Grafting
By: Maddie Miniscalco
Materials needed
1. Sharp knife(trimmers to make a precise cut)
2.Twine
3. Grafting wax
4. Desired branch
Step 1: Collect a branch
best time period to graft in is late winter(December to February) dependant on where you live. start with taking a fresh 3 to 4 inch long shoot with approximately one or two buds. try to select plants that are closely related, for example grafting an apple onto another variety of apple or a pear onto another pear. you CANNOT graft unrelated plants onto one another.
Step 2: Prepare the rootstock
The rootstock is the other plant that you will be growing your new branch onto. make a 2 inch diagonal cut through a steam about 6 inches above the ground. then make a 1/2 inch deep cut straight down the stem, about a third of the way down the diagonal cut.
Step 3: Match the branch
Make a diagonal cut on the bottom of the branch that you will place on the rootstock. the slooping cut needs to be the same size and angle as the cut you made on the main plants stem. About a 3rd of the way down the diagonal cut of your branch make a 1/2 inch cut up the branch to match the one on the rootstock.
Step 4: Bring them together
Slowly and carefully force the branch onto the stem, lining the cuts up together. Make sure the two line up as closely as possible. wrap the joined area with twine and cover it with grafting wax to keep the plants tissue from dying out. If the grafting takes your new branch should begin to grow during the spring.