Root grafts

[johnl445]

Good morning I’m planning on doing a couple root graphs one tree is a Chinese quince and the other is a trident. I’m still trying to thicken up the trunks on both these trees so they’ll be growing in mostly a soil mix. Can root grafts still be performed in this growing medium? If it’s properly protected we cut paste or is it better to perform a root soil medium?

 

[Shibui]

Soil mix does not affect root grafts.
It is better to seal around root grafts before burying the grafted section. This keeps out excess water and soil borne diseases but grafts will often unite without the sealing as underground can provide all the conditions required - protected from drying, etc.
Remember that way before modern grafting materials some grafters used clay to seal their grafts above ground so soil can help grafts but not as good as modern sealers, tape, etc.

Definitely go ahead with your grafts in the soil mix.

 

[johnl445]

Soil mix does not affect root grafts.
It is better to seal around root grafts before burying the grafted section. This keeps out excess water and soil borne diseases but grafts will often unite without the sealing as underground can provide all the conditions required - protected from drying, etc.
Remember that way before modern grafting materials some grafters used clay to seal their grafts above ground so soil can help grafts but not as good as modern sealers, tape, etc.

Definitely go ahead with your grafts in the soil mix.

Ok, that’s my plan than. How come when people grift seedlings to the host tree, I’ve seen some people scrape the bark of the seedling to match up the Cambiam of the host tree’s notch. and I’ve seen some people do absolutely nothing to the seedling. that confuses me. How does the seedling eventually fuse to the host tree without exposed Cambiam on the seedling?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Ok, that’s my plan than. How come when people grift seedlings to the host tree, I’ve seen some people scrape the bark of the seedling to match up the Cambiam of the host tree’s notch. and I’ve seen some people do absolutely nothing to the seedling. that confuses me. How does the seedling eventually fuse to the host tree without exposed Cambiam on the seedling?

Some plants have very thin bark, and when they grow into each other, sap can cross that barrier and once that happens they will grow into each other.
But in thicker barked plants, that is absolutely not the case.
It differs per species on how you connect the two.

 

[johnl445]

Ok @Wires_Guy_wires. To play it safe, should I expose the bark on a trident and a Chinese quince?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I haven't worked with either of those, but I would lightly sandpaper the inserts to expose their cambium.

 

[Shibui]

Ok, that’s my plan than. How come when people grift seedlings to the host tree, I’ve seen some people scrape the bark of the seedling to match up the Cambiam of the host tree’s notch. and I’ve seen some people do absolutely nothing to the seedling. that confuses me. How does the seedling eventually fuse to the host tree without exposed Cambiam on the seedling?

Grafting is all about getting callus growing from cambium to unite with callus growing from other cambium

If there's enough pressure between stock and scion the bark eventually thins then becomes callus which can unite so grafts can occur without scraping bark but it takes longer and is unpredictable. If someone has shown this they have either been very lucky to get it first try or have not shown all the failures.

Definitely scrape the bark when you try for approach grafts. Doesn't matter what species. You will need to cut right through the bark to the cambium and harder wood underneath. Try to get the edges of the scraped areas to line up for quicker grafting. It pays to do some practice on pruned pieces or expendable stock before attempting the real thing to get a feel for how thick the bark is and what's the best tools to make the cuts.
You will need to find a way to hold the 2 parts together firmly. If not held together the developing callus usually just pushes the 2 pieces apart and the graft can't connect. Tape tightly around the trunk, pins or nails around or through the seedling, etc are all used.