first grafting attempt

Hi all,

Help!!! I just got a wonderful root stock plant from Patrick to try to graft my Silver Memories cutting I got from Dee. Thank you both, you are so generous! I cut the root stock in a bunch of pieces and stuck them in dirt as the plant was huge! (cutting off my knuckle in the process) Im all stiched up and now want to give it a go. Questions:

1: The SM cutting is much skinnier then the root stock base. Should I graft it to the rooted base anyway? Or should I graft it to one of the cuttings I made out of the root stock plant that is the same diameter (although it is not yet rooted)?

2: I don't have the proper tools. Chris sent me a link to a video that Dick Johnson did on grafting. Very informative! He didn't use wax or any tools that is suggested. He said you can use plumbers teflon tape and a clothes pin. I went to the hardware store and bought just that. Being my first time, do you think I should use a box cutter, plumbers tape, & a clothes pin? Or should I wait and use the wax?

3: I also lover the grafting tool Dick used in his video. It cost $70, does anyone know of a good source that sells these cheaper? Or does anyone have a used one they would like to sell to me?

First is a photo of cutting and rooted root stock

Here is a photo of SM cutting next to all the cuttings I made of the rootstock plant

You should graft the cutting onto the root stock plant. I do not think the cutting will graft onto the new cuttings from the root stock plants since they're not rooted/established yet. The "Silver Memories" cutting wouldn't take and would just dry up an die.

There isn't a right or wrong answer regarding what tools to use when grafting. Any kind of sharp knife will work. I use a Swiss Army knife. You can use any kind of elastic tape, or even string to hold the grafted section in place. It's also a good idea to use some type of wax around the finished graft to keep moisture/bacteria formation out of the fresh graft. Any kind of wax, even candle wax, will do the trick.

Here's a link from You Tube showing the grafting process. The video is from a meeting of one of the Florida Chapters of the American Hibiscus Society.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0JftMnUpeo

Jon

Thank you Jon! Going to give it a go right now!

Kristen how does one know which hibiscus will root without grafting and which won't?

Karen, You can either find out from everyone here, or by reading online. A lot of times, HVH website says whether it can or not. But best way is to ask our friends on DG, they always know.

Here is the turnout! Did I cover too much? Since it was a small cutting, I did a side graft. I wrapped it in the plumbers tefflon tape and then put wax over everything. OK?? I hope I didn't get too carried away. How long does this usually take to form a bond?

Kristen may I have the link to the Dick Johnson video please? I tried to Google and couldn't find it..

Try this:

http://www.internationalhibiscussociety.org/wmvfiles/MOVIE8....


I dont know what the ... at the end means. Let me know if it works.

As long as you grafted it correctly, and its fairly tight, it should be alright. Not sure if you need the clothes pin there or not. If the tape is tight, the clothes pin may just be excess. Now it's just a wait and see thing which can take 4-6 weeks. If the graft was successful you will eventually see new growth/foliage appearing on your "Silver Memories" cutting. If the graft doesn't work, no new growth will appear. We've all had some grafting failures, especially initially, so don't worry about it. The good news is that the root stock plant would be reusable. You could try to graft a new cutting on the same root stock plant.

Most hibiscus will root on their own. There's really no way of telling, in advance, without just giving it a try.

Jon, do people graft because it's faster gratification of sorts and they don't have to wait on roots to form on a cutting? Does the grafted plant bloom quicker than one started from cuttings? Just curious

Most people try to grow from cuttings because finding inexpensive root stock plants isn't easy. There are no online retailers that sell inexpensive small sized root stock plants. It seems like you have to do some "networking" to find them or you have to buy a larger root stock type plant and build your own supply through cuttings.

"Yes", grafted plants grow faster and initially bloom faster. They're grown on root stock plants that have proven themselves to be good growers with good root systems. Grafting also eliminates the doubt, in regards to whether a plant will grow/grow well on its own roots.

Some people feel that grafted plants also perform and bloom better after the first couple of years. A couple hybridizers I've talked to feel the plants grown on their own roots are only productive for a couple of years. They feel they don't grow and bloom as well after year two.

Thank you Jon for your detailed explanation....It finally all makes sense to me now. When searching for some hibiscus acetosella I wanted to buy I was researching a webstore called Glasshouseworks.com.......they carry Pride of Hankins for $8.50, although it is a starter size...the website states:

"Unless specified, we ship established starter plants typically in 2 3/4" to 3 1/2" plastic pots;".

I've read good reviews about them, so may buy one to get more established with cuttings and try my hand at grafting.

Do it Karen!! After all we are doing this together remember. First the cloning, now the grafting, we will figure it out together! And with the help of Jon... Chris... and all the other wonderful people out there willing to help of course. :)

Is a specific root stock plant best or any plant that grows a large root ball for grafting will do. I have been wanting to try grafting but felt "I just didn't know enough". Bulpit007, what plant was used for the root stock?

Peg she used Pride of Hankins

Thanks for that answer.....so you must use a hibiscus root stock?

Yes Peg, as far as I know it has to be hibiscus root stock.

I sure wish there was an online source where we could buy cuttings just for grafting/rooting! Wouldn't that be awesome!!!!

FYI you can get free seed from the International Hibiscus Society as well if you join...may as well try three forms of propagation while you're at it :-)

Dee! How was the open house?? And I would love to try.

Thanks guamsorbit. Everyone is just full of so much knowledge. I could spend hours just reading all the possibilities.

Does any of you have the cajun hibiscus with varigated flowers. The blooms aren't much, but mine is doing well. Hope it will survive the winter in the greenhouse.

I have a Cajun Blue that hasn't flowered yet, but has had a bud on it for about 2 weeks now. Why? Do you want a cutting?

I was just wondering what you thought about yours. The flowers on mine are red singles. I learned it must have sun to bloom. Doest that mean they also come in different colors?

This is what variety I have, and where I got it from. I'm not sure about varigated.

http://www.logees.com/prodinfo.asp?number=R1877-4

There are a lot of hibiscus in the Cajun series, all different colors. Here is a site that has pictures of a bunch of them although there are probably more too http://www.sunfirenurseries.com/pg/2291/ProductCategory/2/default.aspx

Peg, I have a bunch of Cajuns but I'd think with you being in LA you'd have tons to choose from in local stores...what do you have?

Woops! I said varigated flowers but should have said the leaves are varigated and not the flower.
I belong to the Master Gardners. We had the opportunity to visit a Cajun Hibiscus grower in Plaquemine, LA. He is only a wholesaler though. The web site should be Dupont Nursery. That's where this varigated leaf hibiscus came from. Hopefully we will be able to obtain varigated leaf and varigated flowers for our next sale in the spring. We are raising money to build a greenhouse.

We've had a couple of co-ops that featured Dupont's plants here on Dave's. That's where I got most of my Cajuns.

Hi Kristen,

How is the graft doing, does it look like it is taking?


Patrick

Patrick, so far so good. It is still green... no new growth as far as I can tell. I will look on Saturday and report back when I get home from vacation. I hope so! You all were a ton of help, thanks so much!