Cactus Graft Updates: The Unity

Measure Of Success In Cactus Graft

How to  know whether the graft succeed?

• Scion is not turning mushy and rotting on the root stock

• Scion is becoming firm to touch from day to day

• Apical meristem shoot of the scion resume growth

• Emergence of pups or branching on scion especially mid or butt graft.

• Scion merges through plastic wrap.

Below are my recently grafted Echinopsis variegata on Cereus rootstock.

When is it suitable to remove the rubber band or wrap?

• I go with 2 weeks, as my climate is tropical and very wet.

• 1 week may be too early sometimes especially for large scion, they need more time to harden up and establishing better union.

• Too early and the graft may fail due to dehydration eventhough they are initially healthy after getting unwrapped.

• Too long and it may hurt from getting entangled or compressed. The risk of rot may increase too.

Below are my two weeks old grafts. I decided to extend the date for plastic wrap removal due to heavy rain. Other than heat, rain can cause the graft to fail due to rootstock too expanded from water intake or water seeping between the union. I decided to remove it next week.

This  grafted Coryphantha elephantindens is already 5 weeks old and has not been removed yet due to it sensetivity to heavy rain when grafted. Bear in mind, all of today grafts shared are grown outdoors. Having said so, I have removed rubber band long ago, so it was not tightened and breathe freely.

Regrafting Decision

Why do we even need to regraft?

• The stock is weaken or sick

• Scion overgrown and grow too slow

• Scion is weak or sick

• To replicate the scion

• Rootstock is too small and totally relies on support structure

• Aesthetical value of the scion as own root cactus.

The Echinopsis below will need bigger rootstock or grown own root layer on

Deciding GO or NO GO on dormant grafted scion

Sometimes we will end up with dormant or very slow growing graft.

What should we do? Regraft or left as it is?

I put 1 month to judge the success of the graft. If the scion is not getting firm yet not rotting either, I will look at the union. If they are not well well connected, I will regraft if scion is firm. If not, I reuse the rootstock on other scion.

Below are my Astrophytum asterias grafted to Cereus. They are slow but never stop growing during the early days.

The Trichocereus scion below are grafted on a reused Cereus stock that previously grafted with Astrophytum asterias.

Reasons for Failure

There are many, but mainly from bad union or scion / rootstock health before graft.

Fail to provided proper pressure can affect union formation. Use rubber or plastic wrap for best result.

So does the rootstock offsets that poke the scion off especially when the cut is not bevelled.

Rootstock will focus on offsets over scion, make sure to remove any offsets.

Weather plays big roles too, too hot and the cut will sunken. Too wet and rot comes right from the front door.

My advice is, do not stop at your first failure. Never stop even after the thousandth, study the mistakes and enjoy grafting.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers.