Skin Graft

[River's Edge]

Bud graft, common procedure, not the same as skin graft! Active bud provides energy for the graft to promote healing and union as soon as leaves form and begin photosynthesis. No buds or shoots on skin graft. This is closer to scion grafting in my opinion.

 

[bonhe]

Is there any sign of healing edge on the graft piece, or does it solely come from the wound edge? I am having trouble understanding how the graft patch could be expected to remain alive without ongoing cell transportation of nutrients and water.

As you can see in this picture. The wound edge and grafted skin almost closed together


and this side, they are connected by callus


I wish I could dissect these areas to see what is going on, but …. no, I will do skin graft in some branches which I would remove them later , and will study more details from that .
Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

When I look at @bonhe work, I think what is important to keep in mind is that only the cambium layer of the bark can heal, so it is critically important to align the cambium of the skin graft with the cambium of the outside bark. If there is a gap, or if the cambium doesn't align exactly, the tree will grow callous instead of bridging the wound.

I agree.

Underneath the skin graft there is no healing tissue, so the skin graft will always be like a blister...

But remember, when the skin was removed from the sapwood, cambium layer will be the lowest part of the skin. Now, when I put the skin back to the sapwood but in other place, theoretically it should be able to survive if it is in suitable condition. It means it should be no gap at all beneath the grafted skin

but with time it won't matter because the tree bark will continue to grow layers that will cover the wound.

I agree and it is why I don't mind if the grafted skin sloughing off because the wound is healed and also other purposes of skin graft such as reduction of sap loss, protection the wound from fungal or bacterial infection.

In the summer, because of the sap flow, the sap will tend to gather beneath the skin graft and push the skin graft off. But if you perforate the skin graft, the sap will have an exit wound and will escape instead of causing the graft to fail. That is why I think if you tried this technique in winter, it might be easier because I don't think you would need to perforate the graft.

In this winter, I will do skin graft and see the result

There may be something else beneficial going on here as well, because even where the skin graft is failing, he is getting very good callous growth - much faster than I would normally expect. Not sure if that is due to the graft material, or maybe covering the wound with grafting tape(?) but it would normally take me a couple of seasons to get wound closure like he is getting in just a few months.

Haha, this is another good reason for skin graft.
I don't think the graft material but covering the wound is a critical point.
In the near future, I will try to fine tune my technique and see the result
Thanks for your comment.
Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

Bud graft, common procedure, not the same as skin graft! Active bud provides energy for the graft to promote healing and union as soon as leaves form and begin photosynthesis. No buds or shoots on skin graft. This is closer to scion grafting in my opinion.

I totally agree with you
Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

More than 2 weeks under the Summer heat, the graft is still looking good
View attachment 384803

Thụ Thoại

Yesterday. Doing well.

Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

The 2nd wound
View attachment 381242

I just used the grafting tape to hold the skin in place .
View attachment 381245


This time I also made multiple punctured wounds through the tape down to the wound bottom.
View attachment 381244
Thụ Thoại

Yesterday


The tape was carefully removed .


There is a thin film of sap adhered inside the tape


Grafted skin is healing very well !

lateral view


on the tree, there is augly scar which will be taken care by my technique later on !


Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

I pruned unnecessary summer shoots on this 13 yo KBP this afternoon. I took a look the skin graft done on its trunk almost 5 months ago .


The area


The grafting tape was carefully removed


The grafted skin is healing very well!





Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

I did some skin graft on my JBP seedlings this afternoon. This time of the year, it is cool in my place. As I expected, it is hard to peel off the skin, but I was able to manage it. @ Bonsainut, this is one of disadvantages to do skin graft in Fall or Winter, I think .
This scar is from the big branch cut off a few years ago. It is still not healing up yet !



I used knob cutter to refresh to bottom and also created the fresh wound at the edge of scar.


The yellow arrows are pointing at the fresh wound


The pruned branch was used to harvest the skin


The piece of skin was applied into the area after getting multiple through and through punctured wounds on the surface


The area was compressed with grafting tape. Again, I made multiple punctured wounds through the tape .


I will see the result next Summer .
Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

Another JBP seedling
This branch has to be removed, so that the trunk line can be appreciated!


after removing


the skin was punctured multiple times


it was placed on the wound surface


held in place tightly with grafting tape. Then multiple punctured wounds made


This tree also has an old wound that has been healing very slow !


I used sharp knife to cut along the edge of the scar. The new wound is created


The piece of skin was harvested from the removed branch. After making multiple punctured wounds on the skin, I placed it on the the scar area


the skin was held in place with grafting tape.


Again, I have to wait until next Summer to find the result .
Thụ Thoại

 

[River's Edge]

Another JBP seedling
This branch has to be removed, so that the trunk line can be appreciated!
View attachment 409328

after removing
View attachment 409329

the skin was punctured multiple times
View attachment 409330

it was placed on the wound surface
View attachment 409331

held in place tightly with grafting tape. Then multiple punctured wounds made
View attachment 409332

This tree also has an old wound that has been healing very slow !
View attachment 409334

I used sharp knife to cut along the edge of the scar. The new wound is created
View attachment 409335

The piece of skin was harvested from the removed branch. After making multiple punctured wounds on the skin, I placed it on the the scar area
View attachment 409336

the skin was held in place with grafting tape.
View attachment 409337

Again, I have to wait until next Summer to find the result .
Thụ Thoại

You are gaining confidence in the technique and applying it more frequently. Appreciate the persistence and opportunity to learn from your efforts. Thank you!

 

[bonhe]

You are gaining confidence in the technique and applying it more frequently. Appreciate the persistence and opportunity to learn from your efforts. Thank you!

You are very welcome.

That is why I love to use seedlings for bonsai training. It gives me so much opportunities to learn, to experience all kinds of techniques and esthetic clue.

I hope this technique would help a lot of people who have been training the seedlings for bonsai. I should have a definite answer for this skin graft technique in a year .
Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

It is already one year since I started this topic. Now, there is an update after one year.

*The one is in post # 1. I removed the tape last week. The skin piece fell off when I used the tool to check its attachment. However, it was callusing over from edge about 3 mm. Sorry, I took a picture but accidentally deleted it. Because the callus was still looked fresh (brown-reddish color), to promote the healing process, I covered it up to grafting tape again (this time, no piece of skin). I will check it back in 6 months. This picture was taken after covering with tape.


*Post #11:
The one with crazy glue.


After cleaning of the surface. I really satisfy with the result.


another graft


After testing with a probe, the skin piece came off!


The cutting surface with a little callus rim.


Be continued..
Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

This JBP had one skin graft on the lowest branch about 3 months ago.
View attachment 404442

The tape covering the grafted site was bulging yesterday. Sign of failure!
View attachment 404443

The tape was removed. 3 pieces of skin were fallen off ( I used 3 small pieces instead of one whole piece)
View attachment 404444

However, I am very happy to see the site is healing very well! With black pine, it would take a long time to see healing process. In this case, there is a nice healing process seen in 3 months!
View attachment 404445
Thụ Thoại

after almost one year, the wound is healing very well. The callus is closing down nicely!

Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

Thanks .
This afternoon, I just had some work on this Korean black pine and like to show you another skin graft with using of grafting tape to hold it in place .
View attachment 404690

skin graft was done on 5/2/21
View attachment 404691

I decide to remove the tape today
View attachment 404692


front view
View attachment 404693

Lateral view. The piece of skin has same surface level with adjacent area . Good sign
View attachment 404694

this side has grafted skin touched well with the wound edge. No gap seen
View attachment 404695

this side: healing scar grows between wound edge and grafted skin because the size of grafted skin smaller than the area of the wound !
View attachment 404697 View attachment 404696

there is a tiny hole on the top of grafted skin to which I could insert the small pine needle into . I measured the depth of this tunnel .
View attachment 404698

how depth it is ! Almost length of the grated skin !View attachment 404699

I will continue observing this graft.
Thụ Thoại

This piece of skin fell off in one month after tape removal.
The wound surface is healing very well at this time.


Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

I pruned unnecessary summer shoots on this 13 yo KBP this afternoon. I took a look the skin graft done on its trunk almost 5 months ago .
View attachment 406814

The area
View attachment 406813

The grafting tape was carefully removed
View attachment 406809

The grafted skin is healing very well!

View attachment 406810 View attachment 406811

View attachment 406812

Thụ Thoại

After removing the tape, the piece of skin fell off! The wound surface is healing very well today . Comparing to the previous pictures , I can see there are 3 small pockets with callus rims ! Very amazing!

Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

I did some skin graft on my JBP seedlings this afternoon. This time of the year, it is cool in my place. As I expected, it is hard to peel off the skin, but I was able to manage it. @ Bonsainut, this is one of disadvantages to do skin graft in Fall or Winter, I think .
This scar is from the big branch cut off a few years ago. It is still not healing up yet !

View attachment 409316 View attachment 409315

I used knob cutter to refresh to bottom and also created the fresh wound at the edge of scar.
View attachment 409317

The yellow arrows are pointing at the fresh wound
View attachment 409318 View attachment 409319

The pruned branch was used to harvest the skin
View attachment 409320 View attachment 409321

The piece of skin was applied into the area after getting multiple through and through punctured wounds on the surface
View attachment 409322

The area was compressed with grafting tape. Again, I made multiple punctured wounds through the tape .
View attachment 409324 View attachment 409323

I will see the result next Summer .
Thụ Thoại

It was few days ago


Tape was removed. Looks good!

Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

Another JBP seedling
This branch has to be removed, so that the trunk line can be appreciated!
View attachment 409328

after removing
View attachment 409329

the skin was punctured multiple times
View attachment 409330

it was placed on the wound surface
View attachment 409331

held in place tightly with grafting tape. Then multiple punctured wounds made
View attachment 409332

This tree also has an old wound that has been healing very slow !
View attachment 409334

I used sharp knife to cut along the edge of the scar. The new wound is created
View attachment 409335

The piece of skin was harvested from the removed branch. After making multiple punctured wounds on the skin, I placed it on the the scar area
View attachment 409336

the skin was held in place with grafting tape.
View attachment 409337

Again, I have to wait until next Summer to find the result .
Thụ Thoại

The 1st one had tape removal in 3 months after grafting . The piece off skin fell off. However, the wound has nice callu


the 2 one still had tape on

Tape was removed. Looks nice !



Thụ Thoại

 

[penumbra]

To be clear, have all the skin grafts failed to take?

 

[bonhe]

I did 12 skin graftings. 6 of them fell off. 6 are intact. Even with skin graft fell off, but the results of healing process are very promising for black pine. I am really satisfying with this technique because of simplicity, rapidity and no time restriction in pruning the large branch (with large branch, I used to wait until cold weather to do it; nowadays, I can conveniently do it in any time of the year). I will continue improving this technique and will update it here in another year.
I will also do another experiment related to pruning a big branch of pine.
Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

To be clear, have all the skin grafts failed to take?

No. Please see my above reply.
Thụ Thoại