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Messages - mangomike

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176
Samuel,

Yes, I removed all the leaves from the scions when they were harvested (usually the day before grafting) except for the green leaf bud at the tip. When looking for scions on a tree I would try to find buds that were swollen and close to pushing.

I would tip back the tops of the stocks 2-3 days after grafting. My theory was to have as much leaf surface area as possible on the stock to feed the graft initially, and then by tipping back cause the hormonal changes that signal the stock to branch, thereby pouring more food to the scion ( its new "branch"). After the scion was in active growth for  4 -6 weeks, I would go back and remove the rest of the main stock stem above the graft union


177
Tropical Fruit Discussion / Re: Cocktail Jaboticaba
« on: March 22, 2013, 12:37:47 PM »
I am very curious if you have ever tried different species of rootstocks other than M. jaboticaba? I was just thinking that if perhaps a much more vigorous Myrtaceae species( e.g. Eugenia, Psidium etc.) could be found that is graft compatible with the Myrciaria/Plinia group, it could push scions grafted onto it to grow and fruit faster.

 

178
The scions were usually about 3-4inces, to allow for  some "whitling" error. The stock cuts were generally about 2 inches, sometimes a bit longer if I needed to do some fine tuning to the fit of the scion and stock. I did also experiment with the cleft graft, and they worked also, but took more time  (for me). With the side graft, I got so I could fit in a block of 20-30 grafts in between other(less fun) chores. I love to graft.

Their exposure to full sun maybe a bit deceiving to those not familiar with the climate of Hawaii, particularly the Hamakua coast. We had full bright light for the mornings and then it would generally cloud up in the afternoon with frequent showers. Temps generally in the 80s Probably the perfect climate for growing  (and grafting) things...

God I miss Hawaii

179
Many years ago when I lived on the Big Island I did a lot of Artocarpus grafting (all jackfruits, since there were not any cultivars available for marang, pedelai etc. at that time). I would raise seedlings in a 1 gal. pot to about 12 in. A key thing I found was to have the rootstock actively pushing, so I would hit them  with fertilizer about three days before I collected scions. Using a side graft cut with an exacto knife handle that held the injectible-type one-sided razor blades, I would make the initial slice on several rootstocks at once and then go back  and make another paper thin slice on the inner side of the cut. This would lift out the latex that had bled out of the surrounding tissue. I would quickly insert the scion, secure with green stretchy tape (forget its name) and finish by wrapping the scion and graft area with parafilm.

This was done in a hoop house open at both end so there was good airflow and higher than ambient humidity with bright light but not direct sun. I also did the same under 20% shade cloth. Another important detail I learned was to only water the soil in the pot NOT overhead watering as any water getting into the graft before it calluses kills the scion. Depending on time of year (short day vs. long day) the scions would push in anywhere from 3 days to a week. As soon as they began to push I would vent the parafilm with tiny cuts to prevent water buildup under the film; a day or two later, they would harden sufficiently that I could remove the parafim. A week after that the graft would have callused enough that they could go out in full sun at which time I would also uppot them to 3 or 5gal, and fertilize again. They would take off at this point,filling out the pot and shooting up to 4-6ft over the next 6 months. With this method I would regularly got 85-100% takes. We produced IIFC about a 10-12 cultivars.

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