try this

Here is a link that might be useful: mrtexas

Alta: I remove the wood from the scion bud if the scion and rootstock limb are about the same size. The wood is removed because it is much easier to get a good fit. Removing the wood from the bud has no effect on take % if done carefully. If the bark on the stock is fairly thick and the stock is larger than the scion, then the wood can be left in and fit will be OK.

I remove the wood by exerting careful side pressure on the scion bud after making the cut underneath the bud and after lossening the bark on the sides of the bud. If the bark is slipping well, the bud will slide off the budstick minus the wood. I do this after cutting the T and loosening the bark on the stock just enough for the bud to be inserted. You don't peel the bark off the stock just loosen it. The bark on the stock needs to cover the inserted bud.

I use rubber budding strips, like rubber bands, to wrap the bud. Have had nearly 100% takes with citrus, apples, and stone fruit.

The Fruitnut

Perhaps my stockÂs bark isnÂt slipping yet, because it doesnÂt want to separate from the cambium very easily, only from the wood below, and I worry that might be too deep. Scraping and poking with my finger nail along the cambium layer of the T cut seems to help loosen it enough for the bud shield to slide in. Trying to slice it loose with the grafting knife sometimes just pokes through the bark somewhere. Then my T-bud graft becomes a chip bud graft.
IÂm sealing the graft with parafilm. The growing bud just pops right through it. ItÂs hard to get a tight tie on the parafilm though.
Thanks so much for the detailed suggestions. Guess it just takes a lot of practice. But itÂs a lot of fun. Especially when a graft finally "takes". The little green bud bursts from the parafilm, and a new tree is born.

A couple of things. First of all, you will need to wait until spring growth begins before the bark will slip easily. Second, you didn't mention what you are trying to bud. If it is apple or pear, then you can take the wood out of the scion and you will have good success. However, if it is persimmon, then you will need to leave the wood in. I speak from experience on this one. Taking the wood out of persimmon on a T bud means certain failure. At least for the 75 or so that I tried before I figured it out I needed to leave the wood in...

Jeff

Removing the wood, even when the bark is slipping very well, looks like it might damage the bud. On some things it apparently doesn't. Good to know that it apparently does damage the persimmon bud and likely other species. The only reason to remove the wood is for a better fit. On thin barked things like apricot when the wood is small diameter, removing the wood markedly improves fit of the bud under the bark of the T.

I've never tried to do T budding with dormant scion wood. Have tried it doing patch budding of pecan with scions collected during the dormant season. The bud sticks were brought out of the frig several days prior to trying the patch buds. Higher temps were supposed to make the bark slip but it was difficult to get the bud patches off the wood and we only had about 50% takes. Don't want to try that again.

If the bark isn't slipping easily on the rootstock, it is hard or immpossible to T bud. If you have to dig around to try to open the bark, takes will be few and far between. On the other hand, I can see it working if the scion is not slipping but don't try to dig the wood out of the bud. Instead, I'd try to cut the bud thinner so there was less wood and a better fit. Or with a dormant scion, just do some kind of grafting instead. Yesterday I grafted nine sweet cherry varieties using dormant scions onto a tree past bloom with bark slipping very well. That seemed easier than budding. I'll start budding after the new wood matures.

The Fruitnut