|
Two Methods of
Grafting (with or without cover bag)
method 1: Cleft Grafting with Bag Covering of Ficus microcarpa Bonsai
You should be aware of two things before grafting trees that contain much sap
like Ficus microcarpa:
1. Keep the root stock out of water for two to three days. When there is less
sap and the leaves become soft, you can cut the branches
and leaves for the grafting.
2. Choose the scion from a tree that has been proved to be a better species
through long-term testing. The leaves should be small, smooth, and bright with
short internodes.
Take off the scion when its bud tip stops growing and leaf is fully grown.
|
|
(1)Cut the grafting part with a small saw.(Sep 02,2002)
|
|
(2)Smooth the kerf and split it with
the sharp burin. |
|
 
(3)Insert the scion of a better species at the cambium layer. |
|
(4)Tie it with electric isolation tape (tape is better than rope, for
its flexibility). |
|
(5)The grafted tree |
|
(6)Place it in shade, cover with transparent bag and wait for sprouting. |
|
(7)The scions sprouted after 14 days,
and it proved that they had survived after grafting. |
|
(8)I opened the bag bit by bit eight
times in four days to let the tree adapt
to the air outside, 19th of September, 2002. |
method 2: Without
cover bag:
Years ago this new method was introduced from pear grafting; people
apply it by using plastic film, which is particularly used for grafting,
to wrap the combined part directly and place the tree in shade instead
of covering a bag (The detail of the method is explained in Pictures 3
to 7). This method also has a very high success rate.
|
|
 (a,
b): Choose scions of better species.
(c, d): Remove the leaves and keep the bud points, and then cut two thin
layers on the scion. One is longer (c), and another is shorter (d).
(e): Side view of the scion that is ready for grafting
Choose a proper area on the rootstock for grafting; use the saw to cut
it off and smooth the kerf with a sharp knife.
|
|
Use the plain knife to split the area that is to be grafted. |
|
Make sure that the cambium layer of rootstock is joined to the cambium
layer of scions. Then, tightly bind the scion and the rootstock together
with electric insulation tape (see the red tape in Picture 6) and cover
the scion with plastic film. |
|
If you apply the second method, keep the bud points but leaves. Stretch
the plastic film to cover the grafting parts in the condition that the
plastic film is not torn. Do not wrap more than two layers of the
plastic film because the new buds will not break through if the wrapping
is too thick. When the grafting is finished, place the tree in shade
instead of covering a bag. |
|
|
