Excellent! I was busy acting as "surgical nurse" to Boon, I couldn't take pics. I can go out and take a photo of the gray blog of cut paste covering the whole thing. It's to keep the rain out.
Yes, it's to remain in place two years. Next year, I'm supposed to weaken the old branch (before the graft) by removing some cambium on both sides. This will force the scion to get it's energy from the graft union.
Boon says that the primary reason the approach grafts fail is the scion grows and swells, and forces itself out of the groove. That's why the staples and chopstick. There's some rubber cushion cut from rubber tubing under the chopstick, it's black so it's hard to see.
One other proceedure was done to the tree: There is the old sacrifice branch that's about a foot long still attached. It's probably 1 1/2 inches in diameter. It still has an active bud with a long candle, so rather than remove that entire branch, Boon used a saw to cut a V notch about1/3 the way thru. Since we're cutting the branch off at an angle, the final scar will be 2 to 2 1/2 inches long. So, this first cut is about 3/4 inches deep. Leaving the old branch attached will promote healing on the trunk faster than if it were removed all at once. Next year, I can cut down another 1/3. I may have to support the old branch with a piece of rebar so it won't tear off. Then, the year after, it can be removed entirely.
Yes, it's to remain in place two years. Next year, I'm supposed to weaken the old branch (before the graft) by removing some cambium on both sides. This will force the scion to get it's energy from the graft union.
Boon says that the primary reason the approach grafts fail is the scion grows and swells, and forces itself out of the groove. That's why the staples and chopstick. There's some rubber cushion cut from rubber tubing under the chopstick, it's black so it's hard to see.
One other proceedure was done to the tree: There is the old sacrifice branch that's about a foot long still attached. It's probably 1 1/2 inches in diameter. It still has an active bud with a long candle, so rather than remove that entire branch, Boon used a saw to cut a V notch about1/3 the way thru. Since we're cutting the branch off at an angle, the final scar will be 2 to 2 1/2 inches long. So, this first cut is about 3/4 inches deep. Leaving the old branch attached will promote healing on the trunk faster than if it were removed all at once. Next year, I can cut down another 1/3. I may have to support the old branch with a piece of rebar so it won't tear off. Then, the year after, it can be removed entirely.
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