Spanishfly
Rising Star
Since I bought my first cactus in 1957 (!!) I have acquired some grafted plants on the way - most commonly in my youth those red, and rather short-lived Gymnocalyciums, invariably grafted onto tender Hylocereus stocks.
All the many and varied plants I have grown from seed have been raised on their own roots, I have not really been an admirer of grafting plants simply to make them become larger faster.
However, having said that I have acquired some rare specimens that are grafted, as they are deemed to be so difficult to cultivate on their own roots. And some of these will soon need to be regrafted onto taller, more vigorous stock.
So I decided to have a go at my first ever graft, to see if I can make the method work, using test materials that cost virtually nothing.
I had a good read through various people´s guides to grafting, in the first instance. All authors agreed on the importance of good cleanliness and hygiene, the use of very sharp cutting tools, and ensuring that the vascular cambiae of both stock and scion make good contact.
However there were large differences in recommended methods of keeping the joint held securely together, the lighting, humidity and temperature to which the grafted plant should be subjected, whether the grafted plant should be watered or not, and how long the fixings (if used) should remain in place. That is, when these particular important aspects of care were addressed at all.
So, the scion is a Astrophytum asterias, one of several I sowed about a year ago from seed that I traded. The stock is an anonymous small ribbed cactus that I bought in a garden centre for a massive 70 cents, both stock and scion were in active growth at the time of cutting, 3 days ago. I followed instructions, sliced the two plants and carefully joined the scion to the stock, securing the join with a couple of rubber bands.
I left it in the dark the first night - come the morning the scion had settled a little into the stock - hopefully a good sign. Currently it is under a 6500K 40W tube during the day.
After two days it was a week since both the component parts had been watered, so I followed the advice of one author and gave it a watering.
I will keep the bands on for a week (researched advice varied between three days and two months), and (provided it doesn´t all fall apart!) will gradually reintroduce the grafted plant to sunlight after a further week. I will keep you posted.
All the many and varied plants I have grown from seed have been raised on their own roots, I have not really been an admirer of grafting plants simply to make them become larger faster.
However, having said that I have acquired some rare specimens that are grafted, as they are deemed to be so difficult to cultivate on their own roots. And some of these will soon need to be regrafted onto taller, more vigorous stock.
So I decided to have a go at my first ever graft, to see if I can make the method work, using test materials that cost virtually nothing.
I had a good read through various people´s guides to grafting, in the first instance. All authors agreed on the importance of good cleanliness and hygiene, the use of very sharp cutting tools, and ensuring that the vascular cambiae of both stock and scion make good contact.
However there were large differences in recommended methods of keeping the joint held securely together, the lighting, humidity and temperature to which the grafted plant should be subjected, whether the grafted plant should be watered or not, and how long the fixings (if used) should remain in place. That is, when these particular important aspects of care were addressed at all.
So, the scion is a Astrophytum asterias, one of several I sowed about a year ago from seed that I traded. The stock is an anonymous small ribbed cactus that I bought in a garden centre for a massive 70 cents, both stock and scion were in active growth at the time of cutting, 3 days ago. I followed instructions, sliced the two plants and carefully joined the scion to the stock, securing the join with a couple of rubber bands.
I left it in the dark the first night - come the morning the scion had settled a little into the stock - hopefully a good sign. Currently it is under a 6500K 40W tube during the day.
After two days it was a week since both the component parts had been watered, so I followed the advice of one author and gave it a watering.
I will keep the bands on for a week (researched advice varied between three days and two months), and (provided it doesn´t all fall apart!) will gradually reintroduce the grafted plant to sunlight after a further week. I will keep you posted.
