T-Budding Season - It's almost here!

I used parafilm and took it off after 5-6 weeks (end of September). Rootstocks were G222 and M7.
 
I got started in the nursery Saturday night. Budded 7 rootstocks. I got a roll of buddy tape. It takes some getting used to and I could use slightly longer strips. I used 2 strips of buddy tape on most buds.

I will do another 50 or 60 rootstocks if I have enough budwood.
 
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I went for a walk at a local park today and found an interesting yellow crab I have never seen before. Grabbed 2 sticks of bud wood. Got home and put 2 buds each on 3 roots.
 
I went for a walk at a local park today and found an interesting yellow crab I have never seen before. Grabbed 2 sticks of bud wood. Got home and put 2 buds each on 3 roots.

Lol of coarse you did, why not!

I Chip budded (I was inspired by your conversations on this thread and the stephen hayes chip budding video. I put 2 buds of Winesap on an M7 at my house, we'll see when I unwrap them middle of September.
 
Have any of you ever tried inverted T-budding? I guess it's supposed to work even better than normal T-budding. I started this year doing all my T-budding with normal T-buds, but then I started to try inverted T-budding, and I actually like the method better and if it results in a better union, it's a win-win. I've probably done 1/3 normal T-buds and 2/3 inverted T-buds since I started using that method. By the time I'm done T-budding all the trees I have to do this year, I will probably have done 3/4 of them with the inverted T-bud. Here's a video and another article which discusses inverted T-budding

https://simpson.ca.uky.edu/files/reproducing_fruit_trees_by_graftage_budding_and_grafting.pdf

 
I'm just starting with budding. I have not tried inverted T. Thanks for posting the PDF and video!

Jack
 
Done my first grafts today. Went with the inverted t and so we will see. Only got 3 done so if I get one to take I'll post some pics.
I'm assuming I'll know in about 2-4 weeks??


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Alright I gave it another go. Double T-budded about 25 M111 root stocks this morning with a few different apple varieties. Bark was slipping well, removed the wood from the back of the buds and then wrapped everything in doubled over Parafilm- M which is fairly stout leaving only the bud and the petiole exposed. Did 5 cherry root stock as well just for the heck of it. It is raining nicely now so that should make it 100% take :rolleyes:o_O:D

If they mostly fail I am blaming you experts for talking me into trying it again!
 
Alright I gave it another go. Double T-budded about 25 M111 root stocks this morning with a few different apple varieties. Bark was slipping well, removed the wood from the back of the buds and then wrapped everything in doubled over Parafilm- M which is fairly stout leaving only the bud and the petiole exposed. Did 5 cherry root stock as well just for the heck of it. It is raining nicely now so that should make it 100% take :rolleyes:o_O:D

If they mostly fail I am blaming you experts for talking me into trying it again!

Good work! No harm in trying! I hope this time it does go better for you!
 
Bornagain,

What height from the ground are you now T Budding? I remember years ago as you being the only one doing the T budding vs. other kinds of grafting.
 
A few weeks ago I tried t budding and chip budding again and I did 15 of t budding and 20 with chip budding with different methods of securing the bud. Here are my results: t budding with only budding tape no para film (0 out of 5), t budding with rubber bands and para film above and below bud (1 out of 5), t budding no bands para film covering bud (4 out of 5), chip budding with rubber bands no parafilm (0 out of 5), chip budding with parafilm above and below bud (0 out of 5), chip budding no inner wood removed no rubber band and parafilm completely covering bud (10 out of 10).

A factor in this experiment that should be noted is we were in a significant drought with record breaking heat before and during my experiment. We had 1 rain shower 12 days into the experiment and several after the two weeks of grafting. Average high temp 89 degrees with night time temps averaging 71 degrees.

My conclusion is that the only truly successful method of bud grafting during high temps and no rainfall is to completely cover the graft with parafilm. I hope I have helped some of you with your grafting adventures. If you found my experiment helpful and have great tasting plums, I could use some buds!
 
A few weeks ago I tried t budding and chip budding again and I did 15 of t budding and 20 with chip budding with different methods of securing the bud. Here are my results: t budding with only budding tape no para film (0 out of 5), t budding with rubber bands and para film above and below bud (1 out of 5), t budding no bands para film covering bud (4 out of 5), chip budding with rubber bands no parafilm (0 out of 5), chip budding with parafilm above and below bud (0 out of 5), chip budding no inner wood removed no rubber band and parafilm completely covering bud (10 out of 10).

A factor in this experiment that should be noted is we were in a significant drought with record breaking heat before and during my experiment. We had 1 rain shower 12 days into the experiment and several after the two weeks of grafting. Average high temp 89 degrees with night time temps averaging 71 degrees.

My conclusion is that the only truly successful method of bud grafting during high temps and no rainfall is to completely cover the graft with parafilm. I hope I have helped some of you with your grafting adventures. If you found my experiment helpful and have great tasting plums, I could use some buds!
Interesting findings. I thought about sealing some T-buds completely, but I was a little concerned that wrapping over the petiole would torque the bud and keep it from setting down on the root stock completely.
 
Interesting findings. I thought about sealing some T-buds completely, but I was a little concerned that wrapping over the petiole would torque the bud and keep it from setting down on the root stock completely.

When you cut off the bud stick, wrap your hand around the stick and slide your hand down the stick. The leaves fall off and all you have left is the bud.
 
When you cut off the bud stick, wrap your hand around the stick and slide your hand down the stick. The leaves fall off and all you have left is the bud.
I like the little handle when seating the bud though!:) We will see how these turn out that I just did and then make adjustments if I TRY again.
 
I have been sidetracked and didn't get to it yet........do you think its too late to chip bud a few I messed up this spring?
 
I have been sidetracked and didn't get to it yet........do you think its too late to chip bud a few I messed up this spring?

If you are in Canada, probably. If you are in the zone 5 or higher, you are good to gofor another 2 weeks.
 
I have been sidetracked and didn't get to it yet........do you think its too late to chip bud a few I messed up this spring?

Try it, what is to loose? A tbud certainly won't kill a rootstock if it fails. If they don't take what are you out? Cleft it in spring if it don't take.
 
Well I checked on those T-buds I did back on the 19th. I felt like they looked pretty good. Petioles fell away when I touched them and the abscission line was green. Not sure if doubled Parafilm-M is strong enough on still growing root stock, most of the Parafilm was cracked already, so I wrapped everything in budding rubbers as I didnt want the bark to roll back and the buds to dry out. A couple of the cherries that looked like that may have been the case already. Did a few more just to test the T-budding time window. If things still look good next week and the temps are maintaining I might do another small test group.
 
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