Can I graft mangos with 'inactive' budwood.

[BonsaiBeast]

I was going to order some lemon meringue scions, but I am being told they do not currently have any active buds on the tree.

Do I have any options/chance grafting with inactive budwood?

[Johnny Eat Fruit]

All of the scions I grafted with no active buds failed.

I am sure there are others with much more experience and better grafting technique that have had success but it is much more difficult without buds.

Johnny

[Cookie Monster]

Buds are never really inactive, unless you're grafting over the winter. If you mean that they aren't actively pushing, that is not a problem as long as the budwood and its foliage have hardened.

When you graft mango budwood, the scion first needs to establish cambium bonding, which starts to take place within the first couple of weeks. Once the cambium of the scion has fully bonded to the rootstock, the scion will stay alive nearly indefinitely. Assuming the rootstock has leaves or is thick enough to have built up energy reserves (or is newly emerged from a seed, which has enough energy for about 2 flushes), the scion's buds will eventually swell and flush.

[wslau]

It is definitely possible to graft without swelling buds.  However, if late in the grafting season, the graft may stay dormant and push the following spring/summer.  I experienced this with a few varieties.
If you are buying scions from Alex, he can update you weekly ...when buds form and swell.  Things change quickly this time of year and buds may form in one week after heavy heat.

[lebmung]

You can graft an inactive bud. Naturally it will take longer to have a new flush. The root stock should have few leaves under the grafting union to produce energy and allow the auxins to flow from the roots to scion.
The failure rate comes from the union.

[Orkine]

Not prefered but can be done.
Not an expert but I have experienced grafted wood staying alive for months and eventually pushing.
If you can wait a week or two, have the budwood prepped by the seller. 
Pay now so they are assured of the fee.
Have then take off the leafs off the top 6 to 9 inches of the hardened new growth (can leave parts of the leaf stalk but no green leaf)
They can take the cutting in a week to 10 days and that could be the difference between a quick push and a delayed push.

Good luck.

[bsbullie]

Read and follow Jeff's/Cookie's post above...

[behlgarden]

Buds are never really inactive, unless you're grafting over the winter. If you mean that they aren't actively pushing, that is not a problem as long as the budwood and its foliage have hardened.

When you graft mango budwood, the scion first needs to establish cambium bonding, which starts to take place within the first couple of weeks. Once the cambium of the scion has fully bonded to the rootstock, the scion will stay alive nearly indefinitely. Assuming the rootstock has leaves or is thick enough to have built up energy reserves (or is newly emerged from a seed, which has enough energy for about 2 flushes), the scion's buds will eventually swell and flush.

agree with Jeff. in peak grafting season like we have in Summer in CA now, swelled buds are good but not necessary as heat and actively pushing rootstock is all we need. if you have swelled buds, it is helpful, but at the same time if we are in heat waves of 105 plus, those swelled buds push prematurely without union heal and get fried.

[BonsaiBeast]

What is the best grafting technique to use?