Citrus Budding Review

[Millet]

Part -1 THE BUDDING KNIFE: The technique of budding is relatively simple, and requires only a few tools, although the art of budding takes some time to master.  My first lesson in budding was taught to me by a real master of the art - Bonnie Childress aka the Budding man. The most important tool for budding is a QUALITY, sharp budding knife.  Budding knives are designed with thin blades that are flat on one side and ground to a sharp cutting edge on the other edge.  By grinding the edge only on one side, the knives more easily glide just beneath the bud when cutting it from the bud stick.  Budding knives are also available in right and left handed versions.  Another feature of budding knives is a bump on the back edge of the blade,  This bump is designed for opening the flaps of the T to allow the bud to be inserted more easily. Many of the most experienced bidders simply rock the blade after making the T cut, thus making the cut and opening the flaps in one motion. -Millet

[Axier]

Grafting is always interesting for me, I am a newbie with citrus but I am grafting other fruit trees for years now.
I tried tons of pocket knives for grafting, including one as you describe, but none performs for me like this cheap knife:



I am not, by far, so experienced as Budding man, but this knife is the best for me.
(By the way, I have nothing to do with the brand of this knife

[brian]

I tried this for the first time a month or so ago using an exacto knife.  The bud came off perfectly but when making the horizontal cut on the root stock I cut way too deep and the stem broke in half.  The rootstock was only about 1/4" thick or less so I am waiting for the rest of my stock seedlings to grow before I try it again.

[Millet]

Part 2 - BUDDING TIME
Budding can be done throughout the year as long as bark is slipping.  The rootstock should have a caliper at least the size of a pencil 1/4 inch, anything smaller will flush slowly and have stunted growth.  The budding should be a minimum of at least 6 inches above the soil.  Budded lower will have greater potential for Phytophthora infection.  Nurseries producing trees in greenhouses generally bud from early spring through summer. All implements used in budwood collection and budding should be sterilized with a 10% sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) solution to eradicate any mechanically transmissible viroids, bacteria, or fungal pathogens. - Milllet

[mrtexas]

I haven't had a lot of luck budding in 90F+ summer heat here near Houston. Some say it is possible.

[buddinman]

One thing that was learned from Fletcher Granberry in 1969 was to do the fall budding in the fall after the daytime temp had dropped below 85 degrees F. The first good rain after labor day. Met him in 1969 and he died in 1973. He wrapped his buds with cotten string and coated the bud with warm wax. He banked the bud with good sandy soil Thanksgiving, uncovered the bud Good Friday and topped the plant about an inch above the bud. The plants were sold in early November for $1.00 each. The complete row  was sold and had to dug and gone from his place by November 10th. If the plants froze they would freeze on the buyer and not the grower. He sold very nice field grown plants.

[Millet]

Part 3 - Budwood Collection.
Budwood is generally collected from the shoot behind the current growth flush, or from the current growth flush AFTER it has begun to harden - mature. In any case, the wood should be straight, rounded, and as near in diameter to the rootstock seedling as possible.  It should be fully developed with mature leaves.  The bark should be tender, green, and not woody.  A good indicator of proper maturity is a few longitudinal gray lines on the green bark.  The buds in the leaf axils should be well formed.  The sticks should be trimmed after harvest to 8 to 10 inches long, and the leaves should be removed leaving the petioles attached to the stick to protect the bud. It is important to clip the leaves rather than strip them in order to prevent bark tears and other jagged injuries that will be susceptible to disease.  The two blind buds (insufficiently developed buds) at the base should be removed.  Young recently hardened rounded buds are the first to grow out and will generate the best take. Wash the budwood with running water first, then sterilize it in a 10% household bleach solution for 60 seconds, to eradicate any mechanically transmissible viroids, bacteria or fungal pathogens.  If you are not going to use the budwood right away, air dry the budwood on a rack for no more than 15 minutes, seal it in a plastic bag and store it at 40-F. Inspect the bag frequently for condensation, if there is more than a fine mist, dry the inside of the bag with paper towels.  - Millet

[Mark in Texas]

Great thread.

I also bend and tie the rootstock branch down to the side of the pot to help push the graft.  It redistributes the auxins.....apical dominance thingie.

[markt]

I like budding over grafting, but now I just opt for the cleft graft if I have the wood. So much easier and you can tell if the scion is taking better as well.

[mrtexas]

I like budding over grafting, but now I just opt for the cleft graft if I have the wood. So much easier and you can tell if the scion is taking better as well.

Really? I've never had much luck with cleft grafting citrus. I budded about 25 rootstocks yesterday as we had a cool front come thru and it wasn't 95F as usual. I use clear budding tape so it is easy to see whether the bud is still alive. Doesn't matter in the fall as I leave the bud covered until spring.

[buddinman]

T-budding is much faster however cleft grafting and whip and tongue works equally as well and gives a much straighter trunk without the off set, just takes more time.

[Blake Branch]

I've started substituting sodium dicloroisocyanurate (NaDCC) for the sodium hypochlorite. It's the active ingredient of Comet cleaner and is used in swimming pools also.  Compared to bleach, it has just as much free chlorine as the sodium hypochlorite mix but it works at a pH that is much safer for plant tissues and for bare human hands (6.0-6.5 PH compared to 8.0-8.5 for bleach).  You can find it in some pool supply stores and laboratory suppliers.  I buy mine from a lab supply company and it only takes 3 grams of NaDCC per liter of water to get the same concentration of free chlorine as a 10% bleach solution.