Quote from: spaugh on July 14, 2018, 05:09:22 PM

I put most of these grafts in the bathroom in my garage with AC set to 80 and grow lamp on 25%.  Since they are long distance scions I think this will be best for them.  In a couple weeks if the buds start to push I will move outside to acclimate.



This is a sharwil I did 2 weeks ago with scions off my own tree.  Buds are already popping.  This one is in 90F greenhouse 50% shade, and 60% humidity.  I have really good luck using my own scions.  They usually pop in 2 to 3 weeks and those are the trees that gain vigor and take.  If they take more than 4 weeks to pop they seem to stall and never take off and eventually die.

Brad, I've grown under grow lights and just a thought, not sure what lamps you're using but those lamps sure look far away from your pots.  One of the best tools I have is an old analog G.E. light meter that registers up to 10K foot candles.  No, it doesn't measure PAR but it's still a valuable tool, a guide.  I'd be giving those faves about 5,000 f.c.   Keep in mind Hawaii is around 22 latitude.  For long day/short night plants I kept the timer on a 20/4 on/off cycle to induce vegetative growth.  Citrus is photoperiod dependent, not sure about avocado.

FWIW, summer noon sun is 10k - 10,500 f.c., cloudless day, 27 latitude.

Good luck on the grafts.  I must have 6 Sharwil that are shooting the moon, one on a Gwen tree.

Those are 4 x 50w of very efficient COB LEDs.  Its like 400w of MH or HPS.  Ive got the photo period synched to outside so I can move them freely in and out.  I wouldnt normally be putting avocados indoors.  Just taking some stress off them while the grafts heal.  So they are getting a mild stimulus from the lamp and low temps inside.  I have been dropping the lamp and turning up the current slowly.  They will get blasted with light and heat as soon as they start flushing.  Hopefully that happens.

I have been working with Simon a lot on various projects and one of the things I have learned from him is using grow lamps for grafting or rooting works really well.  So we will see how these go.  Will keep you posted.

Just to report my experiment on grafting young Giant Megalanthus seedlings onto other, more mature DF plants.

I used the same method that several forum member used. The only difference is that I used seedlings that are really small, less than 1in tall. I was trying to find out if grafting such young seedlings is a good way to speed up growth.

I did this on 3/22:









Started pushing after about 2 months - pics on 5/24







Size today. The grafted seedlings are now bigger that the seedlings that are left growing in pots (last pic)

Cool.  It looks like the peruvian strain right?

Shane how far from the ocean are you?  Whats the temps over your way?  Its around 88 here today.  Not too bad.

Brandon, I will send you pollen from san diego but I dont think it would still be viable a day or 2 later.  But maybe.  If you figure that out I can put in an envelope and send.

Wow, thats really interesting that you dont get blooms yet.  Your trees are 4 or 5 months behind whats happening here.  I start getting blooms in Octomber/November that last until around April or May.  January is full bloom time.  A friend was telling me that carpentaria area is ideal for avocado farming.  I dont know how much further north you are from there but I think your climate is better suited for it than here. 

Yes its way hotter here (bordering too hot).  Especially where I am is worse than the agricultural areas like fallbrook and vista because no one else is farming out here.  Its just lots of open space and dry native vegetation where I live.  Our place backs up to a nature preserve and a military bases.  My hass are black and falling off the tree ripe now.  They are amazing but done for the season.  Even my lamb hass is black and starting to drop. 

I think the best time to graft here is after blooms are finishing around April and the scion wood is flushing.  But I am still trying to get the grafting thing dialed in.   

Quote from: spaugh on July 11, 2018, 11:31:46 PM

Im surprised you guys had your buds fall off.  Not a single one fell off here on many different DF plants.  It was 119 and my plants are sitting in full sun.  I water lightly just every week or 2 so they may be well adapted to desert conditions and were not shocked by the recent heatwave.

The plants that lost buds for you guys, are they in ground or in containers? 

Well, those small buds turning red between the mature flowers in that picture are toast, unfortunately. The smaller and younger they are, the less likely they are to be able to withstand the heat.

Hmmm,  I dont know they all start red like that.  Theres around 25 or 30 on the plant but none are falling off.  Its been a week now.  Doesnt look like they are going anywhere.

Hopefully my plants are just acclimated to the heat because its pretty much always hot and dry here. 

I feel sorry for the guy that had to do all these. 

I got some hard to get scions from a member here.  Thanks for those.  Ive got 20 or so seedlings Im going to graft tonight.  I am a novice at this and dont want to screw it up.  I usually get 1/3 to 1/2 takes.  Would like to ensure success of at least one of each of the 5 cultivars I got scions of.  So I have a few questions for the experts. 

1.) Best gfraft type for seedlings?  Cleft or?  Scions are pencil size.

2.) Leave some leaf sets below the graft or leave none?

3.) Best place to put the trees after grafting?  Greenhouse with 50% shade and 90F temps.  Outside in the shade also around 90+F.  Or in the garage which stays in the 70s and 80s and I have a dimmable grow lamp I can put on them.  Since its mid summer Im not sure where the best place to set them after grafting.

Any other advice?  I really want to get at least 1 of each type to take so I can get trees growing here. 

Thanks

Water and shade. 

Do you have more types?

Brutal it is.  I was expecting 110, it was 119 max and 114 all day.  My trees were getting roasted.  Moved what I could into the misted greenhouse which stayed in the 90s.

Hi Brad, where did you buy the mango? We’re they good? Tnx

Yeah my favorite store mangos are the champaigne ataulfos.  They are extra sweet right now.  Lucky seafood has cases for 17$ in mira mesa.