The Tropical Fruit Forum
Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: Jackfruitwhisperer69 on July 04, 2012, 03:29:31 PM
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Hi to all fellow members :),
Here's an easy way to propagate avocadoes!
Avocado Epicotyl Grafting (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9g-HW8Nz-c#)
I'm sharing this vid to help fellow members to succeed in avocado grafting. If you are receiving scions from a friend or importing them from Oscar. I highly recommed that you use this type of graft and you can expect high success rates.
I collected material on the other side of the Island of a huge avocado, the scions were stored in the fridge since January. I grafted with these scions in June...with 100% takes. I was really amazed that stored budwood took much faster that fresh budwood 8) The graft usually take 2 weeks to sproat, these scions sproated less that 2 weeks...pics of these these grafts and one I done 2 weeks before are included in the vid at the end ;)
I forgot to add this in the vid, remove all the shoots that sproat from the seed and rootstock. when the union is formed...re-adjust the graft tape as soon as the scion has started to grow to prevent girdling of the scions.
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This method can also be done to;
*Mango
*Jackfruit
*Mamey Sapote
*Green Sapote
*Canistel
*Mammee apple
*Durian
*Matisia
*Cashew
*Cacau/Cocoa...etc
Any plant with a thick epicotyl shot ;)
Here's the pics of the Avo's that I included in the vid;
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/Moonshadow69/IMG_7415.jpg)
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/Moonshadow69/IMG_7416.jpg)
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/Moonshadow69/IMG_7417.jpg)
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/Moonshadow69/IMG_7421.jpg)
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/Moonshadow69/IMG_7423.jpg)
I will answer any comments tomorrow...today, I don't have time :(
ENJOY...hope this is useful :)
Take care,
Steven
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I think this is synonymous with "stone grafting". Here's how it's done with mangos, almost exactly the same as in the video-
http://www.development4you.org/2011/05/epicotyle-mango-grafting.html (http://www.development4you.org/2011/05/epicotyle-mango-grafting.html)
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http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/Tech_Bull/TB194.pdf (http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/Tech_Bull/TB194.pdf)
It might be worth a sticky beak at what some big guns have to say on the matter.
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nice graft pics ! i have not watched the video yet. I always make my cuts very long, I'm surprised how short the cuts can be made!
thanks for sharing and caring!!
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Thanks for sharing!
-Luke
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I think this is synonymous with "stone grafting". Here's how it's done with mangos, almost exactly the same as in the video-
http://www.development4you.org/2011/05/epicotyle-mango-grafting.html (http://www.development4you.org/2011/05/epicotyle-mango-grafting.html)
Hi Richard,
Yes, stone grafting and epi's are the same. I found this site a while back, when i was doing some research on mango stone/epi propagtion.
http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/Tech_Bull/TB194.pdf (http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/Tech_Bull/TB194.pdf)
It might be worth a sticky beak at what some big guns have to say on the matter.
Hey Mike,
Thanks for sharing these link :)
nice graft pics ! i have not watched the video yet. I always make my cuts very long, I'm surprised how short the cuts can be made!
thanks for sharing and caring!!
Olá Adão,
I usually make a cut, about an inch...with this type of graft, i do it shorter.
Thanks for sharing!
-Luke
Hi Luke,
:)
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I'm glad i shared this with fellow members :) Sharing and caring...like Adam said :)
Hope fellow member's give this type of graft a shot :)
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Very straightforward video. Thanks! So this will work as well on mangoes? I like your choice of grafting knife :) What kind of plastic are you wrapping it with? Is it tape or cut from a plastic bag?
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I think this is synonymous with "stone grafting". Here's how it's done with mangos, almost exactly the same as in the video-
http://www.development4you.org/2011/05/epicotyle-mango-grafting.html (http://www.development4you.org/2011/05/epicotyle-mango-grafting.html)
Very useful information at that link along with JWhisperer video
Here are two more grafting videos from India. They invented the mango so they just might know what they are doing. In second video he wraps tape fast!
http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/horticulture/horti_fruits_mango.html (http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/horticulture/horti_fruits_mango.html)
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I'm glad i shared this with fellow members :) Sharing and caring...like Adam said :)
Hope fellow member's give this type of graft a shot :)
After watching your video and checking out the links from others, I am determined to practice with this now, thanks for posting.
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Very straightforward video. Thanks! So this will work as well on mangoes? I like your choice of grafting knife :) What kind of plastic are you wrapping it with? Is it tape or cut from a plastic bag?
Hi Zands,
Yes, India uses this method to propagate mangos on large scale and fast. This method from graft to plantation take 6-8 months...instead of a year. I have done epi's last year and i gave them all to a neighbour of mine. These avo's in them pics are also for a neighbour, that always gives me sugarcane :)
Razor blades is a dangerous choice :o Please fellow members take the utmost care when grafting with a razor blade...razor blades are more for semi-hardwood scions!
Yes, I cut from plastic bags. I also use a razor blade for this job...nice clean cut. I like to use a thick plastic like the zip lock type for grafting.
I'm glad i shared this with fellow members :) Sharing and caring...like Adam said :)
Hope fellow member's give this type of graft a shot :)
After watching your video and checking out the links from others, I am determined to practice with this now, thanks for posting.
Hi Tropicdude,
Glad you are going to give this type of graft a shot :)...all member should :)
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How old of a seedling do you use?
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How old of a seedling do you use?
Hi Nullzero,
I usually use a rootstock that is 2 weeks old...have grafted a 2 month old with the same results. 8)
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Thanks Jack great video!!!
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Nice vid Crazy Amazon dude and quick work with the plastic wrapping! It is always nice to see other people's work.
cheers,
-Ethan
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Very good video!!!
I always hack at my scions much longer than you...u seemed to graft effortlessly.
I may have to upload a video soon, so the members can see how I graft, and get a good laugh.
Its a wonder I ever have success.
Thanks again for posting the vid.
Very nice.
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Great video, was very informative.
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Thanks Jack great video!!!
Hi Carlos,
Thanks :)
Nice vid Crazy Amazon dude and quick work with the plastic wrapping! It is always nice to see other people's work.
cheers,
-Ethan
Hi Ethan,
;D Thanks :) you should have seen me when i grafted my first one :-[ ;D ;D ;D
Very good video!!!
I always hack at my scions much longer than you...u seemed to graft effortlessly.
I may have to upload a video soon, so the members can see how I graft, and get a good laugh.
Its a wonder I ever have success.
Thanks again for posting the vid.
Very nice.
Hi Adam,
Thanks :) With some plant you should make a much larger cut...larger surface for proper cambium contact.
Can't wait to check you in action ;)
Great video, was very informative.
Hi Nullzero,
:) I have another grafting method up my sleeve ;)...will share this method in spring to help fellow members up north to get great results in grafting. Long story...short...this method my uncle share with my dad...then my dad shared it with me 8) This method is called ''bottle graft method'' 8)
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Glad fellow members enjoyed the vid :) hope to post more vids in the near future and of course share ;) :)
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Epicotyl grafting of avocados has been standard here for well over half a century.
I have done this with many jackfruits also.
I imagine it could work well with mangos from large mono-embryonic seeds, after the base of the shoot has hardened up and turned green. Most Turpentine embryos would not likely have enough stored nutrients for this technique.
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Steven,
thanks for posting the video. I have just grafted about a 100 of avos using this same technique over the last 2 weeks. It is my second season doing it this way. I had great success last year (about 80 %). Hopefully it will be same or even better this year :)
Guanabanus,
i would be interested in getting more informations about your experience with epicotyl grafting on jackfruits. I have tried many different techniques with jackfruits (from approach to top wedge, side veneer, chip budding...) and till now i have not found any satisfactory method. How old are the rootstocks when you graft? what season? do you cover your grafts with plastic and for how long? from my last attempts i remember having some difficulties with the rot of scions...
thanks to all for sharing,
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so u finally made it to stickydom huh, jackwhisper??? how's it feel 2 b famous 8) ?
o btw, forgot to mention, what's up with the used pamper looking pots??? where did u get those diaper looking grow bags??
that's a thrifty man, who even uses a soiled diaper to house a seedling!!
;D
but for real though, where u get those Bo graggz?
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Samuel,
Yes, various rots, immediate or delayed, definitely bedevil the grafter of jaks. I felt reasonably successful to get nearly 50% survival to point of sale.
I used plants that were 3-10 inches tall and still buttery, with plenty of "umf" left in the seeds.
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Now I know how to graft! Sweet! Now I have to find a Queen scion! ;D
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Epicotyl grafting of avocados has been standard here for well over half a century.
I have done this with many jackfruits also.
I imagine it could work well with mangos from large mono-embryonic seeds, after the base of the shoot has hardened up and turned green. Most Turpentine embryos would not likely have enough stored nutrients for this technique.
Hi Har,
I agree! My first exposure seeing this method was around 3 years ago from a Californian site, that does this method commercially.
Haven't tried an epicotyl graft on Jackfruit. Maybe using seeds from a jackfruit that are large. Maybe, seeds from a Blackgold Jackfruit?
In India they prefer to us a mono-embryonic seed and plant the seed vertically, so that the seed are easily uprooted from the raised beds with not much damage to root system.
Steven,
thanks for posting the video. I have just grafted about a 100 of avos using this same technique over the last 2 weeks. It is my second season doing it this way. I had great success last year (about 80 %). Hopefully it will be same or even better this year :)
Guanabanus,
i would be interested in getting more informations about your experience with epicotyl grafting on jackfruits. I have tried many different techniques with jackfruits (from approach to top wedge, side veneer, chip budding...) and till now i have not found any satisfactory method. How old are the rootstocks when you graft? what season? do you cover your grafts with plastic and for how long? from my last attempts i remember having some difficulties with the rot of scions...
thanks to all for sharing,
Hi Samuel,
:) That's amazing, 100 Avocodo epi's 8) Hope you get all to take this year ;) I have only done around 6 ;D and lost one, which i was experimented with using a soft-wood scion.
Regarding the Jackfruit epicotyl grafting, there must be feral jackfruits on your island that produce large seeds for epicotyl grafting, Just a matter of looking for them. I reckon these feral jackfruits will make an excellent rootstock.
so u finally made it to stickydom huh, jackwhisper??? how's it feel 2 b famous 8) ?
o btw, forgot to mention, what's up with the used pamper looking pots??? where did u get those diaper looking grow bags??
that's a thrifty man, who even uses a soiled diaper to house a seedling!!
;D
but for real though, where u get those Bo graggz?
Hi Adão,
;D finally a sticky icky ;D But, seriously I didn't do this get a sticky. but, it's always welcome :)
I bet you are going to lmao with this one :'( It's bread bags that i use for a nice deep 10 inch pot for long tap rooted plants like avo ;D ;D ;D The cooperative never ordered those long plantation pot's/sleeves again...so, i tinked out of da box 8)
I liked the name ''Diaper Pot's'' ;D ;D ;D Good one, Adam! ;D
Now I know how to graft! Sweet! Now I have to find a Queen scion! ;D
Hi Xeno,
Practice makes perfect ;)
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Samuel,
Yes, various rots, immediate or delayed, definitely bedevil the grafter of jaks. I felt reasonably successful to get nearly 50% survival to point of sale.
I used plants that were 3-10 inches tall and still buttery, with plenty of "umf" left in the seeds.
Guanabanus, what do you mean by "umf"?
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energy, strength
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so u finally made it to stickydom huh, jackwhisper??? how's it feel 2 b famous 8) ?
o btw, forgot to mention, what's up with the used pamper looking pots??? where did u get those diaper looking grow bags??
that's a thrifty man, who even uses a soiled diaper to house a seedling!!
;D
but for real though, where u get those Bo graggz?
Adam... your sense of humor is more wicked than your propagation skills LOL !!
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Yes!
Glad I got a laugh out of u Marin!
I'm not just a crazy cut up, I cut up plants like crazy as well.
but my first love was comedy!
I'm a real comedian...just not going on stage much anymore...growing edible plants has been a much more wholesome and rewarding endeavor.
:)
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Hi Fellow Members,
Here's an update on the seedlings that I grafted and the seedling that was grafted in the vid :)
This seedling is the most vigorous of them all and will be pugged to start to produce them branches.
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/Moonshadow69/IMG_7765.jpg)
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/Moonshadow69/IMG_7766.jpg)
Seedling from the vid...starting to push :)
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/Moonshadow69/IMG_7769.jpg)
Take care,
Steven
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Awesome job!!!! ;D ;D ;) I wish I had the success rates you have. Someday... LOL! Tried it with mangoes, but alas..... no success at all out of 12 tries.... :-[ :-\ :'( :'( :'( That's a lot of mango seeds.
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Hi Fellow Members,
Here's an update on the seedlings that I grafted and the seedling that was grafted in the vid :)
This seedling is the most vigorous of them all and will be pugged to start to produce them branches.
Seedling from the vid...starting to push :)
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/Moonshadow69/IMG_7769.jpg)
Take care,
Steven
I was inspired by your video using low tech materials same as a video from India. So I copied your technique.
- I did epicotyl cleft graft
- tied real tight with a thin rubber band got package at the Dollar Store
- then rubber band gets wrapped with thin string to hold it in place for sure
- then painted graft with latex paint to seal in the moisture (I had white on hand but any color will do but black or dark ones)
- each plant then tented with a clear plastic produce bag from supermarket
- and put under shade
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Awesome job!!!! ;D ;D ;) I wish I had the success rates you have. Someday... LOL! Tried it with mangoes, but alas..... no success at all out of 12 tries.... :-[ :-\ :'( :'( :'( That's a lot of mango seeds.
Hi Chris,
Thanks :). If you only know how Avocado kick my ass on several occasions :'(...now, I am boss ;D
Never, never, never give up on something that you cannot succeed with the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd attempt of grafting!!! I got to confess :-[ I have never had any success with mangoes too :'( I won't give up...the culprit of this ordeal is the seeds of the supermarket bought mangoes, that give a lousy rootstock >:( A friend sent some mature seeds from ripe fruits and I am totally amazed with the vigour and health of these seedlings...these are not for grafting. I want to plant them out and see how long they take to produce :)
BTW what method did you use for grafting your mangoes?
Don't discard the rootstocks, let them grow and try again next year or when the rootstock is thick enough for grafting :) Good luck, Chris ;)
Hi Fellow Members,
Here's an update on the seedlings that I grafted and the seedling that was grafted in the vid :)
This seedling is the most vigorous of them all and will be pugged to start to produce them branches.
Seedling from the vid...starting to push :)
Take care,
Steven
I was inspired by your video using low tech materials same as a video from India. So I copied your technique.
- I did epicotyl cleft graft
- tied real tight with a thin rubber band got package at the Dollar Store
- then rubber band gets wrapped with thin string to hold it in place for sure
- then painted graft with latex paint to seal in the moisture (I had white on hand but any color will do but black or dark ones)
- each plant then tented with a clear plastic produce bag from supermarket
- and put under shade
Hi Zands,
:) I am most happy that I inspired you to give this method a shot :) since we are going to use the material only once...might as well use low tech materials for the job...as you can see, they work mighty fine ;D
Thanks for sharing...on how you did yours 8) It's a recipe for success ;D Please do keep us posted :) Fingers crossed ;)
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Hi Steven, I did epicotyl cleft graft on the mangoes. Some are sending side shoots out to replace the dead graft. :'( On the up side, i'll use them to practice more. lol Wish me luck!
chris
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I also did two day before yesterday, not sure if they will take, timing seems to be the key. the seedlings were a bit over 2 weeks old, and the leaves were already turning green from the copper stage.
anyway I am trying with a LZ and a MC. i guess ill know in a few days.
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Hi Steven, I did epicotyl cleft graft on the mangoes. Some are sending side shoots out to replace the dead graft. :'( On the up side, i'll use them to practice more. lol Wish me luck!
Chris
Hi Again, Chris ;D
Avocado also does resprout if the graft was not successful...after two weeks you can graft again.
When you are going to graft again...Use a scion that is the same thickness as the rootstock...the buds must be nice and swollen. Don't forget to bag them ;)
Good Luck and keep us posted :) Hopefully, this time you will get them grafts to push ;)
I also did two day before yesterday, not sure if they will take, timing seems to be the key. the seedlings were a bit over 2 weeks old, and the leaves were already turning green from the copper stage.
anyway I am trying with a LZ and a MC. i guess ill know in a few days.
Hi William,
I have done this graft with a 3 month old Avocado, which was the first time ever doing epi's and it was successful :) Older rootstock will do just fine 8) Hopefully yours will also start to push :). I'm not sure how long mango epi's take to push...I reckon it's around the same time as avocado, which is 2 weeks for some action.
Good Luck and keep us posted ;)
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Steven, thank you for the thoughtful video, photos and information on how you graft avocados.
Coincidentally, I cleft-grafted 18 seedlings last month using a method similar to yours and only had 7 'takes'. When I compare my method to yours, in search of my problem, I can only see that I tended to use longer scions, while yours seem to only be, maybe, 7 cm (3") long. Also, I wrapped the scions with plastic kitchen wrap instead of a bag. My seedlings were in a 50% shadehouse.
I'd appreciate your comments on some aspects of grafting:
1) Do you keep the young grafts in total shade for the first few weeks, or partial shade?
2) Do you have success with scions that have swollen side buds but clip off the growing/leafing terminal bud?
3) What is your thinking on the ideal scion? Which scions should we avoid? Do you choose very green wood or older wood?
Thanks,
John
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I tried one today on a avocado seedling that was only about 3" tall. It was just putting out it's first leaves. I would have waited longer but my scions have been in the frigde for a couple weeks so I wanted to get at least one going. I think it matched up pretty well. The only hard part was wrapping up the graft without screwing up the alignment.
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Steven, thank you for the thoughtful video, photos and information on how you graft avocados.
Coincidentally, I cleft-grafted 18 seedlings last month using a method similar to yours and only had 7 'takes'. When I compare my method to yours, in search of my problem, I can only see that I tended to use longer scions, while yours seem to only be, maybe, 7 cm (3") long. Also, I wrapped the scions with plastic kitchen wrap instead of a bag. My seedlings were in a 50% shadehouse.
I'd appreciate your comments on some aspects of grafting:
1) Do you keep the young grafts in total shade for the first few weeks, or partial shade?
2) Do you have success with scions that have swollen side buds but clip off the growing/leafing terminal bud?
3) What is your thinking on the ideal scion? Which scions should we avoid? Do you choose very green wood or older wood?
Thanks,
John
Hi John,
I am glad i could share this with everyone, who are very much interested to learn how to graft :)
I'm happy to answer any questions on this matter and help fellow members to succeed in grafting. For me grafting in second in line...First is of course, eating them fruits ;D
1) Do you keep the young grafts in total shade for the first few weeks, or partial shade?
I prefer to put the newly grafted seedlings in a semi-shade location, where they get a bit sun in the morning. If they were in a sunny location, the bulid up of heat in the bag will harm the scion.
2) Do you have success with scions that have swollen side buds but clip off the growing/leafing terminal bud?
Yes, these scion are very successful for grafting. I like to use scions that have a maximum of 3-6 buds and a minimum of one per scions. The length of the scions are about 7-5 cm/ 3''-2'' (You nailed it, John ;D ). If a terminal bud is flushing, just clip the terminal growth and use the swollen axillary bud scions for grafting. The second pic above, seedling on the left was grafted with swollen axillary bud scion. The terminal bud of this scion was flushing at the moment of harvest.
3) What is your thinking on the ideal scion? Which scions should we avoid? Do you choose very green wood or older wood?
Well, my ideal scions must be harvested when they are mature, swollen in which the buds are about to flush or vegetate.
Old hard wooded scions are not ideal for grafted, in my opinion. These are for flowering and to hold this year's fruit production.
I prefer young-mature green scions over the old hard wooded scions. The old scions are most likely the culprits, with my unsuccessful attempts of grafting avocado. :'(
Check these scions out!
The budwood below are from a tree that is most probably over 30 years old.
On the left; Is old scion and young scion on the right, which both have leaves.
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/Moonshadow69/IMG_7797.jpg)
The budwood on the left is not ideal for grafting(old wood). The budwood on the right is ideal for grafting, Which I pruned a branch back in late winter to rejuvenate the branches and have ''fresh'' supply of scions for grafting this season, between spring and mid-summer.
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/Moonshadow69/IMG_7802.jpg)
Here's the brunch I pruned back in late winter.
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/Moonshadow69/IMG_7792.jpg)
Young trees do not need to be pruned back to rejuvenate the branch for ''fresh'' scions. This scion is from a tree that is around 15 years.
(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd365/Moonshadow69/IMG_7801.jpg)
Hopefully this will help you and other fellow members to choose the right scions and succeed in grafting :)
Good luck, John in them future grafts...Hope you get 100% takes, next time you graft :)
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I tried one today on a avocado seedling that was only about 3" tall. It was just putting out it's first leaves. I would have waited longer but my scions have been in the frigde for a couple weeks so I wanted to get at least one going. I think it matched up pretty well. The only hard part was wrapping up the graft without screwing up the alignment.
Hi Jsvand,
Glad you are doing them epi's ;D I prefer to use a rootstock that is around 15cm/6''. as long as the rootstock has the same thickness of that of the scion...the graft will hopefully succeed :) I keep mine for around six months...couple weeks is no problem ;). Hopefully the seedling you grafted...will start to push in about 2 weeks :) Good luck on them future grafts ;) and don't forget to keep us posted :)
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Steven, thanks again for the grafting education. It's messages such as yours that make the internet so worthwhile.
In my next bunch of avocado and mango grafts, I will work with shorter scions and greener wood.
My only other problem with grafting is with some of my mango grafts. Five weeks after grafting, the grafts are alive but not creating new growth. The buds probably were not swollen enough. Most of these grafts are on seedlings but also one top-worked tree.
John
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Steven, thanks again for the grafting education. It's messages such as yours that make the internet so worthwhile.
In my next bunch of avocado and mango grafts, I will work with shorter scions and greener wood.
My only other problem with grafting is with some of my mango grafts. Five weeks after grafting, the grafts are alive but not creating new growth. The buds probably were not swollen enough. Most of these grafts are on seedlings but also one top-worked tree.
John
Hi John,
Thanks for the kind words, I always do my best to help others :)
I have seen a presentation on mango grafting from a friend. If i remember correctly...he said, grafting a mango with a scion(buds) that weren't fully swollen, will heal, but will not push :(
Grafting Fruit Trees (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EwtyO16dFg#)
Ms. Kath from Daleys nursery, explains very well which mango scions should be chosen.
You don't worry, John ;)...you will be a master at grafting in no time :)
Whenever you got any questions related to grafting, Feel free to ask. :)
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Steven,
The results of my latest avocado grafting were far more successful than my first. Your tips helped. The scions had more swollen buds this time due to rain the prior week, which I think improved the result. Auxilary buds took just as well as the terminal buds, and I can not see any difference between short (2") scions and longer ones (3"-4"). Here are a couple of photos (click photo for a larger image):
Some grafts are flowering!
(http://s19.postimage.org/jsm2f8hfz/Avocado_graft_01_Medium.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/jsm2f8hfz/)
Some are still to early to call successful, but I think I'm achieving over 80% on approximately 70 grafts. This will give me enough seedlings to cull out the runts and only plant the most vigorous.
(http://s19.postimage.org/uth7k99ov/Avocado_graft_02_Medium.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/uth7k99ov/)
John
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Remember that grafted plants are no longer "seedlings."
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Hi John,
AWESOME they look great ;D Thanks a bunch for an update 8)
I always select the strongest shoot and remove all the weak ones. The selected shot will grow much faster and when it reaches 12in/30cm...I tip them, for them branches to start to form. Don't throw away those rootstocks that did take...they will sprout again and will be ready for grafting in 2 weeks time or even less. Keep going at it...80% is freak'n awesome, Hope you get 100% next time :)
John, I have found that seedlings and grafted ones that are not root bound...establish much faster than root bound ones. Once them Avo's are totally healed...get them in the soil ASAP ;)
Thanks for sharing :)
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. . . .
I always select the strongest shoot and remove all the weak ones. The selected shot will grow much faster and when it reaches 12in/30cm...I tip them, for them branches to start to form.
. . .
What difference does it make if they branch at 4 inches or 12 inches? I'm hesitant to trim off secondary shoots above the graft because the plants have been lacking leaves for a couple of weeks. My thinking was to let as many leaves as possible feed the roots.
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Nice going with all them grafts, John. Hope you have high takes on them.
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. . . .
I always select the strongest shoot and remove all the weak ones. The selected shot will grow much faster and when it reaches 12in/30cm...I tip them, for them branches to start to form.
. . .
What difference does it make if they branch at 4 inches or 12 inches? I'm hesitant to trim off secondary shoots above the graft because the plants have been lacking leaves for a couple of weeks. My thinking was to let as many leaves as possible feed the roots.
Hi again,
No difference at all, in my opinion. I have never lost a plant by remove weaker shots...the biggest shot will grow much faster with the extra energy. I find it most beneficial and any wounds from removing them less vigorous shots, will heal very fast. Don't forget about the seed that is full of food to help it's growth. Try this with a few, then you will be able to see if it's beneficial or not :)
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Leaving some secondary shoots is OK if those shoots have had their buds removed. But if the avocado seed is still providing nutrients, you don't need to bother to allow extra leaves to stay.
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As Steven says, plant your grafted avocados in the ground soon.
I would rather a fresh, fast-growing one-gallon grafted avocado than a 30-gallon one that has been in the nursery three years.
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As Steven says, plant your grafted avocados in the ground soon.
I would rather a fresh, fast-growing one-gallon grafted avocado than a 30-gallon one that has been in the nursery three years.
Thanks for the advice. I'm learning a lot this year from this forum and also from what is happening "on the ground" with my small farm. Next year I'll be doing similar propagation of avocado, mango and citrus and intend to get both mango and avocado in the ground earlier, even if the mango is not grafted yet.
During the next couple of weeks I'll be clearing the brush in the planting area for the avocado. Hope to have most planted in a month or so. Watering until the rainy season (Nov/Dec start) will be a chore, though!
John
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As Steven says, plant your grafted avocados in the ground soon.
I would rather a fresh, fast-growing one-gallon grafted avocado than a 30-gallon one that has been in the nursery three years.
Hi Har,
Most definitely ;) My aunt bought several plants and the carambola was really pot bound...it took a long time for the tree to get going :o
Hi John,
It's always awesome to help others...sharing ideas and advices, the works :)
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With most pot-bound fruit trees, severe root pruning is the recommended remedy, but avocados lend themselves less readily to such.
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With most pot-bound fruit trees, severe root pruning is the recommended remedy, but avocados lend themselves less readily to such.
Har,
Thanks for the tip :) Though, I learn't my lesson and i'll stay clear of root bounded trees ;) Too much hassle :o
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With most pot-bound fruit trees, severe root pruning is the recommended remedy, but avocados lend themselves less readily to such.
even though i am convinced that root pruning can be a good thing in case of root bound i have little experience in doing so and it feels to me like a tricky/delicate operation. Any tips on how to achieve a good root pruning? Apart from avocados what are the other species that can not stand it?
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With most pot-bound fruit trees, severe root pruning is the recommended remedy, but avocados lend themselves less readily to such.
even though i am convinced that root pruning can be a good thing in case of root bound i have little experience in doing so and it feels to me like a tricky/delicate operation. Any tips on how to achieve a good root pruning? Apart from avocados what are the other species that can not stand it?
Don't know much about pruning roots, but on the rare occassion that I'm planting a root-bound plant, I simply try to unravel the biggest roots and keep them intact. If roots do get cut when moving plants, I try to keep the above/below ground balance by pruning some above-ground leafy matter.
Cashew is one species that doesn't tolerate root pruning or transplanting well. They usually lose all their leaves and then slowly recover.
John
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i have some avocado seedlings that are about 4 months old, they have a pencil width stock and are about 2 1/2 ft tall, my question is can i start grafting them now or do i have to wait that o so boring 1 year so the rootstock can get big? I did one on a seedling that was one year old but the wait was forever, so is it possible to do a graft the young stocks?
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If the rootstock is approximately the same diameter as the scion you'll be grafting, then it's a great time to graft.
If your seedling is not yet thick enough for the scion, and still in a pot or bag, I recommend planting in its permanent location now and graft in the field when it's ready. Avocados left in the bag too long seem to grow slowly in the field, presumeably due to absence of a good taproot and/or exhausted nutrition from the seed.
John
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If the rootstock is approximately the same diameter as the scion you'll be grafting, then it's a great time to graft.
If your seedling is not yet thick enough for the scion, and still in a pot or bag, I recommend planting in its permanent location now and graft in the field when it's ready. Avocados left in the bag too long seem to grow slowly in the field, presumeably due to absence of a good taproot and/or exhausted nutrition from the seed.
John
hmm, havent seen or heard of issues with graft take percentages here by using rootstocks that are in pots. Everybody I know does it with rootstocks still in pots. I have seen the take percentage go down a little as the rootstock get older...
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Hi Hawaiifruit grower,
You can go ahead and graft the 4 month old rootstock. I graft mine when they are two weeks old ;) The bigger the stone, thicker is the epi shoot 8)
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Hi Hawaiifruit grower,
You can go ahead and graft the 4 month old rootstock. I graft mine when they are two weeks old ;) The bigger the stone, thicker is the epi shoot 8)
Steven, what type of graft do you use on your 2-monthers and is your scion very young tender growth?
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ok guys thanks, i think will just graft them now, i just feel waiting that long for rootstock to become of mature age is way to long. This way you only need to wait a couple of months even a couple of weeks like JackfruitWhisper69 said. I will be grafting some kahaluu and ota scions on to some unknown seedlings. Thanks!! :D :D :D
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Hi Hawaiifruit grower,
You can go ahead and graft the 4 month old rootstock. I graft mine when they are two weeks old ;) The bigger the stone, thicker is the epi shoot 8)
Steven, what type of graft do you use on your 2-monthers and is your scion very young tender growth?
Hi Scott,
The rootstocks I use are 2 weeks and older...they callus quite fast. The type of graft is Epicotyl graft...i usually call them Epi's ;D
The scions are semi mature or mature.
Here's a vid, I made :)
Avocado Epicotyl Grafting (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9g-HW8Nz-c#)
Here's a link.
http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=1982.msg27168#msg27168 (http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=1982.msg27168#msg27168)
You're most welcome, Hawaiifruitgrower, good luck with the grafts :)
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Here's a vid, I made :)
Avocado Epicotyl Grafting (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9g-HW8Nz-c#)
Thanks for the helpful video. For a beginning grafter like me, it was great.
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Nice video Steven. I like that you added the result at the end so we can see that it took. I gather that soft wood like avocados are easier because it flexes etc.. Neither one of my two veneer grafts in my apricot tree looks promising while I had some luck with my avocado tree. Thanks.
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What kind of potting mix do you use for your avocado seedlings?
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If the rootstock is approximately the same diameter as the scion you'll be grafting, then it's a great time to graft.
If your seedling is not yet thick enough for the scion, and still in a pot or bag, I recommend planting in its permanent location now and graft in the field when it's ready. Avocados left in the bag too long seem to grow slowly in the field, presumeably due to absence of a good taproot and/or exhausted nutrition from the seed.
John
hmm, havent seen or heard of issues with graft take percentages here by using rootstocks that are in pots. Everybody I know does it with rootstocks still in pots. I have seen the take percentage go down a little as the rootstock get older...
Bsbullie, I haven't heard of issues with graft take percentages using rootstocks that are in pots either. My point is that avocados left in bags too long will grow very slowly in the field, compared to the same age seedlings planted early in the field. So if the diameter of the seedling isn't big enough to graft when young, best to get it in the ground and graft later. The same is probably true with any fruit tree with a strong taproot.
Last year I planted approximately 40 avocado grafts. One-third of these were in bags for 6 months because I couldn't get scion wood. These gew much slower than the grafts put in the ground when very young.
I prefer to graft mangos in the field too, because the polyembryonic mango rootstock shoots are too thin to graft until they are 6-9 months old.
John
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some times you gotta do what u gotta do. This illama rootstock is going on 3yrs old I bet...but I grafted several scions onto the lower branches. I will prune the tree accordingly, after the grafts show their true colors (a nice "genova red")
(http://s17.postimage.org/i03ozwgcb/3_8_13_013.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/i03ozwgcb/)
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Ok so i have just grafted all my seedlings, 3 to be exact. I did all of them with cleft grafts because they seem to always catch with avos. Hopefully in 3 weeks they take, i will be very happy. Jcaldeira i dont want to plant them in the ground because i have no more space for any plants and these will be given away if they do catch, our soil here in Kahului in maui where i live is a coral sand type of soil, believe it or not Maui was two different islands millions of years ago, the winds blew the sand and created the middle area of Maui turning the two into one. The soil is junk it really lacks nutrients, only mangos and citrus thrive in this soil with some others.
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Steven, nice video thanks for sharing, I've not tried grafting such young seeding yet but now I must try this technique> 8) :)
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The advantage of grafting in a pot is you can move the pot in a place where the plant can adapt to your weather conditions before plant it in the field and this for a few months not longer. This method is used here during the winter to adapt the avocados to the cold weather.
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Totally agree with you Msk, i can see if your plants were already planted out in the field and then grafted but yes when its in a pot you can move it around, give it away, etc.
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Here's a vid, I made :)
Avocado Epicotyl Grafting (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9g-HW8Nz-c#)
Thanks for the helpful video. For a beginning grafter like me, it was great.
Hi Venturabananas, you're most welcome :) This graft is quite easy and forgiving. The only problem with this graft, is that the rootstock tends to send suckers in the first few weeks, so you should keep a sharp eye and remove any that sprout. These suckers are very vigorous and can weaken the graft. :)
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Nice video Steven. I like that you added the result at the end so we can see that it took. I gather that soft wood like avocados are easier because it flexes etc.. Neither one of my two veneer grafts in my apricot tree looks promising while I had some luck with my avocado tree. Thanks.
Hi Romecar911,
Thanks :) I have tried soft, young wood...it's ain't worth it. Go with semi-hard or mature, with the buds, that are nice and fat ;D
I wouldn't recommend doing side vaneer grafts for stone fruit, this graft is more for evergreen trees. I only use cleft, whip, and whip and tongue graft for stone or temperate fruits. I grafted my two year old, apricot seedling, about a week ago and i used the cleft graft method. I need to share the bottle graft. that My uncle showed this method to my dad, like 20+ years ago...now i got this method up my sleeve ;D This method is excellent for them temperate fruits and also for citrus. :)
What kind of potting mix do you use for your avocado seedlings?
Hi Jeff;
I use normal soil (70%), mixed with worm castings(15%) and well decomposed compost(15%). Any well drainable soil is great for starting avo seedlings :) try get a nice deep pot for starting Avo rootstocks. From what i have seen, they prefer a nice deep pot for the development of the root system. :)
Steven, nice video thanks for sharing, I've not tried grafting such young seeding yet but now I must try this technique> 8) :)
Hi Scott, You're most welcome :) Try this method and you will see, how easy it is for grafting them avo's 8) Dude, Avo's used to kisk my ass and laugh at my failed attemps :'( Now, they are very submissive and do what i say ;D ;D ;D
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Hi Romecar911,
Thanks :) I have tried soft, young wood...it's ain't worth it. Go with semi-hard or mature, with the buds, that are nice and fat ;D
I wouldn't recommend doing side vaneer grafts for stone fruit, this graft is more for evergreen trees. I only use cleft, whip, and whip and tongue graft for stone or temperate fruits. I grafted my two year old, apricot seedling, about a week ago and i used the cleft graft method. I need to share the bottle graft. that My uncle showed this method to my dad, like 20+ years ago...now i got this method up my sleeve ;D This method is excellent for them temperate fruits and also for citrus. :)
Ok Steven, you peaked my interest now you must share this bottle graft technique please ??? 8)
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Scott, Will share as soon as possible, just waiting to see some action from my plum tree, then I will do this method. This method is great for folks that have a dry climate and low humidity, during spring and early summer. :)
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Hey Steven, do you use this method just with seedlings, or you go for it even on bigger specimens? How do you recognize the appropriate moment when the plant is good for being grafted?
I have heard that bigger avocados can be a pain to graft, but actually i think that for most grafts, the trick is getting the right moment. For mangoes it happens when the rootstock is about to push, now, how do you understand the right moment for avocado grafts?
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Hi Pan. Yes, i do this with very young seedlings. You can wait till they get a bit bigger.
Since we are using epi's for grafting, any time is good...the seedling are very activelyy growing and will heal very fast. Yeah, it's true, big avocados are hard to graft because of the lack of healing cells...when they are young, they heal very fast. Please keep an eye out, to not girdled the graft, I almost lost a plant, because of this. Grafts, when healing they expand to complete the union ;)
The right time to graft is when the seedling, has the same thickness of the scion. I usually graft during spring to summer...if you have a greenhouse, to start the seeds...you can graft year round :)
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Thank you, very informative. :)
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Thank you, very informative. :)
Hi again,
You're most welcome :)
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interesting technique i have a few avocado seeds growing, i cant wait to try it out :)
Jack, does this technique work with loquat?
Thanks
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interesting technique i have a few avocado seeds growing, i cant wait to try it out :)
Jack, does this technique work with loquat?
Thanks
Hi Intel,
Awesome to hear 8)
I have never tried this method on Loquat...Loquat has to grow a bit, before grafting the seedling, in my opinion :)
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i grafted a hass using epicotyl method today, i wonder if it makes a difference wrap scion in grafting tape vs cover with plastic would it? thanks.
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Intel, I have never covered scions with G-tape...I only bag them. Fingers crossed on the hass graft.
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you can add cocoa to the list
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you can add cocoa to the list
Thanks a bunch for sharing, Maui guy. :)
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very nice technique to graft avocados. Very easy and effective. My hass took already, will post pic later.
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Epicotyl grafting of avocados has been standard here for well over half a century.
I have done this with many jackfruits also.
I imagine it could work well with mangos from large mono-embryonic seeds, after the base of the shoot has hardened up and turned green. Most Turpentine embryos would not likely have enough stored nutrients for this technique.
Very true, also the use of very young mango rootstock has given me troubles because one to two month old mango seedlings were not strong enough and flopped over due to large and heavy scion and also the young mango rootstocks made it difficult to find and match a small enough diameter scion.
I think some of the issues I had with thin diameter rootstock is because I used poly embryonic Champaigne mango seedlings and also I did not care for the seedlings very well do they did not grow very fast. I started using Haden and Kent seedlings and got a promising start.
Some people graft above some leaves so that the leaves can provide energy to heal the graft, this may be useful with polyembryonic seedlings but then you may get sprouts from the leaf nodes. This epicotyl graft I did was below the lowest leaf so I won't have to worry about rootstock sprouts later on, at least less likely although rootstock can still resprout below the lowest leaf.
Simon
(http://s7.postimg.cc/i3nk2rdev/image.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/i3nk2rdev/)
(http://s7.postimg.cc/f6vxoqi7b/image.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/f6vxoqi7b/)