It seems everybody has it's favoured technique, my way is spring bark grafting, can see results in about 2 weeks, if it doesn't take, I can do it again. Have done chip in spring and it worked fine.
Budding is mostly done in late summer, we have extremely dry weather at this time, this year we had only 1.5 inches of rain in 3 month, not the best condition for budding I.M.O.

Here is a link that might be useful: Konrad's Bark Grafting

Thanks. Very interesting pictures at the link.

I can T-bud spring or late summer here and chip bud probably even longer, so I'm not as pressed for time and can rebud if I've missed a spring bud (traditionally called June budding even though we can do it earlier).

I've only once tried bark grafting, but it under difficult circumstances (persimmon on a fresh stump several inches across and not the best time of year apparently). I've never heard of it done on such small stock as you used.

I fell in love with whip and tongue, which sends the new growth right where you would expect and which is very well bound to the rootstock; if done well the graft can practically disappear the same year it's made. I like to do it with a chip backup. If the W&T fails you have a chance with the chip (or bud, if you prefer). The graft should show within a week or two.

W&T looks hard, but in fact it's relatively easy as the scion and the rootstock interlock and help you hold the pieces in just the right spot while you wrap them.

My experience is limited, and YMMV.

Good luck,

M

I use whip and tongue grafting in spring and chip budding other times. I also do backup chip buds in the spring. The only time I T bud is if the stock is very big; chip buds have lower takes on fat stocks.

Scott

When the stock and scionwood were close in size I've used whip-and-tongue on pears and pawpaws. As was mentioned, a year later it can be hard to tell where you grafted, at least on pears. If the stock is substantially bigger and I don't want to risk the stock for a year by cleft grafting, that is when I have to decide on budding or maybe that nifty bark grafting.

With small rootstock, I prefer saddle grafting usually in early spring. For larger rootstock, I prefer T-budding usually in early september.

Not sure what it's called, but for top working old trees, I prefer something like a side veneer graft, except instead of removing a wedge of the old tree bark, I make a large T shaped cut, insert a scion, and wrap with polyethelene tape. Unlike every other type of graft I have tried, this works for me 100% of the time any time during the growing season when the sap is running good.

Mainegardener, do you have a link or photos of your side grafting technique? I'm assuming you cut the scion as for a whip graft?

Thanks,

Mark

MG, I think I do the same thing you describe when I am topworking a very large stock. The extreme vigor of the stock combined with the great contact gives some of the highest success. I had thought that kind of graft was considered a variation on a bark graft.

Scott

Mark, I don't have pictures or a link. Here's how I do it. I scrape the loose bark flakes off of where I want to put the graft. I cut a large T in the bark. The top of the T is usually a couple of inches long and the vertical is about 2 to 3 inches long. I peel back the bark to separate the bark from the sapwood.

If the scion is cut from a non-dormant tree, cut the leaves off but leave the petioles, like one would make a budstick. If the scion is cut on top as opposed to a tip, then I dip it in wax. The bottom 1 1/2 inches or so of the scion is cut like a whip graft on one side and on the other side the bottom 1/4 of an inch is also cut so that it forms a kind of a wedge. The scion is pressed deeply into the T, with the larger cut side against the sapwood. The graft is then wrapped tightly with polyethylene tape, leaving the top buds of the scion unwrapped. I can usually tell if the graft has taken within 2 weeks. So far, it always has.

Ah, that is not what I am doing. I did do a few of what you describe last summer on some apricots, but they did not work for me. The scion was super duper tiny and the trunk was huge and I think that was a factor in the failure.

The graft I was thinking of above is the one where you have cut off the stock first and you do it right at the top.

Scott

Thanks, MG. That's quite clear and very useful.

I have just the few trees: an apple, an apricot, a pear and some plum experiments, but I get enthusiastic and can't wait for Spring so I can try again! It just blows me away that grafting is even possible, much less something I can do. Ain't it a hoot?

:-)M