Horticulturists have been grafting plants for a long time. Grafting is the process of joining two different pieces of living plant tissue together. This process is commonly used with apples, pears, peaches, pecans, and many ornamental plants, such as camellias and Japanese maples. Some terms commonly associated with grafting include the following:

• Scion is the dormant shoot that grew the previous season. This is the desirable wood that is collected by the propagator for grafting onto a rootstock.
• Rootstock is the new root system of the grafted plant.
• Cambium is the thin tissue where growth takes place, located between the bark and the wood.
• Bud stick is the shoot from which buds are taken for budding.

Reasons for Grafting

There are several reasons why people choose to graft rather than propagate with other common methods, such as division, seeds, cuttings, or layering.

The main reason to use grafting is because some plants cannot be readily maintained using other methods. Many plants—such as peaches, apples, pears, plums, and pecans—are grafted to maintain the cultivar characteristics that may be lost if seeds of these crops were planted. For example, if you have a common persimmon rootstock, an Asian persimmon scion could be grafted onto it.

The different characteristics of rootstocks is another reason for grafting plants. Along with maintaining cultivar characteristics, grafting to different rootstocks can reduce the mature height of plants (such as apples), provide nematode and disease resistance in peaches, and provide disease resistance in tomatoes and cucurbits. Make sure the rootstock that you are using is providing the benefit that you are looking for. Rootstocks can be purchased on a large scale from commercial nurseries. If you only need a small quantity, you can purchase a plant on the desired rootstock and graft the desired scion onto the rootstock. Another option may be to plant seeds of a desired plant, such as pecan or persimmon, to be used later for grafting.

Grafting Methods

There are several methods commonly used for grafting plants. These include cleft, whip, inlay, four-flap, and budding. The time of year and the size of the grafting material influences what method should be used.

• Cleft grafting should be done just before new growth starts.
• Whip grafting is done just before new growth starts and even after new grow has begun.
• The inlay and four-flap methods are usually done when the bark is slipping, just as the new growth starts in the spring. However, it is common for nurseries to graft much earlier in the year by using protected areas, such as a greenhouse or high tunnel. Inlay and four-flap grafting are a couple of easy grafts for beginners.
• Budding is usually done in June, July, or August.

Points for Successful Grafting

Select scions from vigorous, disease-free growth. These shoots can be collected any time after the tree goes dormant but before the buds start to swell in the spring. The earlier the scions are collected, the longer they have to be stored before use, which increases the chance of them drying out. For this reason, many propagators will wait until just before the buds swell before collecting wood. For most crops, the scions should be the size of a pencil or a little larger in diameter and approximately 8 inches or more in length. However, pecan scions should be larger in diameter.

Properly care for scions until they are used. After cutting, scions should be kept moist and cool until use. Wrapping the scions in damp paper towels, placing them in moist sawdust or pine shavings, and then placing them in airtight containers, such as freezer bags, works well. Some propagators will double bag the scions to ensure they do not dry out. If more than one variety of scions are collected, make sure to label the bags. Then, place the bagged scions in the refrigerator to keep them in their dormant state. When transporting them to be grafted, place the bagged scions in a cooler with ice. The scions should never dry out or get hot before grafting.

Use a sharp blade when grafting. Specially designed grafting knives are available.

Ensure good contact between cambium on the stock and scion.

Properly care for scions after grafting. Grafting tape is helpful when wrapping scions. Animals and wind can break a newly grafted tree, but tying the new shoot to a stake can help.