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[23]

This morning at the beach i brought with me a copy of "psychedelic shamanism" by Dekorne. I quote directly:

Since peyote grows so slowly, one can quadruple the growth rate by splicing a button to a similar diameter limb of T.pachanoi or any other trichocereus. This is done by carefully cutting each surface perfectly flat and smooth before grafting them. Until the graft takes, the peyote button may be held to the surface of the  Trichocereus spreading multiple strings with small weights attached to them accross the small button. [...]
In four years the button will be very large. it may be then cut off, reerootedand returned to the soil.

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[New Wisdom]

This is an explanation of a simple columnar graft.  If you're more interested I have a guide here.

New Wisdom

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[happyconcacti]

Hey 23,

Grafting works well in many regards. I took a 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) piece of bridgesii cutting and grafted it on T. pachanoi. Six months later the bridgesii had grown to 12 inch (30.5 cm).

It's a great way to quickly propagate many cacti. Just yesterday I cut the 12" cutting into 1" sections and made 12 grafts.

The grafting guide that New Wisdom made is pure gold. It is what finally gave me the confidence to follow through on grafting.

Hcc

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[Frog Pajamas]

That's awesome! You can graft little center cuts?

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[New Wisdom]

Grafting small center cuts is risky because you have a whole side that is exposed and raw so it'll probably dry out super fast.

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[happyconcacti]

That's awesome! You can graft little center cuts?

Oh yeah, definitely. It's worked incredibly well for me.

And New Wisdom has a good point. I've found that about 1" is about as small as you can go with center cuts. The 1/2" cuts really, really die back before sending out pups.

When I tape 'em down, I put a folded up piece of paper-towel on the top. Then I push on it pretty hard and tape the little guy down firm. I've never had any problems with rot under the paper towel but that doesn't mean it's not possible.

So far I'm 18 for 18 with 1" center cuts. ("pics or it didn't happen" hehehehe). I'll get some up soon.

Hcc

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[New Wisdom]

If you graft center cuts what you should do is actually let one side callus before chopping it off. This process takes a while, but it's worth it.  It wont dehydrate so fast if you let the bottom of a cutting callus, then slice off about 1" and graft immediately.  It will be upside down, but that doesn't matter with grafts. It'll still work. 

[happyconcacti]

If you graft center cuts what you should do is actually let one side callus before chopping it off.

Respectfully, I disagree: From my experience, you do not need to let them callous.

Again, pictures and explanation to come,
Hcc

[New Wisdom]

If you don't let one side callus then there's a raw side that's exposed to the air.   How would it make a difference if one side is callused.  It would only make it so it wont dry out as fast.  An explanation would be awesome.

New Wisdom

[Sunshine]

Would a natural antifungal laced glob of petroleum jelly on the top part work?

[nobody]

Would a natural antifungal laced glob of petroleum jelly on the top part work?

I use sulfur powder, smells like rotten eggs but it works great.

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[New Wisdom]

Sulfur powder would be great, but you wouldn't want to put patrolium jelly on it because then it wouldn't be able to callus and it would just be a gooey mess for a long time.

[Sunshine]

I meant for using to keep the moisture in so it wouldn't dry out too much while at the same time not letting it rot or get fungus....maybe a mix of the jelly and the sulfur?

[New Wisdom]

What i mean is you want it to callus at some point. and having such a large area with jelly on it would just be kind of gross and messy for a while and it would never callus on it's own.  Probably better off letting it callus with sulfur on it, but if you don't mind a sticky jelly mess being there for a long time it might work.

I should add that it wont callus if you put patrolium jelly on the wound. Edit again, I already said that earlier.  Lol...

[Sunshine]

Thats my point brotherman!
If you delay callusing it won't dry out as much and make it less stressful on the plant while its trying to fuse. After a month or so you could wipe it off with some toilet paper and let it callus up. At that point the plant will have fused and will be being supplied with moisture from the graft stalk...

My initial response was in reply to this;

Grafting small center cuts is risky because you have a whole side that is exposed and raw so it'll probably dry out super fast.

Take that one exposed side out of the equation and your odds will increase...right?

The only problem I can see is rot...