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EDIT: Please this this post:
http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?topic=1768.msg13890#msg13890
Hi All,
A little while ago, I started grafting center cuts of T. bridgesii to T. pachanoi stock. I had a surplus of pachanoi and only a few arms of bridgesii. It became a game of how many bridgesii grafts could I possibly make without having to attempt areola grafts.
Grafting 1" center cuts has been extremely successful with very few problems.
Here's a step-by-step of the method that should be easy for anyone to do.
Please let me know if you have any questions, concerns, and/or suggestions.
Happy Grafting,
Hcc
Overview:
Cut your sections of scion into about 1" cuts.
Dip/dust the top with sulfur powder.
Put a folded up piece of paper towel on the top.
Tape the scion to the stock very firmly.
Wait till graft has healed (~2-4 days)
Step 1: Materials
Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA)
Spray Bottle for Iso Alcohol (not pictured)
Paper Towels (preferably the kind that are 1/2 of the regular size)
Masking Tape (Painter's tape) 3/4"
Sharp Razor Blade
Dusting Sulfur
Small Cup
Cutting for Scions
Cuttings for Root Stock
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8619;image)
Step 2: Preparing a Workspace
I find that a clean, organized, thought-out workspace is key to successful grafting. When the cacti are cut they begin healing quickly. Also sulfur powder should be applied as quickly as possible. Being organized helps the speed of the process immensely.
1. Wipe down surfaces with IPA or other disinfectant
2. Put IPA in spray bottle and set aside
3. Put sulfur powder in small dish and set aside
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8621;image)
4. Measure the length of your scion arm (In this example, 7")
5. Mark of 1 inch increments with a Sharpie. Leave about an extra 1/8" at the healed end.
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8631;image)
6. Tear strips of paper towel, One for each scion
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8633;image)
7. Measure out strips of masking tape, Two for each scion
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8635;image)
8. Lay out a sheet of paper towel to work on and spray it with IPA
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8637;image)
9. Fold up a piece of paper towel, tape it to the edge of your work space, spray with IPA (this is used to quickly wipe of your razor blade later on) [Pic Above, Far Right] Clean your razor often. I tend to clean it after every cut.
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Step 3:Making the Cuts
You want to work quickly and safely at this point. The faster you can attach the graft, the more successful you'll be.
1. Slice off about 1/8" of the healed end of the Scion arm
Caution: Be careful with the razor
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8639;image)
2. Take the first piece of stock and cut it about 3" to 5" long
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8641;image)
3. Make 45 degree cuts at each rib of the stock. You want a "platform" left at the top that is above the skin.
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8643;image)
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8645;image)
4. Cut of 1" of the scion
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8647;image)
5. Immediately dip the non-graft end of the scion in sulfur powder, wipe excess away with razor.
Caution: Read the Safety label of your dusting sulfur and take appropriate action
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8649;image)
6. Lay the sulfur end of the scion face-down on your work space
7. Make 20 degree cuts at the each rib of the scion. Like the grafting stock, you want a "platform". The scion platform can be smaller than the stock platform.
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8651;image)
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8659;image)
8. At this point, you have a couple of things you can do to help the scion successfully attach:
8.1. Trim the edge of the scion
8.2. Make another set of 20 degree cuts at each place where the ribs intersect
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8661;image)
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8663;image)
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Step 4: Attaching the Graft
1. Cut a very thin slices off of the platform of the stock. Repeat for the scion.
This gives you the freshest possible cuts to attach the scion and stock together.
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8665;image)
2. Place a piece of folded paper towel on the sulfur end of the scion and put tape across the top.
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8667;image)
3. Place the scion according to New Wisdom's explation of columnar grafting (http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?topic=440.msg1528#msg1528)
4. Firmly press the "platforms" of the scion into the platform of the stock. I push pretty hard at this point, they really mash together. While maintaining pressure, tape the scion down.
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8669;image)
5. Place the second piece of tape perpendicular to the first, press firmly on the scion, and tape down
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8671;image)
6. Dust the graft with sulfur powder
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8673;image)
7. Label the graft
(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1768.0;attach=8675;image)
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Step 5: Wait
Wait 3 or 4 days to a week or more, until the grafts appear healed. Grafts seem to come out better when I forget about them for a week or two.
Here are some pictures of the original 7" T. bridgesii arm. 100% success.
I'll update with more pictures as these get older.
Happy Grafting,
Hcc
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I had no idea you could graft without there being any roots on the root stock, it's not even in soil... that's brilliant
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this thread, (http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?topic=1731.msg12221#msg12221) the main concern with small center cuts is healing the top of the scion before it dries out.
Sometimes as the graft is healing, I'll put small pieces of saran wrap over the top of the scion after a layer of scar tissue has formed. This seems to help slow down dehydration of the scion.
I'm thinking about experimenting with different methods of healing the top of the scion:
- leaving the paper towel and tape on for 1 week
- leaving the paper towel and tape on for 2 weeks
- super glue
- high humidity for a day or two
- anti-fungal foot spray
- paper towel (as above) then covered with saran wrap for a few days
- tumeric powder
- cutting the scions into 1.25" pieces and letting them heal completely before grafting (as per NW's recommendation)
I think I'll try two of each of the above with all the same scion and root stock to help keep variables constant.
Does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts?
Thanks,
Hcc[/list]
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Cinnamon? If you're trying turmeric powder you could try some other spices that have uses in the garden... although it may just dry it out...
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From the legend himself :)
Edit: I turned the photo for ya.
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Awesome guide man!! Thanks for sharing!! +1
And by the way, what I was saying was not to make all the cuts and let them dry first, but to let a cutting callus completely, cut a small section off and graft that, let the cutting wound heal again, then cut another section and graft, ect... After reading your method though I think how you are doing it is better.
And I wouldn't advise putting trichocereus in high humidity. It will most likely not help them heal, but promote mold and other fungal infections.
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This is a peruvianus center cut grafted on a PC pachanoi that I got from happy recently.
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I've been playing around with a similar idea with just a few differences.
I've been using various stocks and trying to use rooted ones to get them off to a faster start. In addition to the PC pachanoi, I've also used cuzcoensis and spachianus. Spachianus has become my preferred stock due to avaiability but they're all about equally good to me.
I've used two inch scions but I'll probably drop down to one inch also.
I've done similar to New Wisdom's suggestion above to graft one scion at a time from the donor. So from a rooted and growing plant, I'll cut off the 2" tip and graft it, wait a week, cut off the next 2" and graft it, and so on. That way the scion only has a fresh cut on one end at a time.
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Hcc's traded Trichocereus grafts. Nice work!
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This is a peruvianus center cut grafted on a PC pachanoi that I got from happy recently.
Uh Oh, it looks like that pup may knock the whole scion off!
If it gets any worse, you may want to cut that pup off. The smaller one will take over at that point.
If it falls off, let me know, I can make another one for ya.
Hcc
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Very awesome idea! Looks like it certainly is working! I have about a crap load of PC pedro...I should grow some balls and try grafting! I've been far too scared for too long and its about time.
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I've done similar to New Wisdom's suggestion above to graft one scion at a time from the donor. So from a rooted and growing plant, I'll cut off the 2" tip and graft it, wait a week, cut off the next 2" and graft it, and so on. That way the scion only has a fresh cut on one end at a time.
This is BRILLIANT!
@MadPlanter, I'd suggest starting with tip cuttings. They're very easy and rewarding.
@the folks who posted the photos I requested: Thank you very much! Somehow I didn't take photos before sending em off. Keep us updated!
;D
Hcc
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yea ill keep an eye on that one and see what it ends up doing.
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I've done similar to New Wisdom's suggestion above to graft one scion at a time from the donor. So from a rooted and growing plant, I'll cut off the 2" tip and graft it, wait a week, cut off the next 2" and graft it, and so on. That way the scion only has a fresh cut on one end at a time.
I've been doing this method over the past couple weeks and it's been working incredibly well!
I've been using 1" cuts from the mother plant. I've been letting the mother plant completely scab over before taking another cut.
Overall, this approach is much slower than doing a whole arm of scions at once. It seems like cacti like everything to be slow ;) But it essentially guarantees the success of each scion.
Thanks again Solaritea for the idea,
Hcc
P.S.
Per recommendation of Kada (http://www.kadasgarden.com/grafting2.html#after)
We now keep ours in about 50%+ humidity for about a week (depends on species) then slowly acclimate them to drier conditions over 2-3 weeks before putting them with the rest of the cacti outside (or in your greenhouse/grow room).
I've been keeping the grafts in 40-50% humidity, low light and temps in the 70F to 80F (21-27C). The grafts are healing very nicely with little to no shrinkage of the the tissue. Some are coming out with slight discoloration but aren't rotting.
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That's great to know that the method is working well. It's kind of what I was suggesting, but I didn't even think of using a rooted plant as the scion donor. Thanks solaritea! Also great to know that 40-50% humidity wont cause rot with trichocerei. I have always wondered about that, but I didn't want to try it out and loose one!!
You're doing everyone a favor by testing this stuff HCC. Thanks so much!
New Wisdom
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I brought all of my cacti into the garage today and the peruvianus graft is still holding on and that pup has grown. Honestly im surprised its still on but I guess we will see how it turns out in a few months.
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I'm starting to think that "hard-grown" (meaning in sun, outdoors) scions work better for this than scions grown under flourescents. The skin of hard-grown scions seems to be thicker and more resistant to dehydration.
Any thoughts on why this may or may not be true?
Hcc
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How long do they usually take to start growing, I grafter 3 chunks of a crested padro about a mounth and a half ago and thylook good. Just wwondering.
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Hmmmmm, good question. If only I took notes and recorded the dates. Well, I'll do my best at estimating times.
I think it has more to do with the quality of the stock more than anything. Good stock is fat, healthy, well-watered, and not woody. The best PC stock is about the top foot to foot and a half of a column. Below that, it gets pretty woody.
It also seems to depend on whether it's rooted stock or not. Un-rooted stock seems to focus on root formation before scion growth. Can they decide like that? Either way, once they start forming roots, the scions start growing. Rooted stock will show scion growth much faster, perhaps a week or so.
I've left un-rooted grafts in a cool, dark box for about 2 months before without any trouble. Once I popped them into some soil and put them under lights, they started rooting and a couple weeks later the scions started growing.
Pup scions seem to be the fastest. They show signs of growth consistently within a week to 2 weeks.
Tip scions usually start showing signs of growth in 2 weeks to a month.
Center cuts have taken anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months. I'm guessing because they have a lot more "work" to do.
I've only grafted three crests and I don't remember how long that took. Probably close to a normal tip.
Happy Grafting,
Hcc
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Cool mine are none crested parts of the cactus , so I'm waiting to see pups.
Thanks for the in info I'll take some pics of them.
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Hi All,
I no longer recommend using the "wet-top" method of grafting center cuts. I had a number of failures with the original cacti in the pictures. I dropped a tray of grafts and lost 3/7 of the grafts in the pictures. Of the remaining 4, the tip graft did fine and the other 3 "wet-top" scions shriveled up and died.
You can do it and you'll probably have some successes but you'll probably have a number of failed grafts as well.
As solaritea and New Wisdom recommended, taking scions from the mother plant at intervals that allows the top to dry seems to be the best method.
I'll have pictures and a write-up of the new method when time allows.
Hcc
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This is interesting how about a long term up date ?
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One question pops up to me now as i start grafting... It looks like you dont need to have the root stock rooted?
mine hasn't grown much lol