North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Mark Lee" <piper3@uswest.net>]

I have used electrical tape for many years when doing grafts of 
apple.  I would typically have 80% of the grafts take.  One problem 
with the tape is when it is removed, the adhesive stick too well to 
the bark, and strips off a chuck of bark from the graft, killing it.  
When I leave the tape on, it girdles the branch and restricts 
development.  Two seasons ago I started using parafilm.  I hold the 
grafts together with budding rubbers and cover them with a single 
layer of parafilm.  Parafilm is easy to put on, and since it has no 
adhesive, it is easy to remove, eliminating my tape-related 
problems.  I did 10 grafts last year, with about 3 taking but 
eventually drying out.  This year I did 30 grafts, with about 5 
taking, but these too look like they will dry out and die also.  With 
parafilm it looks like I will have no success with 40 grafts over 2 
seasons.

Two things other than parafilm changed in the last two seasons, so 
parafilm may not be the cause of my failure.  Change #1: All of my 
scionwood was obtained through the mail, while previously I got the 
wood fresh locally.  Change #2: The rootstock was obtained through 
the mail, and the roots were not very abundant.  The roots planted 
this year are putting out lots of leaves below the graft, but above 
the graft are dried scionwood.

For those of you having success with parafilm, any advice for me?  
Any suggestions or comments?
Thanks,
Mark Lee in Seattle


 

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