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VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION BY GRAFTING Grafting is the joining together of plant parts so that they unite and grow as one plant. The top part is called the scion, and the lower part is called the stock. Plants to be grafted must be closely related, or it won't work. The splice graft is used on non-woody plants. Choose stems about the same size, and cut them on a slant. Make the cuts on stock and scion the same size. Hold the graft together with masking tape and cover the plant with plastic for a few weeks. Cleft grafting. Fruit trees are often grafted to get a desired variety on a strong root stock. There are many methods. The cleft graft is one of the simplest. 1. In winter or early spring, when plants are dormant, prepare your wood. Cut two scion sticks with three buds each. 2. Trim the bottoms to make them wedge-shaped. Use a sharp knife. The side towards the lowest bud should be a little wider. 3. Saw your stock off squarely. Split it with a knife or chisel and hold it open with a wedge. 4. Put both scions in place at the outer edges of the stock with the lowest bud to the outside. 5. Then remove the wedge. 6. Cover all the cut surfaces with grafting wax or a tree-coating compound. 7. If both scions grow, cut off the weaker one in the fall. If one dies, remove it.  Budding is a method of grafting in which the scion is a single bud on a small piece of wood. The stock is usually a rooted cutting or seedling. In spring or early summer, when the bark is loose, slip the bud under the bark of the stock piece. Hold it in place with rubber ties or wrap it with plastic. Challenge for you! |