Like Ginda, I had my rubber bands give up the ghost early this year. I was
surprised to think they would deteriorate so fast from just sunshine. Air
pollution can do it though, we used to live near a coal burning plant, and
rubber bands indoors, that never saw the sun, would only last about 6
months. My rubber bands could have been "pre-aged" sitting in the cardboard
box they came in during grafting season a year ago.
Also, much to my surprise, I did not have a single chip bud or any other
bud take this year, only my grafts. Donna TN z6