Rookie Trident grafting

[ragenmoan]

I have these 2 Tridents I'd like to attempt approach/thread grafting. I live in the San Francisco bay area (Mtn. View climate zone 9B). Seen a number of articles and still wondering the best time to attempt this, thread grafting in particular. Is it best to thread graft before the buds swell or later in the season after cutting off the leaves? The buds are quite large now so I'm leaning towards grafting later because sap is flowing and the dormant buds, at the trimmed leaf nodes can be threaded through a smaller hole. What would be the best time of the year for approach grafting? Is one method preferred over the other depending on tree age?

 

[vancehanna]

I’d do it now . Drill the hole(s) and pull the branch through... try not to knock off any buds but pull it snug so as to allow the thread to easily attach. Takes a good season and half...
good luck

I just yesterday performed two air layers on a Carpinus Koreansis and will post some images at some point.

 

[MrWunderful]

Now. I live just up 280 from you, and am currently working in sunnyvale.

My tridents are just starting to push.

 

[Dav4]

You need to do the thread graft before the buds swell. Otherwise, you've got to drill a significantly larger hole to pass the whip through without damaging buds. Approach grafts should be done either before buds start to move or after the first flush of growth has started to lignify.

 

[ragenmoan]

You need to do the thread graft before the buds swell. Otherwise, you've got to drill a significantly larger hole to pass the whip through without damaging buds. Approach grafts should be done either before buds start to move or after the first flush of growth has started to lignify.

The buds now are really getting big. I'm afraid the hole may have to be really big to thread the whip without damaging the buds. I saw a video where a trident was in full leaf when thread grafted. They cut off the leaves on the whip before threading it through a smaller hole. New leaves grew from the leaf nodes. Just wondering if the success rate would still be in my favor if I did this later.

 

[Dav4]

The buds now are really getting big. I'm afraid the hole may have to be really big to thread the whip without damaging the buds. I saw a video where a trident was in full leaf when thread grafted. They cut off the leaves on the whip before threading it through a smaller hole. New leaves grew from the leaf nodes. Just wondering if the success rate would still be in my favor if I did this later.

I have no idea as I’ve never done the procedure like that. For what it’s worth, I haven’t had great success using thread grafting on tridents and usually use approach grafting if it will give reasonable results.

 

[ragenmoan]

Oh, also, is it best to expose the cambium layer on the whip before threading it through the hole? I've videos I've seen did not do this. I suppose they forced the cambium layer to fuse together when the whip grew larger.

 

[MrWunderful]

Oh, also, is it best to expose the cambium layer on the whip before threading it through the hole? I've videos I've seen did not do this. I suppose they forced the cambium layer to fuse together when the whip grew larger.

Yes. Attempt to match the cambium on the branch to an exposed spot on the hole on the trunk.

And the other time to thread graft (when they cut the leaves off) is sometime after first flush has hardened.
If your buds have already swelled, you might want to wait.

 

[ragenmoan]

Yes. Attempt to match the cambium on the branch to an exposed spot on the hole on the trunk.

And the other time to thread graft (when they cut the leaves off) is sometime after first flush has hardened.
If your buds have already swelled, you might want to wait.

Was thinking the same thing. I think if I wait until the entire whip has hardened off, the little buds may already have a head start forming. I should probably start wiring and bending the whip close to where it needs to be before it gets too fat and brittle.