November 2019 Graft Updates: Why Do People Graft Their Cactus?

Echinopsis Variegata Graft Updates

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Why Cactus Grafts Are Performed

Before we go with the 'Why', lets get into the 'What' and 'How' first.

What is cactus grafting? 

Cactus grafting is defines as cactus propagation done by grafting, a process where a cut piece of one species is grown onto  a wounded piece of another. The grafted part is called a scion and the base or rooted part is called rootstock. 

How cactus grafting is performed? 

Basically, it involves the preparation of scion and root stock. Use very clean, sterile instruments when making cuts.

Choose healthy plants and prepare a scion. Cut off the top or at least first inch or more of the stem. Make sure the middle ring or vascular tissue is soft and not woody.

Then prepare the rootstock by beheading a cactus to within a few inches if the soil. Preferably the rootstock is also cut where the middle ring is still soft and not woody too.

Set the scion on top of the cut portion of the still rooted rootstock so both vascular cambium or middle ring are situated together.

Use rubber band or plastic wrap to hold the piece jointed as one. In about 2 weeks to a month, you can remove the rubber band or wrap off and the union should be sealed.

Grafted cactus care is similar to nor grafted one, but you need to put more concern on rootstock specification and needs more.

Here are some pictures to ease things up.

Graft #1

Step 1 Cut the rootstock

Step 2 Bevel the ribs

Step 2.1 Bevel all cut edges (optional)

Step 3 Cut the scion

Step 4 Match the scion x rootstock vascular tissue (middle ring)

Step 5 Hold the union with plastic wrap or rubber band

Graft #2

Step 1 Cut the rootstock

Step 1.1 Adjust the cut height to get suitable vascular ring size (large root stock options)

Step 2 Bevel the ribs

Step 2.2 Moisten the cut using leftovers or other cactus (optional)

Step 3 Match the vascular tissue

Step 4 Hold the union using plastic wrap

Step 4.1 Put extra pressure by applying rubber band

Now those are 2 of 10 grafts recorded yesterday. All grafts are done using Echinopsis variegata and Cereus rootstock. 

Why people graft their cactus? 

Generally, cactus graft is performed on various reasons such as to fasten the growth, growing rare and sensitive cactus on unsuitable environment, saving graft, cloning propagation and aesthetic value.

1. Growth booster

You can graft a month old seedling to a fast growing rootstock and get growth advantages over other seedlings. For example, Ariocarpus took 8 to 10 years to mature but seedling graft on Hylocereus or Pereskiopsis could make them reach maturity faster.

2. Flower early

Back to point number 1, faster growth means earlier maturity. My experience shows that Ariocarpus can flower as early as 8 to 12 months old on Hylocereus although they are smaller compared to what they should be to start flowering naturally.

3. Disease and rot resistance

Obviously, with suitable rootstock a cactus could grow better in wetter condition compared to own root. Thus, you have better option to water or fertilize more and  make better growth result.

4. Solving disability to photosynthesize

Common 'Moon Cactus' are products of extensive breeding to produce pure red or yellow cactus that can't live on their own due to insufficient chlorophyll. Grafting allows fully or partially variwgated cactus grow healthy and bigger.

5. Creating or maintaining unique formes. 

Crested and monstrose are rare formes seek after by collectors. Grafting may induce these formes especially on extra fast rootstock. But cactus with this forme are preferably grown on a slower rootstock to prevent reversion.

6. Aesthetical value

Cactus grafted on rarer rootstock hold additional value. Some grower grafted on rare Myrtillocactus forme while others grafted on variegated rootstocks.

7. Cloning and replicating

Just what I have shared above, you can replicate scion into more clones by grafting. Top, middle, butt and slab part of cactus scion are usable to be grafted. I even graft other rootstocks to fasten their growth and numbers before using them as rootstock later on.

Last 2 weeks graft update

Let the pictures speak

Thanks for reading

Happy growing

Adieu

November 2019 Cactus Update: Parcel Full Of Echinopsis Variegata Babies

Buying Cactus Online

Another Echinopsis Variegata Bought This Week

Today topic is about buying cactus online, may sound like an old news but my countrymen are badly struggling with cactus sale lol. 

Long story short, people still mentally restricted to buying cactus locally or though nursery walk-in and distrust online sale especially international sale platform.

How did this happened? 

I'm not a specialist in market studies and economic analysis but it is kind of obviously part of these reasons:

1. Insufficient knowledge on setting up account and buying online using Paypall and Western Union, the two methods are the most common in Asia at least. 

2. Felt that foreigners very likely to scam, we all have been there where our Yahoo mail was spammed with scam investment email right?  But that was 10-15 years ago. 

3. Language barriers are obstructing any communication with outside world. Heck, even English proficient buyers are still scared to try eBay too. Cuz even eBay have German or Dutch seller who cant write in English. 

4. Law requirements in export also hinder them from buying outside. Sad truth is, many countries come with lazy import customs and small cactus parcel get through easily, especially my country. So whats the big deal. 

5. Price can be another reason too, depending on what you are looking for; it might be out of range. But if you look enough, eBay and Amazin offer cheaper options shipping included compared to local sellers. 

6. Fail to win a bid. Failing too much made some of them reluctant especially when you lose right on the very last second. 

7. Last reason I could think off is bad past experience. It is same whether you buy through eBay, Amazon, Lazada or Facebook, getting scammed obviously going to leave a bad aftertaste. 

Is it ok to buy cactus online through eBay,  Amazon, Shopee and etc? 

If you ask me, everything is ok as long as you put some effort reading sellers term and condition, check seller's customer feedback and only buy through proper platforms. I always go with eBay due to  their larger cactus selection.

Bidding is very common and I only put what it really worth to me, dont succumb to the temptation of winning too much.  There are always another cactus for sale later on. 

Same with all other platform, if you are new then do 'Acid Test' by buying cheap things first. You should do the same to test your import custom too lol. 

But beware, international trade usually takes from 2 weeks to 5 weeks to get the parcel from payment date. This is no where as fast as buying from your Facebook seller that live 100km from your backyard. Having said so, cactus could withstand 6 weeks with no problems unless it was already half toasted or sickly rotting. 

How come my cactus bought from Taiwan and China rot in shipment or 1 weeks after repotting? 

Now that is a crappy luck to be honest. 

My oppinion is that you or your sellers might be buying a big ass number of cactus through proper channel and the parcel is sent by sea channel instead of air freight. Take longer trip than what you really need to, and the cactus inside will get 'toasted'. 

If you bought from someone who get mass shipment from China or Taiwan (yes, they are closer to us than Poland but I get my stuff under 4 weeks lol), they usually sort out healthy and rot cactus. The healthy one might in the risk of delayed rot issues due to overexhaustion from long journey. 

Now, no wonder people are scared of buying online. 

My advice, buy it your self in small number unless you are a trader. You get better price and they are healthy. If you are a trader, smuggle from Thailand at your own risk. 

I thought the cactus bought this time was with healthy root, sadly it doesn't has any root but weirdly cut off a different stump. 

This is the case of buying grafted cactus. Not everyone equip themselves with knowledge about agriculture, heck even agronomist doesnt learn about cactus because it wasn't in the main stream. 

Grafted cactus grow faster because it was grown using a fast growing cactus as a rootstock. Thus they are cheap. Some seller sell degrafted cactus and other will reroot them first. Some classical grower sell own root cactus, but they are expensive and not as tolerant as grafted one. 

My advice is to buy grafted cactus with rootstock if you can. If you know how to take care of them, buy degrafted unrooted one. I always buy degrafted cactus and know well of the risk. If you can't think much, buy cactus with roots

Back to Echinopsis variegata that I just receive, is it healthy?  How much is it? Where do I get it from? 

Simple answer is I bought that Echinopsis (tons of them lol) online through eBay from a Thailand grower for RM40-50 Including shipping and arrived in 3 weeks. 

Let the pictures speak. 

Comes with a great packaging services and beautiful Echinopsis. Man, I cant wait to graft em all. 

Stay tune, I will update my previous Echinopsis graft next. 

Thanks for reading, 

Cheers. 

November 2019 Cactus Updates: Astrophytum Myriostigma Fukuryu

Why Do I Love To Collect Astrophytum myriostigma Fukuryu?

Today I would like to share my new A.  myriostigma Fukuryu. Bought through eBay, it was originated from China and a degrafted Astrophytum. 

At the moment, China made cactus is receiving a not very warm welcome from some grower in my country. Generally, there is a mixed views between locally grown vs China vs Thailand. That also includes own root vs grafted. 

As an Agronomist, I never bother much by this because I choose what to obtain based on these reasons. 

1. Price 

Buying things online can be really expensive, I always watch for the currency of any listed cactus when surfing on eBay. That includes the shipment cost too, European, America and Australia cost more than China and Thailand; I will buy something really worthy if it came from these region. 

2. Rarity

China and Thailand are really good with mass producing grafted rare cactus, I always look from them when looking for cheap bargain. Rare cactus usually come with one of both of these characters namely price and difficulty to grow. Grafted cactus are more resilient and cheaper. 

3. Health

I always choose the healthiest cactus. Obviously, you can see wheather the cactus have been dried or removed from the pot for a long time or not. Sometimes, its about experience too, when you know your seller well, its kind of good product will get returning buyer. 

4. Size

I see size as how much I paid will worth it. Generally, bigger and cheaper is best of all combination. If it involves bidding and lots of cactus at same time, I will go for the bigger one. 

5. Period of shipment

The longer the cactus in shipment, the lesser their health is. It is related to country source and quality of product. Living in Asia, I will get better product from closeby countries, but any shipment lesser than a month is good to me. Dutch and Poland offers around 2 weeks shipment to me, and they are also cheap.

6. Purpose

I have 3 main purpose which are to graft as scion, to be replicate and used as rootstocks and to breed. Good trait and healthy plant will be grown and used for crossing. Small and cheaper cactus usually for grafting. 

Now, getting back to our main topic, I have a small number of cactus collection but putting a belief that they will grow in number later on due to my bad spending on cactus, flower crossing and grafting. 

I have collected 2 similar Fukuryu before this, there are other fukuryus as well but only two are similarly looking like this. 

Here is the link to my previous post about my Astrophytum collection.

#1

#2

They are distinctively come in attractive bright color and prominent inter ribs growth that resembles carambola or star fruit. 

I bought them all in order to make future cross and select their inter ribs growth traits and hopefully get something similar to A.  myriostigma Karina Keel Crested Fukuryu. 

Here is the picture of A. myriostigma Karina Keel Crested Fukuryu from Llifle website for reference. 

Source <Astrophytum Karina Keel Crested Fukuryu Llifle>

In conclusion, I really fond of Astrophytum species and among their variant, fukuryu is the one I love the most. 

Thanks for reading, happy growing guys! 

Adieu.