The grafts do take well and turn out fine, but literally every rootstock I have bowls heavily after the scion firmly attaches. Pic included.
I see everyone’s nice grafts all appear flat and even with the scion and was looking for advice on how to better achieve this. Thanks!
by Significant-Board230
6 Comments
You may need to have more height on your graft (cut it a little longer 4inches minimum) – it’s using all of its energy to pump the scion leaving it to concave inward. Generally all graft stalks will do this but at varying degrees.
I have similar results. I think it’s caused by the root stock dehydrating. So anything to help slow or prevent that should help.
Grandis can be beveled down a lot too btw. You can pretty much shave their sides like sharpening a pencil. It makes them look pretty ugly, but helps shed excess moisture from watering/rain
Cactus with lots of ribs have the potential to pucker in more after healing. To prevent this, sometimes I pre-cut the rootstock a day or two before. After the cut rootstock puckers up, and I do another small bevel of all the ridges and make a fresh cut to do the graft.
Also, sulfur can dry out the graft, and if microscopic pieces lodge between the scion and the rootstock during the operation it can prevent a good seal and a good heal. If your environment allows it I recommend ditching the sulfur.
If you can bring indoors to callus and not get so dehydrated in the process. I did a graft yesterday and put a fan in front of it and it shrink considerably just with a fan blowing on it indoors. The stepper, the angle, the better off you will be in my opinion with regard to caving in and creating a place where it can puddle.
https://preview.redd.it/isypuavznmld1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=98bae8ed7ccbc5a0543865df3cef452e16e55b35
With my micro grafts I cover with plastic to keep humidity up for the first week and it helps.
I chamfer the edges more and wait a couple days to add sulfur (seems to accelerate this puckering).