Root Grafting with "map pins"

[Gerard]

Many of you may have seen Jow's request for those elusive map pins, and a few days earlier trident whips.

Tonite at the BSV monthly meeting Jow gave a wonderful demonstration of root grafting, thread grafting and approach grafting. During the demo we learned why he was keen to get this particular type of map pin.

bsv July demo 007.jpg

bsv July demo 012.jpg

bsv July demo 005.jpg

after being smeared with cut paste Jow's neat job looked a bit messy but we are confident that this tree will soon have a nice spread of roots.

[Gerard]

Map pins can be easily obtained.....just a short flight to New Zealand and a visit to the $2 shop

[anttal63]

FANTASTIC!!! thanks jow for easy to follow demo yet concise. I cannot wait to do it on the weekend will post here!

Gez thanks for the great summary! Ya lovin that new camera???

[craigw60]

What a great technique thanks for posting that one.
Craig

[alpineart]

Hi Gerard thanks for posting this topic . Jow ,nice use of the whips and well executed .Cheers Alpine

[Jamie]

thanks gerard and jow!

thats a clear use for the pins now i understand why the bigger ball pins is needed!

look forward to seeing the nebari once the whips have fused in !

[Josh7]

Very smart Jow, Very smart!
2 Q's:
How long would this take to graft? and
Do you just cut the whips off when the graft has taken?

[Gerard]

Jow said he ecpects the graft to take by mid summer (6 months) the whips could be severed at this time but it would not hurt to play safe and wait until repot time (12 months) when the job can be inspected properly.

[Josh7]

Thanks Gerard, i was curious with the cutting of the grafts, and if the grafts have taken properly in just 6 months for the main tree to be able to heal them once they are cut. I'm sure if they take they will produce excellent nebari.
Has anyone got any pics of nebari produced this way?

[Jow]

Thanks Gerard, i was curious with the cutting of the grafts, and if the grafts have taken properly in just 6 months for the main tree to be able to heal them once they are cut. I'm sure if they take they will produce excellent nebari.
Has anyone got any pics of nebari produced this way?

The time it takes for them to graft all depends on how tight a fit they are in the channels... if they are tight fits and everything grows vigorously then they will graft quickly.

To cut them off i often cut them straight off if they look well fused. If they are not looking 100% i might cut the stem down to the lowest bud and then reduce the rest the following year.

Its a very fool proof way of doing things.

I have a few trees that have been done this way. I will try to get some pics when i am re-potting (if i remember).

[Amanda]

Thanks for sharing this

[FlyBri]

Nice work, Jow, and thanks for sharing, Gerard!

Are your pins placed through the seedlings, or are they placed to either side? I assume the latter to be the case. I have been experimenting with root-grafting on some of my more troublesome Tridents. Perhaps I should have waited until Jow's demo was made public before I commenced with mine ...

Rather than use large-headed pins, I have used brass screws and washers to secure the whips into place. This is not much different to Jow's method, except that by using screws, I can apply more force to the graft union. The main difference is that I have not carved out grooves for my seedlings: I simply scraped back any thick, flaky bark at the graft site before I commenced the screwing.

Now, rather than hijack this thread, I should go start one of my own...

Great work Jow & Gerard - I look forward to seeing the results!

Thanks.

Fly.

[Gerard]

Pins were placed on either side of the whips.
Jow's main concern was to avoid scarring which he had experienced in the past, he felt that pins with smaller heads or drawing pins left ugly scars when th roots began to swell.

[Jow]

Feel free to add your pics to this thread Fly.....

In regards to the pins, yes they are to the side of the whips not through them. You can put the pins through but i have in the past damages whips doing this.

You say you used screws and washers. The problem with this may be the edge of the washers. As the whips grow they will some what cut in and leave scars. the round surface of the pins leaves far less of a scar or mark.

An alternative method if you cant get pins is to use a piece of aquarium tube and nail through the side of that to give you a soft but firm attachment.

You may find that if you haven't cut a channel that it takes longer to graft and sometimes if not secured well enough the whip just pushes itself away from the trunk and doesn't graft at all.

Hope yours goes well for you.

[FlyBri]

Feel free to add your pics to this thread Fly.....

Don't mind if I do! The Tridents pictured are my BSV Trident and one I picked up from Sertel's nursery a couple of years ago (thread yet to come).

BSV_Trident_Jul_10_10.jpg

Sertel's_Trident_Rootwork_0.jpg

In regards to the pins, yes they are to the side of the whips not through them. You can put the pins through but i have in the past damages whips doing this.

As I suspected - as forgiving as the Trident whips can be, they are also very brittle. The slightest damage to their structure (such as a pinhole) can cause them to snap irreparably. Like you, I have worked to the edges of the whips with my screws.

You say you used screws and washers. The problem with this may be the edge of the washers. As the whips grow they will some what cut in and leave scars. the round surface of the pins leaves far less of a scar or mark.

I have considered that the washers will 'bite in' to the the whips, and that I'll get some bulging around the edges, but the trees I am experimenting on are so far from being presentable that I think I have the time to rectify any ugly scarring. (That said, I think I once promised myself that I would only undertake work on my trees if it would help bring about the best result in the shortest possible time... ) What I do like about he screws is the fact that I can apply much greater pressure to the graft point, and it is only me - not the thickening seedlings - that can cause them to loosen.

An alternative method if you cant get pins is to use a piece of aquarium tube and nail through the side of that to give you a soft but firm attachment.

Great idea! I might try that on my next batch of attached roots.

You may find that if you haven't cut a channel that it takes longer to graft and sometimes if not secured well enough the whip just pushes itself away from the trunk and doesn't graft at all.

Good point, and one that I have also considered. As mentioned above, the trees above are real dogs in need of a good few years' development, so I can always revisit any non-compliant whips and do the job right. It is my hope that the combination of the injury to the trunk and whip from the drill bit, as well as the pressure exerted by the screw/washer will force a connection where I intend it. We'll see...

Hope yours goes well for you.

Thanks mate!

By the way, what have you used as a wound sealant here? Looks like polyurethane carpenters' glue (Gorilla Glue)...

Thanks again.

Fly.