Lateral Bark Grafting

[PoorSand]

Has anybody tried lateral bark grafting? I came across this video and it looks like it might be a viable technique for scions too skinny to whip and tongue graft, and would allow the rootstock to continue to move sap up past the scion, versus regular cleft grafting.

I've not tried it. I'm just looking for input from anyone who has.

 

[Telemark]

Yup. Works great. Bark grafting is extremely effective.

 

[PoorSand]

Good feedback.

My question stems from this being a different variation than what I am familiar with in the way of bark grafting. According to my understanding of the lateral bark grafting technique, the grafter does not amputate the branch until after the scion has taken hold and its new growth appears viable. Until now, I had always thought of bark grafting as a post-amputation procedure. I imagine that the advantage of this technique would be to hedge one’s bet in case the graft did not take hold, though having to accept that during the wait-and-see period the tree will continue to expend resources on the part of the limb that will later get cut off. I wonder if not having the limb push all its nutrients to the scion would decrease the chances that the scion would succeed in taking hold.

The application I am thinking about is for top working some ungrafted standard rootstock I planted years ago and that now has limbs above deer’s reach, but still low enough for me to reach with my step ladder. Some of the scions I’d like to use are pretty shrimpy and I don’t know if they will take hold or not.

 

[Telemark]

I've never had a problem with scions being skinny. I prefer to amputate a limb and bark graft in the cut end. With lateral grafting the sweet spot for bark thickness is a bit narrower than ordinary bark grafting. I have had more grafts fail below a limb than this grafted in the end of an amputated limb.

 

[yoderjac]

There are lots of grafting techniques and finding the right one for the job can be difficult. It is going to depend on what you are grafting too and, of course, the skill of the grafter. For example, Chestnuts tend respond to the injury of grafting by putting up new shoots from the ground. It is hard to convince them to put the energy into the scion rather than new shoots. Persimmons tend to push water sprouts as a response to cutting them down to do a traditional bark graft. One of the most important thing with them is to remove water sprouts under the graft every week or so for that first season after grafting. Apples seem to do pretty well at pushing a graft.

This is very general, but trees seem to want to push the most energy into to highest point, usually the top of the central leader. So, in general, you lateral graft will get less energy than the scion. That does not mean the scion won't get enough energy to grow. I would use this kind of when trying to grow multiple varieties on a the same tree. Another application might be if the tree is so large that you think the wound from a traditional bark graft would put the tree at risk. I've tried traditional bark grafting on some persimmons that were 5" or more in diameter with poor results. One strategy might be to use this lateral bark graft with multiple scions on a large tree and then pick the best one that takes and remove the rest of them. Then take about 25% of the parent branch down each year for 4 years. This would leave a more substantial tree when the final cut is made. It may allow the tree to recover.

It is an interesting technique.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[cavey]

Apple and crab trees are like horse shoes and hand grenades you kind of just have to get close ... vary forgiving as long as the two woods cross the cambium layers. I have grafted some pretty small scions on to larger rootstocks and standing trees. I actually like to do a modified side whip and tongue instead of splitting the bark skin. The more you research the more options you will see. I think its more of a confidence thing - I flop at chip budding which this reminds me of. One issue in lateral grafting without dead ending that I see is the poor branch angle. If you keep the main branch/leader then you are essential making a branch and it starts with a really tight branch angle which you cant address right away. Unless you had maybe a damage tree and/or a bent limb you could reestablish a new central leader. Anyway, a bunch of different methods each can be applied for different reasons - kind of makes it an art.

I even plan to try the drill a hole and insert the scion method sometime.