JBP graft

[Jow]

Interesting Neil.

It will be interesting to see it it makes it through winter and wakes up come spring.

Joe.

[Andrew Legg]

Hi All,

Cupla questions

One thing I am curious about is the angle of the graft. Typically in bonsai and particularly with Pines, we try to get the branches coming out flat or slightly downward. Are there any ways to avoid this very acute angle that this style of grafting produces? I was thinking along the lines of a graft using an existing short branch as a scion, but cut across the point where it joined to its old parent branch.

Another question I have is how long does it take before one can start to do any form of manipulation to a grafted branch as I would assume that it connects to the host only on the outside edge making a weak connection point?

Cheers,

Andrew

PS: Just want to say we are praying for all you Aussies getting hammered in the hurricane. Our thoughts are with y'all.

[shibui]

Andrew,
The gradft demonstrated in this thread is typically used for changing the variety of a tree - eg to grow a corkybark black pine or 'yatsubusa' variety. The rootstock would be cut off just above the graft and the scion allowed to grow into a new tree.

If you want to graft branches onto an existing trunk you could try what Jow mentioned earlier in the thread ie cut the trunk upward on an angle instead of the downward angle used in the demo. That way the branch is already pointing downward the way pine branches should be. I would try a less severe angle though.
You could also try a less acute cut in the trunk (pointing up or down) that would give a better branch angle. The more horizontal the cut gets the less cambuim contact between rootstock and scion and the less chance of success.

You are right about wood only forming around the edges of the graft and this being a potential weak point but the scions we are using are pretty small - 3-4mm so it doesn't take long for an equal amount of wood to be laid down around the graft and strengthen it. Time between grafting and bending will depend on how well the graft heals and how severe the bending is. I'd wait a full year to allow some wood to build up around the join and even then I'd wrap the graft union to help hold it together while bending the branch.

Selecting ready formed shoots as scions makes good sense. Grafting will work as long as there's contact between cambiom of rootstock and scion and enough water can get through the join to keep the scion alive. However I believe (have not yet tested this) that the younger the wood, the better/ quicker the graft will take so grafting younger branches may help. There are 2 reasons to test this 1. grafts are regularly put onto older branches/ trunks in bonsai and they work. 2. The cambium (which is the bit we are joining up) is always being renewed so is always young and fresh even on old wood so in that case it should not matter?????

Keep asking searching questions, testing established wisdom and trying new things.

[shibui]

Just updating this thread.
The graft in the tutorial earlier in the thread is still alive and growing this spring which I take as proof that pines can be grafted during summer as well as the accepted dormant grafting time.

Black pine graft.JPG

However, on the strength of this result I put some grafts onto branches on one of my older bonsai pines. 100% failure! but previous attempts at the correct time of year have also given poor results - thick bark and large diameter branches make it hard to get a good cambium contact - need to keep trying

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Shibui,

Thank you very much for the post. I missed it all this long. For some reasons, you seem to make it very easy.

Best regards

[Scott Roxburgh]

Is the seedling graft still growing Neil?

Pics?

I am keen to approach graft a new apex on a shohin JBP and would like to know if I have missed the boat as far as timing goes, or should I still give it a crack this year?

[Jow]

Scott, approach grafting is far less dependant on time as the scion remains attached to the host tree. Do it now, it will be fine. Infact i would be fairly happy doing it almost any time of the year. Of course the early spring window is the best time but i think you would get away with it most times of the year.

If you do do it when the sap is running just make sure you work fast so the sap doesnt flood the union.

http://nichigobonsai.com/2012/08/27/bla ... -grafting/ <-- some more info

Joe.

[anttal63]

Well done Neil great trial and leaps and bounds for aussie bonsai !!!

[shibui]

Scott, I have lost track of this particular tree. There are several with low grafts like this done at different times of the year - all still growing well. Will try to find time to take pics and post.

As Jow points out, the beauty of approach grafting is that it can be done almost any time of year because the scion has roots to keep it alive for as long as it takes to unite. Today would be the best time to have a go at it because the sooner you do it the sooner it is ready for the next step.