Grafting. OMG!

One of our activities in the citriculture class last week was grafting.  My heart sank.

Grafting Knife.  Scary.

I don't like grafting.  I don't like the fiddly tools.  I can't see well enough to make a clean cut.  I get nervous in a room full of people with sharp knives and paraffin tape.  However, sometimes I can manage to rise to the occasion.

Rootstock.  Skinny.

My mission:  graft Everhard Navel Orange budwood to Poncirus trifoliata (Flying Dragon) rootstock.  We used a T-Budding technique, that involved both a vertical and a horizontal cut in the rootstock.  (Egads!)  Once those cuts were complete, we slid a slice of budwood up underneath the flaps of rootstock bark.  It's harder than it sounds.

Vertical Cut.  Gina's Steady Hands.

The rootstock was tiny and so were the buds.  I have no hope that it will work, but the graft is still green, not black, so I'm not giving up.  We're supposed to leave the graft alone for about 3 weeks.  If it works, the budwood should emerge right through the Buddy Tape.  We'll see about that!

Horizontal Cut.  Almost done!

If you make the vertical and horizontal cuts correctly, you'll form an upside-down T.  The wings of bark will curl up a little tiny bit, offering a spot to slide the budwood in, up underneath the loose or "slipping" bark.  Also, easier said than done.

Wrapping with Buddy Tape.  Needs 3 hands.

The Buddy Tape is waterproof, yet permeable.  Biodegradable yet strong enough to protect the wounded rootstock.  It can also be stretched up to 8 times its original length.  Sounds like witchcraft, doesn't it?

Complete.  At last!

And here it is, the completed little graft.  It will truly be a miracle if this works.  I'll let you know.