Simple cacti grafting

All about grafting. How-to information, progress reports, show of your results.
Loph
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Simple cacti grafting

Post by Loph »

i did this a little while a go and thought it may help people grafting cacti. let me know if you have any thoughts/comments....its certainly not detailed. but the goal was to make the process easily understood for anyone.


Grafting Cacti via. Flat Cut

Introduction

The main reason for grafting cacti, is to get faster growth. Some species are incredibly slow (and rare) and grafting is a good way to propagate them faster. It is especially useful when trying to obtain seeds.

Because grafting increases growth so much, it may also make the cacti scion (top) grow funny or unlike a seed grown plant. Some root stocks make the scion more "deformed" looking than others (Pereskiopsis is notorious for this).


Considerations

Before grafting one must realize there is risk in doing this. You are, in fact, cutting your cactus in half. There is the risk of them getting infected, or making a bad join and having the scion, or worse, the scion and rootstock, die. Be sure you are willing to risk your plants, and be sure you are ready to try grafting. Stay clean and work fast and steady and things should be ok.

Materials you will need

-A healthy actively growing rootstock

-A healthy actively growing scion of similar diameter

-Well lit, well ventilated workplace, a desk or table.

-sharp razor blade. Thin sharp blades work best.

-Rubbing alcohol 70%+

-Alcohol lamp and lighter (optional)

-Tweezers (optional)

-Tissue paper/cloth (clean)

-Plastic bag, 2 liter pop bottle etc...see "After Care"

-Rubber gloves


Image


Getting started

When all your materials are ready, it is time to make the first cut. You want to make sure that both the rootstock and scion are actively growing before grafting. First step is to cut the root stock. Cut it in a place that has grown this growing season, this will be softer juicier tissue...which is what you want. It is important to know that height is relatively unimportant. It is only useful to have taller stocks as that will absorb more light. Taller stocks, however, will pup much more and thus draw more energy away from the scion. What is really important is to choose a fast growing specie, and have a fat base. The fatter the stock, the bigger and faster the scion will become (in general).

Making the Cut

The first and most important part about grafting is keeping things sterile. We will only mention this once, so read it twice if need be. Use high proof alcohol (we use 95% ethanol) to sterilize all your materials. Knife, table, forceps, gloves etc. We often sterilize after each cut, but be sure to let the alcohol evaporate before cutting.

Once you have decided where to cut, cut the stock as flat as possible and place the top cut to the side (you can root it later). Once the top is removed, it is time to ct the ribs back a bit. You want to do this for a couple reasons. The main reason is, when the cactus starts to dry (callous) the inner flesh will shrink a bit as it dehydrates, while the skin will stay rigid. This will cause the inner part to sink while the outer edges (skin) stay high. This will ultimately lead to the stock separating itself from the scion. With the ribs cut back you are also cutting away the skin at the top of the root stock, allowing it to dry and shrink more evenly. You may also bevel the edges of stock and scion for an even better contact, but we often don't. It is, however, a good idea to always bevel the skin when grafting crests.

The other reason for cutting down the ribs a bit is to prevent it from sending out new shoots. Some cacti species like to send out shoots from the top, and because cacti ALWAYS have new shoots from where the spines are located, it is beneficial to remove the upper ones.

Now that it is been cut and the ribs at the top beveled there is one more cut on the stock to make. Cut a thin (1-5 mm) slice off the top and leave it on until you are ready to attach the scion to the stock. We do this because if the flesh starts to dry before the 2 cacti are connected, they may not heal together. we want them wet and juicy when joining them, that way when they dry they will dry connected together.

This process should look something like below.


ImageImage
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Once your root stock is cut, it is time to cut your scion. This is a much easier process. Simply cut the top off, making sure to leave some spines (areoles) on the roots so that the plant can make more shoots. If you cut the scion off the roots without leaving any spines, it will not be able to produce any new off shoots and will basically sit as is until death. We tend to cut the scion around half way up, but be sure to leave the scion thick enough to be grafted.

ImageImage

Joining them together

Both cacti are cut and it is now time to join them together. This step requires a steady hand, patience and speed. You do not want either of the 2 to start drying before joining them together (this is the reason for cutting the slice n the rootstock).

First take off the slice you cut on the rootstock. This should reveal a juicy fresh like cut that has not yet started to dry. You will notice a ring in the middle, this is like the water pipes for your house, these will deliver nutrients and water to your scion. You will also notice this on your scion (in fact all plants are like this, just look different depending what group). It is important to line these rings up when joining them together. If these rings do not line up, almost no water or nutrition will be passed from roots to scion, so it is important that at lease part of these 2 rings touch. See the diagram below.


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Once you have lined up the rings and placed the scion on top, press down lightly to try and remove any air pockets between the 2 cacti. Again, you want the 2 cacti to dry and heal together as one.
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Once you are happy with the join, take a piece of tissue or foam or similar (breathable) material and place over the scion. Use electrical tape to tape down the scion firmly to the stock (do not use much force or you may crush the scion). We use electrical tape because it is very stretchy and that is very important when grafting. Scotch tape, masking tape, packing tape are all useless with this grafting method. Some people also use string and weights, which is -ok- for smaller grafts. I find that with weights the chances or the 2 separating are greater. In my opinion, electrical tape is the best thing for medium to large cacti grafts.

Image


After care

Once the graft is taped together it is time to put it in a warm slightly humid place. Make sure it is clean, and not too bright. We often choose places that are dark and place a few fluorescent lights over top. EDIT Over the last year we have experimented a bit more and have found that higher humidity on larger scions tends to promote red rust. We have changed some things and watched the plants and have found that a shaded open area is much better for healing. Medium light (an open room or greenhouse) and lower humidity (40-50% roughly) works well and the risk of rust and rot went WAY down.

As for your cut top of the rootstock and the base of your scion, keep those. we dust those with sulfur powder so they dry flat instead of caving in. We root the top of the rootstock to use again as a grafting rootstock at a later time (once the roots on it are strong). The base of your scion is still alive and well and will only take time before putting out new shoots.

Here is the base of the cut scion of a Lophophora williamsii. Before and after being dusted with sulfur powder.

Image
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Last edited by Loph on Fri Oct 24, 2008 12:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Stephen Robert Irwin: 22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006. Rest In Peace.
MichaelCactus
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Post by MichaelCactus »

I read that website ;)
Thanks for that Loph, im really interested in grafting, once i get some stock im going to give it a try.
It will be a good experience ;)
Completely Confused, yet Completely Addicted.
Lewis_cacti
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Post by Lewis_cacti »

yes, very detailed description :wink: thanks loph. im still waiting to see if my loph. caespitose graft will take...
Lachy
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Post by Lachy »

Thanks man. Will definately have to try this sometime soon.
Mark
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Post by Mark »

That is well explained Loph. TFS. Plan on grafting this spring.



Mark
Loph
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Post by Loph »

thanks :) thats how i do 90% of my grafts and they rarely fail (now...). another point would be that different stocks like different humidity levels when grafting and longer/shorter times...hylocereus (for me anyway) likes high humidity for much longer than say myrtles or pedros.
Stephen Robert Irwin: 22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006. Rest In Peace.
Tony
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Post by Tony »

Thanks again Loph, :thumbright:
I too hope to be grafting all kinds of seedlings this summer, your explanations and pictures are great and will take alot of the experimentation out of it and will save many hours!!! I hope :lol:
Forget the dog...Beware of the plants!!!

Tony
Loph
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Post by Loph »

here is another did for grafting seedlings to pereskiopsis if your interested :)

there is also a good guide here on cacti guide.


Grafting Cactus Seedlings onto Pereskiopsis spathulata



Introduction

The reason for grafting can vary slightly, but it all boils down to faster growth. Grafting another cacti onto a different species is generally done for growth speed, flower production, or to grow plants with no chlorophyll (plants with no green cannot absorb light on their own). Any number of root stocks can be used but generally they need to be of a hardy nature, grow fast, and be able to resist stress (ie over watering, bright sun, dark shade etc...). Determining which root stock is best for which scion can often save you a headache later on down the road. Some root stocks are only good for smaller cacti, some only keep their stamina for a few years, while others may last for a very long time with good results. Pereskiopsis spathulata is mostly used for seedlings because it is amazingly resilient to rot, takes in water like a champion and is probably the fastest growing cacti around.

Considerations

Perhaps thinking about what you want to accomplish before you start grafting is a wise decision. Pereskiopsis spathulata is indeed an amazingly fast growing cactus. It is excellent for grafting many species, but it too has drawbacks. Over time it seems to loose it magic and slows down, this may take 2 yeas or 10, depends on your specimens and conditions. It is also a fairly small circular stemmed cactus, this may make it not so ideal, especially if you are wanting to graft larger specimens. We often use pereskiopsis for slow growing smaller cacti that we want to boost. This cactus is second to none in that it will make a seedling a 3 cm plant in one year with very slow growing species. But this insane growth is relatively short lived in some casses.

The reason for grafting can vary slightly, but it all boils down to faster growth. Grafting another cacti onto a different species is generally done for either growth, flowers production, or to grow plants with no chlorophyll. Any number of root stocks are can be used but generally they need to be of a hardy nature, grow fast, and be able to resist stresses. Determining which root stock is best of which scion can often save you a headache later on down the road. Some root stocks are only good for smaller cacti; some only keep their stamina for a few years, while others may last for a very long time with good results. Pereskiopsis spathulata is chosen mostly for seedlings because it is amazingly resilient to rot, takes in water like a champion and is probably the fasted growing cacti around.

Materials you will need

-A healthy actively growing rootstock

-A healthy actively growing scion of similar diameter

-Well lit, well ventilated workplace, a desk or table.

-sharp razor blade. Thin sharp blades work best.

-Rubbing alcohol 70%+

-Alcohol lamp and lighter (optional)

-Tweezers (optional)

-Tissue paper/cloth (clean)

-Plastic bag, 2 liter pop bottle etc...see "After Care"

-Rubber gloves

Image

Understanding the graft


There is really not too much to be said about understanding how a graft works. Think of it as water pipes to the top floor of an office building. You want the best most efficient water pipes around (rootstock) because your scions piping is not very efficient. So in order to make the graft, you at least need to attach these pipes together so they can begin. Failing to line them up well, will usually result in a slow growing or dead scion.

Image

When looking at a cut cactus you will notice inside there is a ring, or circle. These are the cambium tissue (water pipes), this is what you need to line up in order to get a good, fast growing scion. The more you line up the faster it will grow. Look at the drawing below. The green rings are your root stocks' water pipes, and the red ring is your scions' pipes. See how they can and cannot be lined up together.

Image

As well as more water getting to your graft, increasing growth, it is also beneficial to have increased energy going there as well. This is another area that Pereskiopsis is ideal as it has true leaves. This cactus can absorb quite a lot of sunlight due to its large surface area, so when you are grafting be sure to choose a fully leaved specimen, and take care not to break too many leaves off.

One last consideration is the fact that if you do not move quick the rootstock and/or scion might start to dry and heal its cut before you place them together. Drying will "close" the water pipes (like a cut that heals) and the graft may or may not fuse together. In order to ensure they are not dry, be sure to make the cuts last and work quickly afterwards. See more later.

Getting started

Before we start cutting open our cacti we need to understand one thing. Everything must be clean! There are mold spores in every crevice of our work station, and they are not going away. In order to help prevent infection later on we need to try our best at cleaning everything. To do this, alcohol (Isopropyl 70%+, Ethanol 70%+) is our weapon of choice. Alcohol of this nature is not for drinking purposes and can be quite unhealthy, so be sure to do this in a room that is ventilated, and be sure to wear gloves to prevent contact. You can either use straight alcohol and wipe down your knife/razor, forceps and table where you will be working. Or you can use an alcohol lamp (alcohol candle) to sterilize the metal objects like tweezers and knife. We use a tissue and wipe down the table and thoroughly clean the knife and tweezers right before cutting.

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Now we understand that the cambium tissue needs to line up together, we know that everything must be clean. And the rootstock or scion should not dry before placing together. Understood? Good.

Making the Cut

So we are all cleaned up, and understand about lining up the tissues. But there is one last hurdle that can mean success or failure. Dry cuts. In general the juicier the cacti the better. This means they must be actively growing (more juices flow to the top of the cactus). Non growing, non juicy plants, rarely take to grafts well. The other worry is that once we cut the cactus we take too long and it begins to dry, this is not good. Working steadily but quickly is the best way to success. But there are tricks. The most useful method we found was to make 2 cuts on the rootstock. First cut the top of the plant off. Then cut another 2mm slice on the top and leave it on the plant. The top of this spice will likely dry a bit, but under is still fresh and juicy. When your scion is ready you can simply pick off that slice and put the scion right on, as if you had just cut it. This will save time, and risk of bumping and accidents with knives etc. If it still appears to be dry then another method is often used. You can take a leaf, preferably a small lower one, and squeeze out some juice from the leaf to the cut, this will keep t moist for a little while longer, but is generally not needed given how juicy Pereskiopsis spathulata is.

Ok, we are armed and ready to start the cuts. It is a good idea to cut the root stock first. Remember to cut a slice that you will remove later. So continue to make a flat cut on the top of your plant. Try to find somewhere on the plant that is a little larger than your scions diameter. Once the top is cut continue to make your second cut on the rootstock 2 mm down, leave that slice on the rootstock with no air bubbles. Now move over to your seedling. Take your seedling and proceed to make a cut, I usually cut at the widest part. The seedling halves should both stick to your blade, which will keep them from air exposure and drying.

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Joining them together

Now the cuts are made. Either use your tweezers or fingers and get ready to move it onto the rootstock. Moving as quickly as you can (while keeping hand control) remove that 2mm slice from your rootstock and place the top half of the cut seedling onto the rootstock. Once it is on you have a little play time, but not much. Try your best to line up the tissues as discussed earlier. Once satisfied they are lined up, press down lightly to try and remove any air bubbles between the 2 cacti. air bubbles can lead to raised grafts, grafts that completely fall off or infection.

When using seedlings and Pereskiopsis it is not often needed to weight down the scions. Simply just stick them together and if the join is good they should attach no problem.

Image

After care

Well as you could imagine after being cut in half, they are rather susceptible to the outside environment. As they dry up it is essential to keep them in high humidity. Another reason Pereskiopsis is so handy is that you can keep them in very humid conditions for prolonged periods with no ill effects. Now the scion is firmly attached to the rootstock and you are happy. While the 2 heal together they must be placed inside a humid container. With 6" rootstocks in a 4" pot we use 2 liter pop bottles with the bottoms cut off. We choose this because they fit over the pots nicely and the top can screw on/off to control humidity. Many people use plastic totes, plastic bags, aquariums etc...it¡¦s all about preference. The main idea is to keep humidity around 80%+

Once the humidity area is chosen (we use plastic bottles inside an open aquarium) place the cactus inside. We keep all our grafts at 25-30 degrees Celsius. Every 2 days we take off the pop bottles and spray the inside with a fine mist of water and place back on top. This allows air exchange and high humidity. You want to avoid stagnant air, this will invite many types of bad news. After about a week we stop spraying water. After another 3 days or so we loosed the cap on the bottle, and 3 more days remove it. Depending how healed it looks we will remove the bottle completely about 14-18 days after the initial cuts and leave it in the aquarium which is about 60% humidity.

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Lighting: We find that the grafts do better when placed under artificial lighting while healing, nothing strong. We use 2 24" fluorescent tubes over a 29 gallon aquarium for all our Pereskiopsis grafts.
Stephen Robert Irwin: 22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006. Rest In Peace.
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hob
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Post by hob »

Loph, those are really great tutorials =D>

Daiv can we make this a sticky in this section, it would be a great shame if it slowly sank into the sunset :?

more grafting reference pages

how to graft on Opuntia compressa

CACTI ON VERTICAL STOCKS
By Irina V. Ovchinnikova, Ukraine


also on the same site see
Articles 2
Articles 3
Articles 4

for more on grafting

hob
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daiv
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Post by daiv »

hob wrote: Daiv can we make this a sticky in this section, it would be a great shame if it slowly sank into the sunset :?
Well for that matter, if the author agrees, I can add it to the "Cacti Articles" section above. That way it can be referenced with an easy link. What do you say Loph?

On the subject, I was going to mention this same thing to Ian. The artificial lighting question comes up often and it might be nice to be able to say, here, read this! Then he wouldn't have to repeat himself quite so much.

Darryl put quite a bit of work in his "tools of the trade" post -what say we immortalize it Mr. D?

I have also wanted to put something together on re-potting cuttings and other frequent subjects like that.

See what you started hob? :lol:
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
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hob
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Post by hob »

well ........go on blame me :P i just work here :P
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daiv
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Post by daiv »

BTW - I started a new discussion on the article topic here:

http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6824
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
Loph
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Post by Loph »

sounds like a good idea! those topics seem to pop up every day all over the net!

go ahead and use/edit mine as you see fit :) i can email you photos without the stamp on it later if you like :)
Stephen Robert Irwin: 22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006. Rest In Peace.
daiv
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Post by daiv »

No problem with the pictures. I can put a link at the end of the article to your site too.

Daiv
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Post by daiv »

Well obviously haven't made this an article yet, but did make it "sticky"! Thanks Loph!
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
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