Grafting Fig Trees: All You Need to Know!

[ross]

Got a new one for you guys. I think this will really be a help to the community.

https://youtu.be/-glQUVRozGA

[Dave]

Great video Ross I've been wanting to try this and now you have given me the tools to go forward thanks

[BrooklynMatty]

Awesome video Ross, as usual. Packed with great info and awesome footage

now we need another great auction for a one off Team Hershell grafting knife. I think after all the grafts I did last year and plan to do this year, I would die for a proper knife and sheath. Maybe Mr DBJohnson who is a master Leatherman might be able to work on a grafting knife sheath......Just a thought

My birthday is next month and I need to tell my wife what to get, grafting knife or custom wooden garden sign....

[COGardener]

Good thought Matt.... decisions.... decisions....

[FigMania]

Thanks Ross. I got some good info from it.

[tinyfish]

That video should be a big help to anyone new to grafting like myself.

[CoolClimateFigger]

Thanks for posting, Ross. I enjoyed the video.

[Vladimir]

Great video, Ross. By the way, I am into citrus in a big way and your citrus video is right on!

[ross]

Ha, thank you, Vladimir! Lots of haters on that video for some reason.

[TorontoJoe]

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this type of grafting tool? If it actually works, it seems like it would make grafting pretty easy for those with little to no experience (me)

The only possible drawback I can think of is that, if both rootstock and scion are not really close to the same diameter, the cambium layers might not line up...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL_rc_fEsK4

[TorontoJoe]

I'm beginning to understand why my father kept the grafting knives passed to him by his grandfather... Maybe sometimes you can't really build a better mousetrap...

So I'm curious...Commercial nurseries....Like large scale fruit growers. Are they out there with knives or is there a better machine for this? If not that you're talking about something somewhat time consuming that requires some skill to do, no?

[ross]

They use knives and graft at incredible speeds.

[Evelynisgro]

From what I know of apple grafting, when the diameter gets large and you are top working a branch you can put two scions in the cleft, that way one is sure to take and the split calouses over faster. If they both grow you cut the spare scion after the calous is healed. For large diameter trunks where you are cutting it to a stump you can use a bark graft as well as a cleft graft. I have seen grafts with 4 scions put in a 3"+ bark graft.

[TorontoJoe]

Thanks. I'm guessing it one of those things where different grafts work best in specific situations. When I was in Italy last, my family lost a bunch of olive trees due to some pest. The bases were still good so they had a bunch of stumps, each with 2 or 3 cleft grafts sticking out.... That seems to make sense. I'd imagine a bud graft is a good way to have a multi fruit tree. I've never grafted before but plan to try it this year. It's a whole new arena for me. That's not a super expensive tool so I may try it out....

[Rewton]

I also enjoyed the video. Thanks for making it Ross.

I also plan to make a couple of multi-graft trees. The reason I haven’t been more ambitious with fig grafting is due to the possibility of combining different types of mosaic viruses in the same tree. If memory serves there are half a dozen or so types of fig mosaic viruses. Most fig varieties have at least one of these types though some claim there are varieties that are virus free. The only way to know for sure is to use molecular biology techniques – a lack of symptoms would not prove the variety is virus free. Anyway there is reason to believe that if you combine different types into one tree via grafting you might have an additive (or possibly even synergistic) effect of fig mosaic disease symptoms. Supposedly this is why many of the UCD varieties have such pronounced disease symptoms. On the other hand, the frankenfig tree in Louisiana has combined many different varieties and it seems to grow fine. It probably helps that it isn’t subject to cold winters. I would be interested to reports from others on what can happen with grafting when it comes to mosaic diseases. I’m not saying don’t graft but I just want to point out there could be a negative consequence.

[ross]

I mean I wouldn't combine UCD varieties with non UCD.

[JohnnyK]

As always, great video Ross.

[Backyard_Fig]

Ross, appreciate all you videos

[Backyard_Fig]

ross Do you think grafting to a cold hardy root stalk would change the cold hardiness of the fig?

[don_sanders]

The top is normally the first part of a fig to die in the cold. Most likely, the top would die off and you would just be left with the root stock if the graft couldn't handle the cold.

[ross]

No. That is not the case unfortunately.

[Evelynisgro]

Thanks for the video Ross, I enjoyed seeing your trees. I may try some grafting yet, not sure if it will be this season though, my window is closing.