MHBonsai
Chumono
I found this video and it was an eye opener for me. Thought I'd share for non-spanish speakers. He tells a story here of grafting as efficiently as possible, and how to maximize time. The message I took - when you identify the need to graft (typically approach grafts), bring your approach branch into place via wire, and keep it connected to the main trunk, without grafting first and let the branch grow established into it's location + size. Months/years later, after you have ramification happening and it's developed enough to fit the silhouette and has good light - that's when you cut-in the approach graft.
I've always done the opposite - I identify the need to graft in a spot. Then I cut in a tiny approach graft. Once it connects, separate from the main branch and then slooowly the branch develops off the newly grafted connection. Takes forever because the graft is trying to establish itself and 'replumb' it's connection to the roots.
Example:
This ficus, I felt like it needed an extending branch on the right. So, I grafted in a small scion graft, with hopes of developing into the blue lines below.
It was successful, and I let the graft run, it's the little scion, yellow below. Covered and shaded by the other branches.
It grew eventually - but it took forever to thicken and I lost a LOT of time/development keeping the top branches cut back and keeping light on it.
If I was going to do it again - I'd let one of the first sacrifice branches run wild, and wire it tight to the trunk on the back - thickening the main left branch as it runs (win). Get it into the sun on the right side of the tree and start developing it in place. I could have kept developing the rest of the tree and saved easily a year of time, instead of waiting for the tiny graft to grow through the shade.
Hopefully that's helpful to someone else - it was a big lightbulb moment for me.
