Successful Grafting of Fig Trees and Cuttings

**Gina** · 03-08-2016, 03:10 PM

testing...

**don_sanders** · 03-08-2016, 04:43 PM

That's weird....I don't recall seeing this one until after the second post...

**jmaler** · 03-08-2016, 05:38 PM

Testing, also. I just finished four. Keeping fingers crossed.

**Jamie0507** · 03-08-2016, 09:38 PM

This is perfect! Pete were you reading my mind?? 😉👍 I have really been wanting to learn how to graft but I'm really a very visual/kinesthetic type learner.. So unless I see a video that is really close up, I feel like Im missing something.. Would someone be able to tell me which grafting method (for figs) is the easiest for a first timer? I want to set my focus on just one type, otherwise my ADD kicks in and I get all kinds of scatterbrained.. Lol its terrible! So I'd be working with dormant rootstock.. And my choices run from small caliper (thinner than pencil) right up to med/thick caliper (about 3 pencils together), scion wood also dormant and ranges equally although I may not have any "exact matches" I have a grafting tool, victornix (sp?), grafting knife, grafting wax, and parafilm on hand, and Im pretty sure I could procure a few rubber bands as well.. Any suggestions? This could easily be my next obsession if I get the hang of it!

Updated: I do also have some potential rootstock that is actively growing as well.. Not sure if that would make a difference or apply to a simpler grafting method to try for a first time.. Thanks a bunch for any advice

**jmaler** · 03-08-2016, 10:27 PM

Jamie, if you need to practice cutting techniques I have lots of cuttings to spare. I practiced today on some of these cuttings and then used some to graft back on to the mother tree. The practice session helped to break the ice. The grafting was easy. Now it just the waiting to see if they take.

**AscPete** · 03-09-2016, 12:24 AM

Jamie,
The Bark grafts and T-buds are typically used for actively growing rootstocks since they need to "slip" the scion under the bark.

I found that the saddle graft was the easiest to make in my 1st ventures into fig grafting, HarveyC recommends the whip and tongue which I find needs lots of practice to hold the knife just right... It also needs a true grafting knife with a chisel point blade (sharpened only on one side) to get the "Flat" tapered cuts but I was never able to get good straight cuts with fig cuttings, more practice is needed.

There are lots of videos on grafting using whip and tongue, but this video shows an actual knife positioning (right handed) that's easy to replicate, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCaRqvoL6Lc

I've been testing my new Omega Type Grafting tool, http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Profes...3D141923140907 and its producing very good saddle grafts, much better that I could ever make with a knife. The grafting video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKUbjcw7W1s shows how the tool is used to produce the "Saddle" in the scion and the "Tongue" in the stock, its as easy as it looks in the video...

As mentioned I plan to use this Chip-Bud method, http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=6763824 for dormant grafting of different sized stock and scion. The Victorinox Grafting knives are available online and are often sold as Florist or Garden Knives, http://www.homedepot.com/p/Victorino...9050/202101458 , http://www.ebay.com/itm/Victorinox-S...3D371567503123

**AscPete** · 03-10-2016, 11:16 PM

In an earlier grafting topic, http://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-ho...ing-assistance

HarveyC shared a link to his Facebook Pages, https://www.facebook.com/Figaholics/...13808022012944 Which has the following sequence of photos with descriptions of each step, which clearly shows his rootstock sap bleeding and his whip and tongue graft (in photo #5), it could be called a modified Whip & Tongue - Bud Graft.

And a Cleft Graft as described in his quote in the OP...

**starch** · 03-12-2016, 12:21 AM

I will post an update on some of my fig grafts tomorrow. Just posting now to remind myself to take some pics

**starch** · 03-12-2016, 10:05 AM

My approach to grafting figs, I have a good write up here on observations and approaches: http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox....ng-fun-7892376 see post 19 in particular, which I will repost below

So cleft grafting is done when your rootstock (doesn't have to be a trunk, could be a branch) and scion are the same diameter. In this case you cut / decapitate the rootstock and then on the face of the cut end, take your grafting knife down the center (so that looking at the cut end you will have two semi-circles) about 1" or so. This is the 'cleft' that you will be grafting into. Then on the scion, take your pruners and cut off the bottom 1/8" so that you are working with only fresh wood. Then slice off two angled pieces (each one on opposite sides) so that the back of the scion tapers down to a point. This cut is also ~1" long. This 'wedge' on the scion inserts into the 'cleft' on the rootstock. And this is where it is important for the scions to be the same diameter. Because you are making cambium contact between the rootstock and scion on all of these cut surfaces (you will be making cambium contact along 4 lines). If for some reason you misjudged the diameters but already make the cuts, then push the scion to one side of the rootstock so that you have cambium contact along two lines. Then wrap the joint with grafting tape (I like the green florist tape, slightly stretchy) to compress the rootstock flaps against the scion.

NOTE: for best results make your cuts as straight / flat as possible. If your cuts are 'wavy', then there won't be good cambium contact and the graft won't heal).
NOTE: wrap your scion with parafilm / buddy tape before hand to prevent desiccation while graft heals.
NOTE: NEVER touch the exposed cambium with your bare hands. Skin oils are phytotoxic and will prevent graft healing. So make your cut and hold the scion somewhere above the cut surface when you place onto roostock.

In cases where you don't have a diameter match (i.e. 2" dia rootstock and 1/4" dia scion), then you have to do a different approach. You could do a veneer graft. In this case you make a single cut on the scion (nice and flat and straight). Then you make a matching cut on the rootstock. You are trying to make it the same width as the cut on the scion. But here is the trick: The scion is a smaller diameter. So you make a deeper cut on the scion and you make a shallow cut on the rootstock to get the same width. Be mindful of this. If you do this right, then the exposed cambium on the rootsock and scion line up on both sides of the cut (contact along two lines). If it doesn't, then bias the scion onto the rootstock so that you have contact only along one line. Then wrap with grafting tape to hold scion in place on root stock.

Another option for diameter mismatch is chip budding. And for figs, I like this much better than a veneer graft (veneer graft works better for mangoes and avocados). Because with your scion, there are likely 3+ fig buds and this gives you 3 chances for a grafting take, instead of just one. So cut your buds off the scion, leave a bit of bark all around the bud. If you are good at this you can pick up the bud without touching the cambium and postion it (takes lots of practice). But if you are trying it for the first time, wear some sterile latex gloves in case you touch the exposed cambium. Then make a cut on the roostock to match the bud shape. Hold the bud to the rootstock and wrap. The other advantage to this approach is that you could select a height on the trunk where you want your buds to take. Then chip bud semi-equally along the circumference (i.e. spaced roughly 120 deg apart). This way, if they all take, you will have a tree with the cultivar you want (you could remove anything above the grafts after the grafts take) that is now topworked with three future desired-cultivar scaffold branch locations.

Another philosophy that I employ is that I will often do a graft (either a cleft graft onto a branch or at a minimum a chip bud) for the following reasons:
1. I have only one scion/cutting and I want to make sure it takes. I find rooting (especially with weak growing cultivars like Black Maderia, Black Ischia, etc.) has a more arbitrary take rate than grafting. So even if I have a cutting with three buds, sometimes I will chip bud graft the bottom bud and root the rest of the cutting. That way I have a back up
2. I want to have fruit more quickly for a particular cultivar. My older trees are a few years old and I figure it can put a lot of energy into the scion that is just grafted and I can get fruit earlier from that cultivar than I can via rooting

I will post a bunch of pictures of some of my grafts in the post below

**starch** · 03-12-2016, 10:16 AM

See these photos for some of my grafts. I will put scion, rootstock and approx graft date in the notes

**AscPete** · 03-12-2016, 12:28 PM

Starch,

Thanks for taking the time to share the info and photos...

A reason for learning to graft figs is to create a few 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 potted trees of "Hardier Cultivars" that can be maintained in colder zones (where they have to be stored dormant for the winter). IMO, with judicious pruning and cultural practice they could be relatively productive and compact. The T-Bud graft seems very promising since it can be done after the trees have broken dormancy and are actively growing.

Bud Graft... Apple

**starch** · 03-12-2016, 01:12 PM

Pete,

Absolutely, glad to share!

Originally posted by AscPete View Post

A reason for learning to graft figs is to create a few 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 potted trees of "Hardier Cultivars" that can be maintained in colder zones (where they have to be stored dormant for the winter). IMO, with judicious pruning and cultural practice they could be relatively productive and compact. The T-Bud graft seems very promising since it can be done after the trees have broken dormancy and are actively growing.

I agree. I am creating Frankenfigs as 'backups' but you could use the same process for intentional tree creation. In fact, this comment I made above:

Another option for diameter mismatch is chip budding. And for figs, I like this much better than a veneer graft (veneer graft works better for mangoes and avocados). Because with your scion, there are likely 3+ fig buds and this gives you 3 chances for a grafting take, instead of just one. So cut your buds off the scion, leave a bit of bark all around the bud. If you are good at this you can pick up the bud without touching the cambium and postion it (takes lots of practice). But if you are trying it for the first time, wear some sterile latex gloves in case you touch the exposed cambium. Then make a cut on the roostock to match the bud shape. Hold the bud to the rootstock and wrap. The other advantage to this approach is that you could select a height on the trunk where you want your buds to take. Then chip bud semi-equally along the circumference (i.e. spaced roughly 120 deg apart). This way, if they all take, you will have a tree with the cultivar you want (you could remove anything above the grafts after the grafts take) that is now topworked with three future desired-cultivar scaffold branch locations.

could easily be applied to multiple cultivars on one trunk instead of just one cultivar on one trunk.

I made a 3-in-1 mango with this same exact approach (instead I did veneer grafting instead of chip budding because that works better for mangoes, but the principle is the same).

**AscPete** · 03-12-2016, 02:22 PM

I should add a word of caution about creating multi-cultivar grafted fig trees or "Frankenfigs" due to the possibility of increasing the Fig Mosaic Viral infections of the grafted trees.

I've actually been anti fig tree grafting, other than single grafts to increase the vigor of of slow growing, sick or "highly desired" varieties by grafting to healthy vigorous rootstocks. Since grafting connects the vascular systems of different cultivars there is an increased possibility that the grafted fig trees will have a greater @@@@tail of viral infections making the tree sickly, less vigorous and less productive.

My planned 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 fig trees will have healthier cultivars (Champagne, unknown BryantDark, Unknown NolaDark and LSU Improved Celeste, VdB TC, etc) as rootstock and scion for varying flavor and ripening times and hopefully will not suffer from any increased viral @@@@tail.

**ross** · 03-21-2016, 11:23 AM

I've done 20 or so grafts now. None have taken yet, but temps have not been that high in my sun room. Have my chances of success decreased from potential callusing in colder temps? Each graft also takes me a while. How long do I have before my recent cuts form callus before getting sealed?

**Jamie0507** · 03-21-2016, 08:42 PM

I think I may have to fire myself from grafting 😳.. I mutilated 3 perfectly good trees and countless celeste cuttings that I was "practicing" on.. These are heinous crimes I committed against these innocent trees all in the name of "franken figgin" I must stop myself! Lol! Seriously even the omega tool knock off, I cut the sticks wrong.. Had a 50/50 shot and kept getting it wrong.. Back to the drawing board for me!

**ross** · 03-21-2016, 09:00 PM

Lmao. I'm reporting you to the fig police for fig mutilation.

**WillsC** · 03-21-2016, 09:01 PM

I did about 150 grafts 2 weeks ago, still waiting. Some of the buds are starting to swell so hoping

**COGardener** · 03-21-2016, 09:21 PM

I'm going to try my first FIG graft this weekend if time allows, I've done a lot of grafts with very high success rates, I hope the fig in no different.

**Jonathan** · 03-21-2016, 10:08 PM

Great information on grafting...

Hope to try it one day...

**BrooklynMatty** · 03-22-2016, 09:24 AM

Hey guys, i need guidance from the graft masters of the board, since we have the best here!

I mentioned to some people already, but i wound up abandoning my cloner cuttings since some were getting slime and no movement in 1 month. So i transferred them to bag method in humidity bin 4 weeks ago, and some of them have rooted and in cups now. While in the cloner they did have leaf growth that they since lost, but i still have green buds on all of them - so i'm assuming they are still alive. I have some harder/rarer to root varieties that were gifts that i really don't want to lose and was thinking about taking a shot at grafting them, hoping i can get 2 or 3 grafts out of each cutting. I plan on using some of my already rooted unknown varieties that i can live without as rootstock.

Would cleft graft work for this purpose even though i have green buds on the cutting, it seems like the easiest graft for a newbie like myself.

Thanks guys

**jrdewhirst** · 03-22-2016, 10:45 AM

A question from someone who has never grafted, with apologies if I missed the answer above: Does anyone know from experience or reading how grafting of figs impacts the qualities of the fruit, including such factors as flavor, size, and timing? You'd think that grafting a variety onto a very vigorous rootstock would improve the flavor, and possibly increase the size. Maybe ripening time would be altered a bit too, pushed in the direction of the rootstock (e.g., would Paradiso's main crop become earlier when grafted onto Florea?). Maybe a variety that becomes water-logged in the rain would be OK if grafted onto a rain-tolerant root? And what about the qualities of the tree, such as cold hardiness? Does a tender variety benefit at all from being grafted onto a cold-hardy root?

I'm imagining that all of these characteristics are driven by genes, coding for hormones, growth factors, etc. What I don't know is which genes will drive which processes. For example, will earliness be driven by genes in the grafted scion or in the host rootstock.

Thx.

**AscPete** · 03-26-2016, 04:57 PM

There is an important grafting relationship between scion and rootstock that has to be followed, as mention in a prior post...

Live scion to live stock only.
Dormant scion to live or dormant stock.

Most of my planned grafts will be T-Bud to live root stocks once they've started growing. Attached are some photos of Omega Tool and whip and tongue grafts to dormant rootstock.

Some additional fig grafting webpages.
http://www.jardin-mundani.com/Englis...n-majorcan.htm

http://www.greffer.net/?p=7

**Wisner** · 03-26-2016, 11:24 PM

This link is to a 35 page booklet from the University of Florida that has been very helpful to me.

IFASBooks - Propagating Fruit Plants in Florida

http://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/p-169-propagating-fruit-plants-in-florida.aspx

Propagating Fruit Plants in Florida

**BrooklynMatty** · 03-29-2016, 03:55 PM

Heres hoping they take. Thanks for the great advice everyone.Used Cleft Graft and turned 5 cuttings into 7 grafted plants. If i get 50% i would ecstatic!

Now its a waiting game to see if they actually take.

Successful Grafting of Fig Trees and Cuttings

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