San Pedro cactus on Opuntia

[Driller64]

Well, I just finished surgery on the Opuntia. I used the Opuntia from my first attempt, the one where I used an extremely crappy knife and crushed all the seedlings, since it had sprouted a new cladode. I grafted one of my older San Pedro seedlings onto this new cladode. Now this where things get a little different. I sealed the graft in a plastic bag and sprayed some water in there for humdity, since I decided that the graft needs humidity in order to take. No weights at all. I hope this works!

[Driller64]

2 days in, still afraid that the plastic bag will sag and knock off the scion! Guess I should have put supports in :S

[Onzuka]

Is there a reason why you grafted onto the new cladode, rather than the more robust main Opuntia body?

Steve

[Driller64]

Is there a reason why you grafted onto the new cladode, rather than the more robust main Opuntia body?

Steve

Cause the new cladode is actively growing, while the main Opuntia body is all sliced up and thus does probably not have good sap flow.

[Driller64]

Day 3, so far so good. Still cannot stop checking the graft to see if the plastic bag sagged and knocked the scion off lol. Everything seems to be going well as the scion is not shriveling and is remaining plump. I think we may have a sucessful graft on our hands ladies and gentlemen

I am mostly going off what this page says since Valentino (that is his name, right?) seems to be the master of grafting on Opuntia: http://www.cactus-art.biz/technics/Graf ... y_step.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Onzuka]

I am mostly going off what this page says since Valentino (that is his name, right?) seems to be the master of grafting on Opuntia: http://www.cactus-art.biz/technics/Graf ... y_step.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've tried a few grafts using O. compressa and only had one of them succeed. I've read the website above times many and don't know how the guy does it. The one I succeeded with is making very slow progress and the scion is no bigger than it's contemporaries on their own roots. Unless things change, I'll stay with Pereskiopsis for starters and Harrisia for later on or bigger seedlings.

Steve

[Driller64]

Yeah, this is more or less just an experiment until my Pereskiopsis cuttings get a little bigger.

[Driller64]

Plastic bag came off today. The graft looks like it took to me. What's it look like to you?

[Driller64]

The scion appears to be shriveling. I sprayed some water on it in an attempt to save it, but I am not sure if that will work.

[Onzuka]

Try giving the scion the very gentle sideways pressure test. Even after 24 hours (on Pereskiopsis) you can tell with reasonable certainty whether or not they are affixed and have taken.

Steve

[Driller64]

The graft shriveled up and died. Oh well, at least I have Pereskiopsis now.

[Driller64]

Here is the scar left over after I removed the scion. Does it look like any fusion went on?