Tape Types for use grafting . . . .

[Epicatt2]

A friend says that she is using black plastic electrician's tape as she is starting experimenting with graftng some mangoes.

That prompts me to ask what options/materials/tapes are availabe and/or are appropriate for securing grafted material together?

I also noticed on another post today someone asking about when to remove aluminum foil from a graft unon area. So how useful s aluminum foil for wrapping/securing a graft?  Is there any sort of galvanic reaction that a grafted plant might react negatively to?

Has anyone tried using Florist Tape to secure grafts?  That is a waxed crepe paper tape that is stretchy and used to wrap corsages together with.  Would that be useful for grafting?

What other materials are suitable for grafting?

Enquiring minds and all that rot . . . .

Paul M.
==

[K-Rimes]

I have used Parafilm and Buddytape for wrapping the scion, no contest, BuddyTape is superior. Some people don't wrap their scions at all and they get some takes, amazing how that works, maybe works for high humidity places or something?

The union itself can be better sealed by twisting the buddy tape and then coiling it around the union, I see some grafters do this and it seems to work for them. I see some people use white flagging tape, but I like the stretchy green gardening tape personally. Seen a few different methods of it, some wrap the union up completely in one coil, whereas I like to tie one knot on one side, then tie another going up the union. It's just to really squish it together and it can make up for wobbly scion cuts, and as a bit of insurance of if you knock against it. Some people have success with using zip ties, 3d printed clamps, and a variety of other methods to secure the union a bit better.

I tried electrical tape when I first started out, but it gets hot in the sun, goopy, and unravels. Good luck taking that off without simultaneously removing the buddytape / parafilm as well!

Some grafters bag the scion and union in a white donut bag to keep it cooler, others use foil, don't know if it really makes all that much difference, I get takes just fine in full sun even on "green wood" grafts like citrus. Wrap your scion well and this is probably enough?

You'll find a lot of different styles, don't know if there is really a perfect one - a lot of creativity.

[Nick C]

Buddy tape was a game changer for me with grafting. I also usually cut a rubber band, wrap and tie it around the union point. I've grafted a ton of different trees now but still struggling with citrus for some reason.

[brian]

I use plastic zip ties to hold the graft union and put a plastic baggie over it, no tape/wrap.  I have good success with this.  I gave up t-budding citrus even though it is supposed to be the best method and instead I do cleft grafts now which are easier.

[Orkine]

This has come up for discussion a few times.  This link is to one that I responded to.
https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=44995.msg439217#msg439217

You may also search on presco Texas brand flagging tape (forum member shared this link to it https://www.findtape.com/Presco-Texas-Roll-Flagging-Tape/p1061/)  You will find some nice posts.

[nullzero]

The 3M black electrical tape works good around the union going over something like buddy tape to hold the graft in place.

[Jack, Nipomo]

An old time member of CRFG and a friend had a different technique (John Moore of Santa Maria).  He used Wilhold white glue to seal the scion after wrapping the union with tape, string, etc.  Served like our use of parafilm and allowed the buds to penetrate the seal.  I have used Wilhold glue (it is water soluable and can be thinned) after removing taped union to protect the new tissue under the tape.  Glue stretches with growth and breaks down.

[pagnr]

I use Buddy Tape to seal the graft cuts and scion.
Then use regular budding tape over the top of only the graft cuts.
This enables the regular tape to be removed, leaving the Buddy Tape as a protective after the buds shoot.
I found that when grafting Persimmons, V graft, the Buddy Tape was not strong enough to hold the union, especially if bumped etc.
Regular budding tape comes in a few brands and also widths. Wider tape seems better for larger grafts or buds.
For Chip buds I do a similar thing, Buddy Tape over the Chip, then reg tape above and below the Bud Eye, leaving a gap for that to sprout.
Again regular tape can be removed early, leaving the buddy Tape. Also found that large woody Chip Buds could lift off the stock under Buddy Tape alone.
Have tried Laboratory Parafilm, thought Buddy Tape was much better. I believe there is also a  " grafting " Parafilm too in a smaller narrower roll.

[Jose Spain]

The 3M black electrical tape works good around the union going over something like buddy tape to hold the graft in place.

3M electrical tape works great for cleft and whip & tongue grafts (other brands do not work as well, possibly that is where the bad experiences that some colleagues comment come from). I use lighter colors (yellow, orange...) so the union doesn't get too hot.

Buddy Tape is the best option for chip and other bud grafts and to protect the scions in the case of mango. For avocado, in my experience parafilm works better. Be careful not to wrap the Buddy Tape too much on itself creating a thin cord, this makes it much less elastic and can cause strangulation if not cut in time.

Aluminium foil is useful to protect the scions from the sun, in summer I usually remove it when the leaves of the scion are big enough to provide some shadow.

[drymifolia]

I would not use tape that has adhesive backing, 3M or otherwise, and the only electrical tape I've found that works well and is easy to remove is 3M Temflex 2155:

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b00017540/

Of course that doesn't go over the buds.

Mostly, though, I just use buddy tape to seal and a cut rubber band to secure, I only use the Temflex if I'm worried about the graft's stability or doing a larger piece of scionwood than normal.

[Jose Spain]

Temflex is the one I use. I have been grafting with 3M electric tape for years and I have not had any problems with mangoes, figs or Prunus spp, but these are grafts outdoors in a Mediterranean climate (dry and hot summers). The adhesive degrades on its own and the tape itself ends up unrolling it as it grows if there is just one layer of tape. Today I took a look and I had grafts from 3 or 4 years ago with the tape still hanging, I have removed some so you can see how it looks. The color of the tape also degrades with time. But I insist, my case is in the Mediterranean climate, I'm pretty sure that in SoCal the results would be very similar, in a greenhouse or in more humid climates I don't know (adhesive can take more to degrade)...

3 or 4 years old graft:



The same one with the 3M electric tape removed:



A 2021 graft:



Same without tape:




Another from 2022:



I do all my cleft grafts with the same tape, they heal just fine:



This is just about 3 weeks old:



And this is the tape, 3M Temflex 16 mm wide, it comes in different colors and it holds very well the scion in cleft and whip and tongue:

[drymifolia]

If you look at the 3M website, they say Temflex has "no adhesive," just a natural rubber resin backing that adheres to itself. So more a pseudo-adhesive.

I agree that Temflex is a good tape to use, I meant people should avoid electrical tapes that have an actual glue on them. Rubber resin "adhesive" is fine.

[Jose Spain]

If you look at the 3M website, they say Temflex has "no adhesive," just a natural rubber resin backing that adheres to itself. So more a pseudo-adhesive.

That's a very interesting data, had no idea but that explains the good results. I know some people in Spain that used other brands and ended up having problems.