I've read lots of techniques but have only "seriously" tried t-budding..
I'm just wondering what all has worked best for every one and why they like it best..
Also what are your % of successes with techniques?? Also how easy was it for you to learn the technique.. and how successful were your first attempts with this technique??
I can't say I have perfected my t-budding skills since the first 3 tries worked but nothing since (due to lack of good tape I think, waiting for catalogue so I can rectify that) I have root stock that looks like it has been through some kind of war..

All input welcome and appreciated!!!

Gina *BabyBlue*

What works best depends on quality, size and type of stock, scionwood and time of the year (plant is dormant, bark slipping, etc).

In a lot of cases when the bark is slipping, I will always use T-budding for citruses. It has the highest success rates for citruses across most citrus grafters. You can graft to a lot more stock for not much scionwood material, one healthy bud is enough per stock. You can orient the growth of the bud on the stock with a full circle direction to choose from, especially helpful if your tree is established in the ground and could not rotate the tree. The strength of the graft union from T-bud is the same as that of natural branch.

On occassion I also use other grafting techniques on citruses. If I have itty bitty scionwood, I would use bark grafting on a limb. If the barks are not slipping, I would use chip budding, but the success rate is less than 33%. If the only bud from the remaining scionwood is not suitable for removal or for use in T-budding, then I would cleft graft that scionwood. If the stock diameter destination is too big, I would use bark grafting as it is not suitable for T-budding. But if there is a good bud and a good stock and the bark is slipping, no other method can beat the success rate of T-budding which is close to 100%. T-budding is also the second fastest to do for me, with chip budding as the fastest. Tongue and whip would be the slowest to do.

T-budding is also successfully used for grafting apples, peaches, pears, plums, all stones and pomes during summer to fall by using appropriate green budwoods.

Cleft grafting and T-budding combo works well with loquats and avocadoes, provided you know how to select proper scionwood and destination stock.

Limb Bark grafting is close to 100% success rate when grafting persimmons during late spring when the destination stock has one leaf opened. Works well with pomes and stones, including cherries.

Almost any type of graft will work well with quinces, apples and pears.

Wonderful info!!! Thanks!!
Ya need Grafting guru next to your name??
I found that tape can be ordered through Midwest Vineyard Supply, INC ( http://www.midwestvineyardsupply.com/ProductList.asp?categoryid=25&subcatid=84&cat=Grafting+Tape&Type=True ) with out a credit card!!! They may not be the cheapest.. But when you don't have a CC ya take what you can find.. Just waiting to find out what the shipping cost will be.. HOPEFULLY will have some tape SOON.. I can't wait to experiment with my mom's trees..

Gina *BabyBlue*

Gina, we were talking about grafting tapes 3-4 months ago. I think Ned & Joe said they get tape from Orchard Valley. I have this link bookmarked. I bought a roll for very cheap. Hope it's not too late!

http://www.orchardvalleysupply.com/ovsstore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=0&idproduct=278

In a workshop I attended, the presenters said that it is a good idea to water you plants a lot in the weeks before budding to ensure slipping skin on the rootstock. Do you people agree with this?
Thanks,
john S

As long as it is warm enough to provide decent growth spurt. Before, during and after budding, always keep the trees hydrated but not overwater.

Also to prolong the "slipping" period, irrigation is very helpful. This would give you enough time to do a lot of grafts.

If youn have a lot of cultivars on one tree, not all of them will "slip" at the same time.

It is best to do your budding and grafting when the temperature is below 90 degrees F.

Thanks for all the tid bits!!!
Patty, I ordered both the paraffin and the chip budding tape.. (still waiting to find out how much the shipping will be) since I'm new to "real" tape I'm going to "sample" as many as I can.. I would even like to give the $17 stuff a good go.. see how it compares.. But that will have to wait till I get the catalogue in from A.M. Leonard..
Good thing about it the stuff (if taken care of) should last indefinitely and in 10 yrs when I have my own Citrus Nursery (there's wishful thinking for ya) it will still be useable..

Any ideas on bringing in the root stock to be grafted till the temps reduce? That is what I am currently doing.. tree comes inside for grafting to avoid leaving it exposed to the 100+*F Temps we are having right now.. Just not sure How long I should wait before putting them back outside.. I think I will keep them in till the temps go back down..

Again thanks for all the input!!!
Gina *BabyBlue*

I am PLEASED to report.... it was the TAPE *or lack of quality* that WAS the problem!!!
I just checked on 5 t-buds I did a week ago today.. 4 of the 5 look GREAT!!

Buddingman was gracious enough to send a small amount of tape with a few bud sticks..

I doubt the 5th will make it.. but my hand slipped and gashed it REAL bad when making the T..

Aside from Tape nothing else is different about the grafts I did.. I counted the war wounds on the swingle rootstock.. there are over a dozen!!!
Having tried every thing from over the counter medical tape to plumbers tape.. I even tried glad wrap cut in to strips.. I think that the first medical tape was better than the stuff I got from the store and that is why it worked for me the first time.. The first medical tape I tried to use was leftover from surgery..

List of tapes that did NOT work for me....
florets tape
plumbers tape
medical tape (cloth and plastic)
saran wrap cut in to strips

Here is a picture of 2 of the buds.. I re wrapped them and will leave them for another week just to be sure..



Thanks Buddingman!!!!! I feel better now!!!

Gina *Baby(not so bad grafter)Blue*

I guess I am lucky!!

You should have seen the happy dance when I looked at the buds and saw they were still alive..

Usually by this time I look at black or brown bud.

Gina *BabyBlue*

Gina it all depends on the weather... T-budding, cleft grafting, bark grafting & even veneer grafting... Sometimes it seems like whatever you do works like a charm & other times everything you do fails... Some varieties are harder than others as well. Most of mine are t-budded, but I have quite a few grafted in varios ways that all worked well.

I am new to citrus, but I have grafted pecans with some success. I tried cleft, bark, and bud grafting, but the one that worked best for me was the four flap bannana graft. The cleft and bud grafts never worked for me and I was 1 for 4 with the bark graft. I am about 80 % with the bannana grafts.

Is that used on citrus?

For Pecans I used cold stored winter wood-- but I guess that is not practical with citrus since it is an evergreen.

That bit about grafts not doing well in the heat ain't no joke.. all my pretty t buds are dead.. the room that I was keeping them in still got TOO hot even with AC on in there.. I checked temp and it was 92* in the room..
I did get the new tape in.. so I'm going to give it another go..

Gina *BabyBlue*