My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

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Lolavy
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My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by Lolavy »

One of my Ariocarpus’ has been on a downward spiral after losing all its roots over the winter. I brought it inside and sat it in a bed of 1/8” pumice that I kept constantly moist. While it has been slowly growing new roots, the yellowing of the leaves has gotten worse.

Ariocarpus pre-surgery
Ariocarpus pre-surgery
IMG_8084.jpeg (180.6 KiB) Viewed 5955 times
Ariocarpus roots pre-surgery - 1
Ariocarpus roots pre-surgery - 1
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Ariocarpus roots pre-surgery - 2
Ariocarpus roots pre-surgery - 2
IMG_8083.jpeg (189.82 KiB) Viewed 5955 times
Meanwhile, I have a ton of Mexican Fest Post cacti that a friend gifted me last year that has been really thriving since the summer has gotten into swing in SoCal. Frank (@hanzano) said that it could possibly work as a grafting stock for a larger cactus, so I decided to try it. Worst case, I lose the Ariocarpus to rot or to my botched experiment. Best case scenario, I saved the plant from an uncertain fate, and finally know how I can put all my rooted cuttings to good use.

Ariocarpus post-surgery
Ariocarpus post-surgery
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Close up of additional cross section cut off before grafting
Close up of additional cross section cut off before grafting
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Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus
Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
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AirWreck
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Re: My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by AirWreck »

That's very interesting how the vasculature of the ariocarpus isn't a nice neat ring. I wonder how that affects positioning on the root stock when grafting to connect the vasculature of the two plants. Looks like the ariocarpus gives a wide range for error. Interesting.

Are you applying any downward pressure to keep the two in good contact?
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Hanazono
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Re: My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by Hanazono »

Did you get any results of the grafting?
My favorite cacti photos are in Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/146109677@N06/albums/
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Lolavy
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Re: My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by Lolavy »

@AirWreck I was also fascinated by the vasculature; these plants are so fascinating! The scion was pretty heavy (and I have no idea what I’m doing), so I didn’t put any additional weight. In retrospect, I probably should have tried to tie it down somehow. Instead, I put it in a large plastic, translucent container and kept the walls moist, airing out the container every day, for about two weeks. Since then, it’s been in a shaded corner on my patio.

@Hanazono No idea! It’s been outside in the shade for about a week. I have no idea how to tell if the graft worked or not. What do you think?
Attachments
Ariocarpus on P.Marginatus Aug 2024 - 1
Ariocarpus on P.Marginatus Aug 2024 - 1
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Ariocarpus on P.Marginatus Aug 2024 - 2
Ariocarpus on P.Marginatus Aug 2024 - 2
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Ariocarpus on P.Marginatus Aug 2024 - 3
Ariocarpus on P.Marginatus Aug 2024 - 3
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Hanazono
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Re: My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by Hanazono »

G'morning Lolavy,
@Hanazono No idea! It’s been outside in the shade for about a week. I have no idea how to tell if the graft worked or not. What do you think?
I think no one can tell currently. Please do not touch the scion until next spring.

Frank
My favorite cacti photos are in Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/146109677@N06/albums/
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Lolavy
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Re: My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by Lolavy »

Hi Frank,

I am continuing to leave the scion untouched, however, I noticed earlier today that the Scion appears to be growing roots.

Ariocarpus scion growing roots
Ariocarpus scion growing roots
IMG_2024-08-24-212806.jpeg (150.74 KiB) Viewed 4017 times

Is this a sign of the grafts failure? :idea:
Last edited by Lolavy on Tue Aug 27, 2024 10:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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anttisepp
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Re: My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by anttisepp »

Probably "false" grafting, but best way to root precious scion. Marginatocereus isn't the best stock though.
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Lolavy
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Re: My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by Lolavy »

Thanks for reading my post! Can you help me understand — What exactly is “false” grafting? What makes marginatocereus not a good stock?

Thanks!
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anttisepp
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Re: My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by anttisepp »

False when only looks like grafted.
Too much to clarify.
You have made many mistakes at beginning but made this grafting - your own decision.
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Nino_G
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Re: My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by Nino_G »

Lolavy,
check your graft - try to remove scion from the rootstock. If it comes off easily then it's a failed graft (it looks like it is from your pictures). Good news is that your Ariocarpus started to produce it's own roots. I would place it on top of sterile sand (best to use sand sold in pet stores as "bird sand" or "bird grit" with addition of anise oil which is excellent antiseptic) and start bottom watering after 1-2 weeks in order to stimulate rootlets to grow.
Best regards,
Nino
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Lolavy
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Re: My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by Lolavy »

So I tried removing the scion from the stock, but it’s stuck on there pretty good, and I didn’t want to use force.

But should I just go for it if it’s a false graft?
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anttisepp
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Re: My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by anttisepp »

Please don't hurry if you don't want to lose your cactus. Ario hate hurry. :) If grafting sucseeded, ario will grow little by little (unlikely :( because you tried to graft its root but not stem); if not, plant will give new roots and it will be much safer to unjoin, to dry and then to plant in spring, after winter anyway.
(OMG it had so nice young roots needed only few support and care :sad10: ).
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Lolavy
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Re: My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by Lolavy »

@anttisepp Thanks! And I hear your frustration, and I share it with you. If I could go back, I’d probably have given it another month to see how the root regeneration was going before acting.

Before I did this, I had just lost a cactus that had also lost it’s roots over the winter, like this one did, to rot. In fact, I’d brought the two inside at the same time to put them under grow lights while sitting in a shallow dish of 1/8” pumice. The other cactus, a Notocactus Rudibuenekeri, seemed to also slowly be re-rooting, but then one day I noticed it seemed soft, and when I cut into it, the entire meristem was rotted through and there was nothing left to re-root or graft.

The Ariocarpus had also been under the lights for 3 months with minimal root re-growth, and the leaves kept getting more and more yellow and brittle. After the Notocactus died, I just decided to give the grafting a shot, in case there was rot I just couldn’t see. Now, knowing that there wasn’t, I regret it. In fact, when I saw the little hairy roots — a first — I almost didn’t go through with it. But without the knowledge I have now, I definitely would have regretted it way more if it ended up rotting away without me doing anything to save it.
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Hanazono
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Re: My first graft - Ariocarpus on Pachycereus Marginatus

Post by Hanazono »

You grafted a large scion onto a thick stock with just a humidity chamber. Since the shrinkage of both scion and stock are quite large, the method of humidity chamber can not compensate the shrinkage. You have to push the scion from top.

Since Ariocarpus have tubecles, put a cotton block on the top and you may use a counter weight.
Stock skin of 5~10 mm below from grafting face have to remove completely.
My favorite cacti photos are in Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/146109677@N06/albums/
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