How to degraft?

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absolute0
Posts: 103
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2016 3:33 pm
Location: Philippines

How to degraft?

Post by absolute0 »

I have a monstrose Copiapoa humilis ssp. tenuissima grafted on a Pereskiopsis stock. The scion has gotten too big and heavy for the stock already and needs to be degrafted already. How should I do it? Thanks!

https://imgur.com/a/ooZnU
DaveW
Posts: 7377
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:36 pm
Location: Nottingham, England/UK

Re: How to degraft?

Post by DaveW »

Not sure it is monstrose unless the original head was initially, since if it was it is reverting and throwing out a few normal heads which could simply be rooted down. In monstrose or cristate plants reversions should be removed as they grow at the expense of the monstrose growth.

If you want to retain the clump the best way probably is to cut off the Pereskiopsis about half to one inch below the graft, remove any leaves, allow it to callous and then plant burying the stock. Hopefully the stump will root and eventually the plant will root through the stump as it deteriorates. With stocks like Pereskiopsis it is often almost impossible to remove the old stock from within the scion, you just have to let it deteriorate and the scion root through it.

https://cactusglobe.com/tag/degraft/

http://forum.bcss.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=157266

https://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewto ... 4&start=15
absolute0
Posts: 103
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2016 3:33 pm
Location: Philippines

Re: How to degraft?

Post by absolute0 »

Thanks DaveW. Your instruction is pretty easy and straightforward. I was just wondering, C. humilis ssp. tenuissima supposedly grows a taproot but will degrafted specimen also grow one?

Now that you've mentioned it, I think some of the heads shown in my picture are normal. The one's behind are the ones with monstrose growth.
DaveW
Posts: 7377
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:36 pm
Location: Nottingham, England/UK

Re: How to degraft?

Post by DaveW »

Not sure. It is said with some Ariocarpus if they are de-grafted, or the tap root is cut off they do not grow again, but they seem to root and grow quite happily with a new fibrous root system.

Sometimes it can depend on the soil they are grown in. A friend some years ago did an experiment with some seedling tuberous rooted Eriosyce from the same region as your Copiapoa. He grew some in a peat or humus based soil and some in a purely mineral one. The peat based ones grew far more top growth, but remained fibrous rooted, whereas those in a mineral based soil produced far less plant above ground, but well developed tuberous roots below.

Perhaps that's why the Continental nurserymen use peat based composts, as unless they are carrots or potatoes you can't sell unseen roots, at least not on cacti, it's how much top growth showing above ground they can charge for.
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