry during any process of the grafting.

I might even have to move my grafts into shade.... again, I don't have to do that with a parafilm grafted seedling

Without parafilm... I might have to worry about bumping into my seedling grafts. I can safely toss my grafts on the floor with no worries. The graft will stay in place.

While I share your enthusiasm for using parafilm with trees and the like, I also like odd things like Co-ban for tree grafts.
Thanks for the motivation. I have thousands of seedlings that I will be grafting over the next few weeks and you have reinspired me to give Parafilm another try.

What kind of pressure do you use when applying the Parafilm over the seedling? Perhaps it's my lack of patience or shaky hands but in the past I often knocked the seedlings right off trying to steady the Parafilm over the union.

Do you use the technique of making an indent with a pencil or pen flat side that creates something of a pocket for the seedling?
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Interests include: Rhipsalis, Turbinicarpus, Gymnocalycium, and Lophophora.
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DevilKnight
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Re: Parafilm vs grafting tape?

Post by DevilKnight »

The parafilm should be slowly and gently kneaded until it is tissue paper thin (when discussing cover) and when you can see through the parafilm it is ready to be used to drape over the seedling. The thin nature of the parafilm will ensure that if you pull this parafilm cover tightly over the seedling it will simply stretch just a bit more.

However, I would not get in the habit of pulling the parafilm tight if you are working with exceedingly small seedlings.

Instead, drape your thin cover over the seedling and let the cover gently fall down. Touch or pinch the sides of the film to the rim of thicker parafilm you have already made around the diameter of your stock. This pinching motion if done with a slight twisting motion back and forth will snug the parafilm to the seedling resulting in a very tight and secure film for very tiny seedling grafts.

Larger seedling grafts can indeed be pulled tight however.

The danger with a smaller seedling is that you may crush the seedling when you pull the drape over it if it is indeed very tiny.

I give a bit of a warning as some grafts even though similar can handle different styles or alterations to techniques. Something as simple as a slight increase or decrease in seedling size can make your technique go from great to poor. Watch if you crush any seedlings and you will soon learn which technique to use for different size seedlings and when in doubt check. You may lose one seedling, but you will not lose them all and will have gained valuable insight in the process.

No pocket or indent is needed. What is needed is to simply make the parafilm very thin and then allow it to drape over tiny scions. Gentle pinching at the base... I know I'm repeating myself, but as I've grafted over a thousand seedlings like this in one sitting I can go fairly fast with this technique. Adjusting my technique as the size of the seedling changes. You will begin to see the seedling position change sometimes while one pinches or pulls the parafilm tight via this twisting motion. Pulling or twisting on the side the seed is tilting away from will bring the seedling back to its seated position as a general rule.

When in doubt or the seedling is one of a kind, you can take a very thin piece of parafilm and cover over the first cover if needed to correct a tilt. I say that with caution however as the parafilm may be holding the seedling too tightly and or be too thick for the seedling to grow through easily if one doubles up on the cover. For this reason, I very rarely attempt to do a double cover.

If you should attempt a double cover... you will want to remove it or at the very least make a single slice down the side of the stock with your razor blade 1-2 weeks after the graft is made. If one waits too long, expect some distorted growth due to the binding effect of the parafilm on the scion.
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