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Impale side graft… if you don’t over fertilize you can get pretty mature looking own root grafts. Hopefully more people start trying and perfecting this graft so that certain cactus prices go down especially in the states.

The roots on the scion will grow as long as you continue watering it as well and not just the stock…

You should use prerooted stocks since laying on side will cause slower rooting due to auxins not flowing correctly. I was gonna only release this video next year after having enough video content of before and after however since most growers (northern hemisphere) are now starting their growing season I decided to share early. I plan on sharing more tips that many people don’t tend to share unless specifically asked. Most content I will do in a post and share updates since it will take months for proper content

Hopefully some growers here will attempt this with different stocks and share results. You can even make a nice profit considering current market. When degrafted the small union will “disappear” after a short time.

From my experience you do not need perfect overlap with stocks that have LOTS of areolas since most of the flesh actually have vascular bundles. The importance of vascular ring overlap is with more mature cacti and those that have large spacing with areolas.

If the scions vascular ring isn’t reached I’ve still had increased growth rate but after a while it stops.

You can do larger approach/impale grafts to make sure vascular overlaps happen and considering the size of the cacti after a year or two grafted it will be a small blemish similar to removing a pup.

G'morning Latebloomer,

When degrafted the small union will “disappear” after a short time.

I believe this description comes from the actual result.

In a normal seedling grafting, the union penetrates into the scion deeply and you have to make a large hole on the scion to remove union completely.
"small union will disappear" is very nice.

Frank

I think this has to do a lot with how we remove offsets and force the main head to be the only apex. Then as time goes by the scion starts to even envelope the stock due to weight and the union needs to become even larger to transfer sufficient nutrients.

After a year if I have enough successful grafts I’ll cut on horizontally to see how the vascular union and main tap root form connections


I pretty sure that other grafting methods may help reduce this but will be harder to achieve comparatively to a simple flat top graft and will also yield slower results since not all the energy will go to the scion. But maybe allowing stocks to grow freely? If main goal is flowers you may not care the same as if goal is mainly larger scion and such.

I enjoy experimenting so if I come up with a good method I’ll share it eventually…

With this impale graft I did it 6-7 years ago when I had a larger collection in the states before having to sell all and am just sharing now since my plans changed. the amount the graft union enters the scion may also be dependent on the stock. I’m not entirely sure.

Another method I’ll share is how to graft small seedlings directly onto large stocks skipping pereskiopsis. Some people already know how but most don’t.

G'morning LateBlomer,

the amount the graft union enters the scion may also be dependent on the stock. I’m not entirely sure.

Pereskiopsis and hylocereus were deep.
H. Jusbertii and Echinopsis are shallow.

I thought your reference was hylocereus species.

Frank

Selenicereus sp but I’m sure any species will work however with varying degrees of success… I got a cutting of those mini opuntia sp and will use that for variety. Temps already dropping here so successful grafts will start dropping abit.

The more people attempting and sharing results with different stocks the better.

So I posted an update on a few lophophora I used this technique on...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TC3eDpCGBg

at 4 minute mark is the best example of the expected results using impale/side grafts on seedlings. If you have excess taproot seedlings perfecting this technique is a great idea. Using more organic soil and larger stocks then I did here have better results. The ariocarpus seedlings I recorded showing the technique didn't survive but I'll make another video in the future showing the technique again.

I have a few other grafting ideas that I'll be sharing in new couple of weeks which I've never seen commented on.

It reminds me 'tongue approach grafting' for melons https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1257 when both scion and rootstock growth on own roots first time after graft union but you apply it for cacti. Amazing. I want to try this too.