Is saddle grafting a good technique to use for citrus? My bark isn't slipping that much and I can get some small scion wood about 3-5mm in diameter. Plus, my destination branch isn't much bigger. I'm thinking saddle grafting would be easier to align the cambium. Should I try saddle grafting or even cleft grafting, or stick to trying to bark graft?

I am not familiar with the term saddle grafting, but I just recently did some cleft grafting on some seedling FDs with some scions from a broken limb on my Daisy. I didn't have many other options--the seedlings are small diameter--about 1/8 inch--most not big enough for T-buds (did do one pencil size with T-bud) or bark grafts.

I prefer the bark graft when the stock is at least pencil size or bigger--especially when there is a flat side for good match with the cut scion. My bark graft success rate is probably over 90%.

Saddle grafting is where you cut a V shape into the scion and the destination branch is cut into a point or an inverted V shape. You insert the two ends together and tape it up.

BTW, this will not be onto rootstock, but onto a branch of my tree instead.

Now that you mention it, I have seen pictures of expensive tools designed to make matching cuts like that on the scion and stock. Very similar to cleft grafts.

It shouldn't matter that you are not doing it directly onto rootstock unless there is an incompatability.

The reason why I was asking was because I saw this great video on youtube. It looked simple enough but it was done on an apple tree so I was wondering if it would work for citrus. Again, I wanted to graft onto a branch of my tree and not onto a rootstock.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UC5Dr3tWDc[/url]

It will work on citrus.

I have been using cleft grafts on several trees recently. For me, it the only option when the stock is very small-- you just have to have matching size scions.

I have tried a few Citrus "v" grafts with the raggett/ fieldcraft grafting machine, and it went fine, using buddy tape to seal the stock and scion, then regular budding tape to wrap the "v" union for extra support. I used vernier calipers to size match the stock and scion for the "v" cut.
The grafts seem to heal and grow as well as any other technique.