Bark Grafting Demonstration by Mark Crawford
Bark Grafting Demonstration by Mark Crawford
View a bark grafting demonstration by Mark Crawford of Loch Laurel Nursery. Late Summer is the best time of year to bark graft!
Benefits of Bark Grafting
- Graft can be done during time of the year when plant is actively growing and the bark is slipping on the rootstock
- More cambium to cambium contact between scion and rootstock
- Faster healing
- Great way to fix failed cleft grafts so year is not lost
Tips and Techniques
- Scion must be fully mature (ripe), i. e., flower bud should be present on the scion
- Best time of the year for bark grafting is July, August and September
- Co-Flex wrapping tape can be purchased at Feed & Seed stores and some drug stores - Co-Flex is widely used as a compression bandaging product
- A budding knife with a copper bark lifter works best to lift the bark from the stem and helps to prevent spread of disease
- Cover graft and monitor as you would with a conventional graft
