Auxin said:
So, if I understand correctly you grew the pereskiopsis under full sun, grew the seedling under full sun (?), grafted with parafilm and kept the graft under full sun (?), and removed the parafilm after 7 days. Is that right?
Your brave, have you done this before to good effect?
PS. your cameras macro setting needs another inch or two from the target to focus just right, back it up just a little and you'll be down to 98 problems
Here is what you desire to know my friend.
#1... There is no need for shade with seedlings so long as you don't mind them turning purple. Yes, I frequently graft purple/red seedlings.
This seedling had barely sprouted when I grafted as I prefer my seedlings to be under 2-3 weeks when I graft them as otherwise... why am I grafting?
So we must develop a target range when grafting so we don't waste valuable time with a seedling on its own roots growing slowly.
My preferred target range 2 days to 3 weeks. The problem with grafting seedlings under 24 hours is there tends to be a lot of explosive growth left in the seedling that simply is untapped if you graft that early.
#2 Please don't get caught up in the parafilm removal. Playing with parafilm over your scion after it has been grafted is the easiest way I know of to wreck a perfectly good graft. Let your seedling/scion grow through the parfilm and please don't worry about removing it.
2.a if you must remove your parafilm for aesthetic reasons or just because you are a habitual scab picker... the best way I have found of doing this is to wait for the seedling to grow through the parafilm. Slice down the middle of your stock to open up flaps on either side of your parafilm. Cut downwards, not upwards!
Did I mention all cuts should be in a downward motion so as to pull the graft union together rather than apart?
Lastly, cut down on the sides of the parafilm over top the stock to create a half moon with your cuts. Your parafilm can now be left in place and it will fall off on its own or alternately... you can gently try to caress the parafilm off as you peel to the sides. This takes some practice for some and you may lose a few grafts getting that down pat. Which is why I say leave the parafilm alone at the first part.
3. Have I grafted seedlings from start to finish in full sun?
I've grafted thousands of seedlings this way. With many species, the purple red coloring of the seedling will disappear after the scion begins to rapidly grow. Some will retain a bit of purple around the areoles for a time.
4. Is there anything wrong with moving a seedling that one has grown in partial shade to a full sun graft? My answer, not if you do it early on. Meaning, I would not graft a shaded seedling 2-3 weeks old onto a full sun positioned stock in the full sun. However, a seedling that has gown in partial shade with full sun exposure for a few hours duration each day that is only 2-3 days old can easily be transferred to a full sun position where it will generally turn purple or light red while it begins to grow.
Stock on the other hand... that is a rare commodity, but for you my friend... I've got 99 problems, but a graft isn't one!
Now this little guy, he has been growing in shade on a much too small stock, but that is what happens when cacti grafts are in the works and your running low on stock.