Hi +oM The three most used understock for Cupressus are: Platycladus orientalis Juniperus chinensis 'Hetzii'/'Hetzii Columnaris' (rooted cuttings) and Edwin has stated that Thuja plicata is used for Cupressus nootkatensis. Most growers use Platycladus for nootka but for me they often fail. It's a good understock for the West Coast, but not the midwest or eastern US. For me/you in the midwest, Juniperus chinensis 'Hetzii' cuttings are the best. Also, Thuja occidentalis can be used for Cupressus but I haven't had high takes when I've tried grafting nootka. I have had some success, however. I've also had success rooting C.nootkatenis. That's about all I know on this subject other than if Thuja occidentalis is going to be used, it should be used for something that doesn't grow faster than it does. One last thing that I heard a decade or so ago is that a fella at that time had an 18 year old nootka grafted to Microbiota decussata. Edwin didn't like that from what I recall. I think that's where he said to go with Thuja plicata. ==== Tunilla- definitely man, you got the idea! Dax

also, did I shoot myself in the foot by buying grafted trees? I just planted a Nam Doc Mai last month that is also grafted, and the graft points on these trees are near the top, unlike some citrus grafts which are under the soil line. With the colder winters here in Phoenix, would I have been better off getting non grafted variety in case frost ever hits them hard? If the graft points were lower I wouldn't be as worried, but if frost ever hits them obviously the Glenn and Nam Doc portions of the trees will be gone first right?.. Why do they put them so high up on these trees? I guess I'll just be a very busy guy every winter time erecting frost covers.

rootstocks give horrible mangos (i am unfamiliar with manilla being used as rootstock) or irregular bearers and will choke out and eventually take over the graft. even if you heavily prune the rootstock branch it will just in turn grow more vigorous new growth and drain more energy from your grafted portion. i remember when i grew my first Julie tree an experienced fruit tree grower told me to prune the two fruits from the 3 foot tree. well i didnt and in turn the wind took both mangos and the large branches they were on leaving my graft with only two branches and hindering its growth.

When your mango seed sends up two or more plants if one is signifiantly larger than the other(s) it probably will be s new variety; the others should be mirror images of the mother tree (subject to minor changes). One of my Kent seeds produced two plants. I clef-grafted the slightly smaller plant and the graft 'took' but died while we were on a trip last month. Four new plants are visible around the base of the original seedling and I can see some green leaflets beginning to indicate a fifth new plsnt. All will be Kents, with no more than minor variations. I grafted an Alfonso mango on a Manila mango three years ago and it lived until this year. My clef graft interface was defective as I had bought a new mango grafting tool and the cutting surface was not centered properly. The junction did not heal well. Do not cut scion wood until the new emerging growth has begun growing (possibly a 1/32nd of an inch long). I strongly recommend using parafilm to wrap your scion wood and rootstock to reduce loss of moisture. Clean your tools with ~91% alcohol between cuts. I have grafted scion wood to branches only 1/16th of an inch in diameter on stone fruit but they are very difficult to handle. I recommend using ~3/16ths inch or larger scion wood. Provide shade for a few days so the junction will be a little cooler. Search on the Internet using 'Google', or other browser, with "mango grafting" as your topic. Read several different directions. Develop skills on other plants before you use your mango scion wood unless you have a ready source for more. Apples are a good fruit on which to learn. Most grafts do well if you are careful, keep your tools clean and do not touch the exposed cambium and other materials with your fingers (oil from the hands rates very highly in killing or damaging grafts.).