I'm not an "expert" but I have done a few topworks on winter killed tree suckers similar to what you have posted.

T-budding is only "better" in the sense that it is very conserving of budwood and very fast in practiced hands. It has some downsides in that it is seasonally limited, works best with a somewhat limited size of rootstock, and is less certain for the inexperienced. I don't see much advantage for T-budding for hobbyists.

I would cleft graft those shoots. A saddle graft would work as well with a cleaner graft scar but is harder to do. The shoots don't look quite woody enough to whip-n-tongue but would if you waited till early fall.

A couple pointers; parafilm makes for higher success rates and is worth the hassle to get a roll if you don't have it. Use rubber bands or plastic tape over it for a pretty tight bind of the graft union until it takes. Give the grafts partial shade until they take, direct hot sun is detrimental. Don't worry so much about a successful grafting that you neglect planning for tree shape. Grafting is pretty easy, coming out with a nicely balanced tree is a little harder.

It appears that your remaining tree rootstock is some type of orange tree. Was the original tree on it's own roots or is the rootstock sour orange?

Thanks bada_bing!!! It is an orange tree and it was there when my dad bought the house 28 years ago. I see no graft union so I am pretty sure it was grown from seed.

Could I do a wedge graft? Or is that not a good idea? Also if a wedge graft is ok, do I only have to match only one side of te cambium layers or does it have to be a near perfect match.

KB

I'd T bud. I've had much better luck than with cleft

Here is a link that might be useful: mrtexas

try the link

Here is a link that might be useful: tips

It seems that your photos show many young shoots that are not yet rounded and woody enough to graft onto. One of a zillion ideas would be to choose 6 of the biggest shoots that are growing in different directions and let THEM do ALL the growing up this year. Remove the other shoots.You can easily break off other new sprouts that will pop up along that thick trunk.I prefer using a serrated knife to shave off (flush with the bark)the entire bud 'wart' that the tiny bud emerges from, so the same 'wart' won't send new buds again and again as they get broken off.. With that tree's huge root system those 6 will really grow well as you water and feed it. Next Spring they will be much more likely to accommodate the scions or buds that you attach. You won't be losing a year, because the thicker, mature branches will better feed your scions.As they mature, instead of being 100% green, the branch bark will begin forming tan colored strips.

I was thinking about grafting in the next couple weeks and I'll tell you why.

Please correct me if this is a bad idea.

There are some shoots bigger than pencil size, the bark is slipping and the shoots are rounded at the bottom and a bit more triangular at the top. I plan to graft at the bottom.

I will upload some pictures in a little bit. In the pics I made an inverted T and inserted a bud. I inserted buds using 2 different methods. Please tell me later which method is better too!!

If these pictures prove to look OK for bud taking I will proceed later this week.

Also I do not have parafilm... I was planning on using Teflon plumbers tape, will that be ok? If not I'll use something else.

Thanks
KB

So I removed 2 shoots, and tested the slipping on both and they were fine, I also practiced my t-bud grafts. Please also tell me if the practice grafts I show have a strong chance of taking????.. assuming I was going to wrap afterwards.

These were two buds I removed. I saw a grafting video once and the guy said to take the white inner layer out making it the bud somewhat like a shield. The one on the right is with the white wood, the left is after it was removed. IS IT BETTER TO REMOVE THE WHITE PART????? or to leave it alone like the one on the right.
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Another view.
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This is with the small shield-like bud, above. Kinda messy but ill be more careful with the actual graft.
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This is with the bud with nothing removed, above.
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1)MAY I USE TEFLON PLUMBERS TAPE O.K to WRAP THE BUD WITH?
2)WHICH BUD IS BETTER TO GRAFT WITH??
3)AND BASED ON THE SHOOT I PRACTICED WITH( the pictures above,) AM I SAFE TO PROCEED WITH THE GRAFTING??

Thank You
KB

***************************************************
1)MAY I USE TEFLON PLUMBERS TAPE TO WRAP THE BUD AROUND WITH?
2)WHICH BUD IS BETTER TO GRAFT WITH, THE SHIELD BUD OR REGULAR WITH NOTHING REMOVED??
3)AND BASED ON THE SHOOT I PRACTICED WITH( the pictures above,) AM I SAFE TO PROCEED WITH GRAFTING ON THE SHOOTS ON THE TREE, GIVEN THEY ARE SIMILAR IN SIZE??

Thanks
KB

Bump

1. Remove the wood from behind the bud, or the graft will be weak
2. Leave the leaf petiole on as an indicator of taking - if it falls the graft is good
3. The bud should go into semi-hardwood stems

You could wrap with plumbers tape, I have used it. Good luck!

Here are the results for the citrus t bud graft I did on my orange tree.. I grafted 3 buds.. 2 oranges and 1 lime.

I took one of the grafts off... I didnt label them.. anyways I was impatient and wanted to see what the graft looks like when fused... so I cut it in half... didnt take any pics... here are the results. the one on the bigger branch is growing a bit slower... I think thats because of the variety.. it might have been a dwarf orange tree... or is it because i did it on branch growing off the main branch???
2 weeks ago
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today
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this one grows much faster,,, i think its a bearss lime
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why is the one growing on the bigger branch slower growing? variety or because i grafted onto one of the shoots off the main branch? I have left only that branch off the main branch intact.

???????????? any ideas?

Because it takes a while for the phloem layers to align. I think your graft is doing very well. Not to worry!

Patty S.

Any follow-up here? How'd it all turn out?