Benchgrafting masterclass with Sam Gallivan in Prop, this is also known as Side Veneer grafting.
This done during dormant season, where a scion is grafted to a rootstock. Usually plant has to be of the same genera though things like pears for example are often grafted onto quince rootstock. The reasons for grafting are if plants can't be reproduced by any means, a quicker way of getting a bigger plant sooner and to obtain desirable characteristics of the rootstock e.g. dwarfing form, keeping a cultivar true etc.
We practiced on sticks first then did it for real on Liquidambar styraciflua 'Woodleigh'. We take a scion no more than pencil thickness (if too thick it is harder to cut). Then we have to make a sloping cut, preferably behind a bud at the end of the scion, the cut has to be approx. 1 inch long - a wedge cut. The key is to keep the cut as straight as possible and to not have any dips, this is achieved by using the whole length of the blade and slowly sliding the knife downwards. Obviously a good well sharpened knife would help.
Then you make a corresponding cut around the same length of the scion cut on the rootstock, gently sloping inwards. Then do a cut at the bottom of this cut, so that there is almost a mini lip. Then place these together, use a special rubber band to bind these together, then paint over with wax. The idea is that both will form a callus which will intermingle, and then a new cambium and secondary xylem and phloem forms to connect them both together. These are kept in a cool unheated house, consistently watered but not too much - otherwise the join will split. Union should occur in three months.
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| Photo 1: After rootstock and scion is cut, put together bound by special rubber band and painted over with wax to help keep them together. |
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| Photo 2: Successful union of Acer shirsawanum. |