Parafilm difference question

[Taverna78]

I have been talk to few people about my recent issue using parafilm. As beneficial as it is my first time to use it I am now weary. I buy 1/2 in wide off eBay I attach photo. But i wrap each cutting tightly and overlap each wrap securely. Then I put in mix with 1/2 film on cutting under soil. So far only few cuttings make it. The rest look like the get strangled out by film and shrivel skinny to the point the film is actually now very loose on cutting and cutting die. Question is is thickness/wideness make of film have any effect like tis or was it just me killing cutting or bad luck? I.e. I get kadota cuttings. All rooted perfect! Cutting diameter was thick marker. After wrapping. Rooting and in cup. The cutting shrivel to #2 pencil and die. Any idea?

[BrooklynMatty]

Fabio - that is the same size and product that i am trying out. I got that recommendation from someone on the F4F board a while back and took their recommendation. The parafilm is supposed to be streched over the cutting and not be overlapped near the nodes, so it doesnt prevent the buds to break through. It should retain moisture well and shouldnt cause any rot for the cutting though.

The only thing im starting to notice on some of my cuttings, is root bumps under the parafilm from any residual moisture in the cutting. That and the film is cracking at points, so unsure why thats happening.

You shouldnt need parafilm in your greenhouse, i thought your ambient humidity is above 60% in there. If it is, you dont need parafilm, they shouldnt dessicate with that humidity. Thats my thoughts, but i could be wrong

[BrooklynMatty]

Its in my office, no sunlight at all and barely any room light yet either. I'm wondering if i got a bad batch or old product, because i just checked again and noticed almost all of my film is cracking and afraid i'm going to get some desiccation of the cuttings. Crapola!

[Sarahkt]

That is odd. Yeah, maybe an old batch, or one that was improperly stored. Does it seem less elastic than it should be?

Just one roll goes a long way so I bought a 2-pack roll to share with a friend. Mine's doing fine on cuttings and grafts so far. I have the 1'2" one because I thought it'd be easier to manage for tiny grafts. But I really don't think the use of 1/2" vs. 1" matters all that much other than the number of turns you need to wrap the top part of the cutting.

[BrooklynMatty]

sarah - it seemed pretty good and elastic. I just went back and covered any holes up or tears, but i would hate to keep checking on them and reaaplying. They all seemed really well wrapped initially, not sure whats causing the issue. I wound up just ordering the 1" for the cloner cuttings, I was planning on starting them tonight, but will wait till i get the 1" parafilm on friday.

My ambient humidity in office is about 33%

[JimmyS]

As long as the edges over lap you should have had a good seal.

The cutting made have used up all stored resources,just burnt it self out.

I have not used parafilm,I have used buddy tape with success.
Buddy tape cost about $30.00 a roll.

[starch]

Buddy Tape is great, by far my favorite after using all 3 (Parafilm grafting, Parafilm M and Buddy Tape)

[Taverna78]

Okay. May because GH is always over 60% all time I may no need. It just still confuse me how I lose the cutting I lost all in same way....

[Q*]

I use 1" parafilm. When i used the 1/2" parafilm it would crack and the seal would ruin and dry out the cutting. When i wrapped the cuttings i overlapped and the nodes had no problem breaking through it. I never wrapped any part of the cutting that was below the soil. The film would always stop right before the soil. You want the cuttings to be able to absorb water even though it doesn't have roots it will absorb water through the buried bark layer. After about two months i removed all the parafilm because its not needed once the cuttings have established roots. I've had really good success doing it this way. One thing that happens is that once the cutting breaks bud and stalls and doesnt get good consistent growth the bottom of the cutting probably didnt callus and is probably beginning to rot.(rotting is like a domino effect...it will keep creeping upwards until the cutting dies) I dig those cuttings up and cut the bottom again at the next healthy node. I think the majority of cuttings that die are that the bottom didnt callus or the roots were over/under watered and rotted or died.

[BrooklynMatty]

I think 1" makes more sense now, especially with the overlapping. I really hope the cuttings don't desiccate now that there are breaks in the film.

[Taverna78]

Here what happen....was diameter of sharpie and film was stretched and wrapped tightly almost to point and tight would snap film

[Q*]

How far down did you wrap the cutting?

[Taverna78]

Normally 1/2-1 inch below soil line. Tis one shrank so show is above soil line.

[WillsC]

Fabio sent me a roll of the Parafilm to check out......it is different than the Parafilm M I use.

[BrooklynMatty]

is it usable in your opinion? I have heard of people using it successfully. I know Parafilm M and Buddy Tape are the better quality tapes, but was hoping this would work.

[WillsC]

The 1/2" tape to me is thicker and not as stretchy, does that make a difference???? I have no clue.......

[fruitnut]

My parafilm M cracked within days of application. So now I'm trying the half inch parafilm. If that doesn't work it's back to a humidity tent. The humidity in my house is very low.

[WillsC]

Mine never cracks unless an aerial root or a bud pushes through it.

[fruitnut]

My parafilm M was probably 1-2 yrs old. Won't think that should be too old. Maybe I stretched it too tight. But I double covered some with less tension and it still cracked within a day.

[Taverna78]

I will much rather have cracked film over dead cutting😞

[BrooklynMatty]

cracked film = dead cutting

[Q*]

I wonder if cold weather has anything to do with the tapes performance? ..........not sure what went wrong with the cuttings Fabio...sorry you lost so many..

[Taverna78]

Is no one fault Amico. Is just how cards are delt to me....

[figgrower]

Lack of air circulation? I wonder if it was wrapped more loosely, if air would be able to circulate a little bit through the potting mix, but not desiccate the cutting?

[Taverna78]

I no thinks so because must wrap tightly to hold moist in. If no hold moisture in it will dry out.

[Jamie0507]

I actually found some mold growing under a few of mine that I wrapped in parafilm. So off they all came and I was able to save them all except one.. Which isn't exactly dead yet but has not rooted in over 6 weeks. Has a big green leaf on it though so it seems it may still have a chance.. Of course it's entirely possible I wrapped the cuttings wrong to have this happen or that mold may have been present from the start.. Still though, for now me+ parafilm + cuttings = no dice till I figure out where I went wrong.. Sorry about your cuttings Fabio! I'm sure you still have many growing belle for you though 😉👍

[Taverna78]

Sì... I thinks for now I am to leave film
Off. I do better last year without it and want try something different. But until I am confident enough to use I am with you j. Hope you are well...

Ciao

[Siti]

Hi, I am a newbie.

Yes, I have tried using the parafilm. It cracked for some cuttings, but intact to others. I thought it is normal.

[starch]

I have 1/2" Parafilm grafting tape, 1" wide Parafilm M and Buddy Tape. And after using all three pretty extensively, Buddy Tape (Budding Tape by AM Leonard, most people just call it Buddy Tape) is by far my favorite.

It is much stretchier. It seals against itself better. It wraps much more nicely along odd contours / nubs / large buds / stem ends / etc. It wraps much more nicely around small diameter cuttings. And because it is much more elastic it doesn't 'pull' on the cuttings very much as you are wrapping it. Not that Parafilm has a 'lot' of pull. But in this case the less pull on a bud, especially if it is swelling and much more delicate, the better.

It is more expensive but in my opinion totally worth it.

I am using up my Parafilm (because I have so I don't want to just waste it). But when I have to re-order grafting tape, Buddy Tape is what I will be buying

My $0.02

[Taverna78]

I think what is happen is my own fault. I did wrong... The point of film is to keep cutting from drying out Sì? But is more or less only to be used if is NOT in humidity dome,bin,cup over top or a greenhouse that is 70%-100% humid at all times.... I think what happen is they died from too much moisture. I had them wrapped perfect rooted in a cup in the greenhouse. So no only is kept moist with film also had extra humidity on top of the moist mix in the cup.
I think film is to only be used when you direct pot and is ganna root in the pot you put it in that takes some time.

Is my own Stunadè fault

[WillsC]

Mike,

No......I wrap the tops of the cuttings in my propagation room and the humidity is very high at first and I have no issues.

Look how foggy my prop room is. There are 4 ultrasonic foggers under that fan in the bottom right corner.

[Taverna78]

Your fig room fogger is same as humidifier?

[jmaler]

I used Mike's brand in the 1 inch size last spring, early summer, to direct pot some cuttings. The cuttings were started outdoors when weather had started to warm up. I wraped to within 1/2 inch of bottom. Those cuttings experienced a high death rate with some mold under the film. I wasn't that impressed with it so haven't used it since.

[BrooklynMatty]

My wife just happened to check our credit card statement 20 minutes after i ordered, she yelled at me for buying tape for 45bucks. I told her its an investment!

Thanks everyone for your comments and glad others have similar issues.

Fabio - i think your fine taking off all your tape with your humidity. Have a drink in memory of your deceased cuttings, they will not be forgotten!

[Taverna78]

Oh I ganna have multiple drink in they memories. I understand tis is part of learning and the good feeling when you have it correct but sometime I wish you can just do one simple step from new cutting to tree just in one step. Fool proof. When I lose cutting no only I am upset with my self but feel as though I let down person I get them from. All the work they did to get to me and I kill it.

I have however started my last few cutting last week in water and so far they are showing signs of bumps so as long as they keep I ganna pot tis weekend and pray

[jmaler]

I agree with you about feelings of letting down the person down from whom the cuttings came.

We assume every cutting is rootable. I belive this not to be the case. Some cuttings just don't have the juice to root. And there is always the fact the stars are not in alignment when we try to root a certain cutting. It's what I believe.

[Taverna78]

Well I no ganna give up.... I want reach my goal and make not only myself but others who doubted me very proud.

[starch]

My wife just happened to check our credit card statement 20 minutes after i ordered, she yelled at me for buying tape for 45bucks. I told her its an investment!

I have used that line before. And the response I get is a Marge Simpson-like 'mmmmm' ...

[WillsC]

I have used that line before. And the response I get is a Marge Simpson-like 'mmmmm' ...

We ALL know what that sounds like

[starch]

Indeed

[Taverna78]

And I'm sure we all respond with homer " douuhh!"

[BrooklynMatty]

We ALL know what that sounds like

I had to have the talk about my fig spending recently, i think i'm on lockdown for a bit. haha