Thread graft question

[Gustavo Martins]

Quick question.
I’m trying to replace a branch that broke some time ago. Will a thread graft take in that area or do I need an area with live tissue?
It’s a Japanese maple

 

[Dav4]

For any graft to be successful, there has to be live cambium on cambium contact. If you want to thread graft there, you'll have to move it over a bit so you create the hole through living tissue to the right of the original branch location. Another option would be to make an approach graft where the callus has formed. I've done that successfully on one of my own Japanese maples

 

[Shibui]

Yes. Definitely need live tissue for any graft to be successful. Look for the closest live part. Callus tissue growing around old wounds seems to be OK.

 

[SeanS]

Yes. Definitely need live tissue for any graft to be successful. Look for the closest live part. Callus tissue growing around old wounds seems to be OK.

I only have 1 finding to base this on so far, but callous tissue growing around old wounds seems to take exceptionally fast. Possibly faster than ‘normal’ bark tissue. But once again only 1 thread graft through callous to report on.

Thread graft performed sometime in August this year, it’s already 3 times the size on the exit side

 

[Shibui]

I only have 1 finding to base this on so far, but callous tissue growing around old wounds seems to take exceptionally fast.

I suspect this is because the active layer is much thicker in callus than under normal bark. Cambium is in overdrive to heal the wound so also heals your grafting wound more efficiently too.

 

[Gustavo Martins]

Thanks for your replies guys.