Grafting daphnes

[lily-anne]

Thank you for your reply,  Michael.
Wow! What a success!
I want to find out as much information as possible, so  I can try  grafting Daphne  next year.
Would you like to tell us your most important tricks for successfully grafting Daphne
Here are a few questions:
-What is the ideal moment?
-How do you do the grafting?
-is the ent still in winter dormancy and the rootstock  already in the growth or has this little importance
-How do you decide what you're going to do with the daphne: grafting or  take cuttings-

[ichristie]

Hello, first great work Michael very impressive collection. I will try and show again how I do Daphne grafts here all done this morning will show pictures as we go, I use Daphne tangutica and Daphne mezereum young seedlings as root stock all grown from our own plants with some seed from friends the plants I use today are first year seedlings potted in spring probably should wait for them to be bigger but I manage with great care.
What you need A good sharp blade I have Stanley knife blades a pencil and some small clothes pegs we found those in craft shops. Fist pictures show the plants  with the pencil placed behind the rootstock to avoid cutting fingers also sharp blade cheers Ian the Christie kind

[ichristie]

Last picture shows I have cut the top off the plant then we select our scions or small cuttings for me D tangutica is best for D. arbuscula and some forms of D x Suzanne D mezereum will work for most others and D longilobata for us is not good will not survive the winter here. Once we have removed the top we then with care cut down through the root stock, Take the Scion and cut the end with care on either side a triangle shape to leave a part of the cambium or outer skin, pictures,  Ian

[ichristie]

Once you are happy insert the Scion into the cut in the rootstock lace the small peg around your new graft, I have several propagators no heat just now write label for plant, place in propagator in a semi shaded place. I also put some fleece over if very hot. They will need around 6 weeks to take, keep watch every so often, very little water need maybe after 4 weeks remove the pegs if plants look healthy..... more pictures,  Ian

[ichristie]

Hello again a few more detailed pictures then some of our Daphne collection inside we also have many plants outside they seem to prefer a good deep raised bed or a trough which I will post later today,  cheers Ian the Christie kind

[ichristie]

A few more,

[ichristie]

More, Ian

[t00lie]

Great information and photos Mr Christie  . 

[lily-anne]

Thank you very much for the very clear and very in-depth report Ian!
What a collection! fantastic

[ichristie]

Hello thanks here is part two, growing Daphnes in pots, Compost mixes and Daphnes out side.  Compost mixes we buy John Innes no 3 sterilised loam mix then we add 3 to 5 mm grit and some Melcourt composted bark and a little bit of Pumice so here are first pictures,  Ian the Christie kind.   (Perlite would be o/k)

[ichristie]

Next,  a few cuttings in a home made propogator

[ichristie]

Next Daphnes in a sink recently planted I realise some people do not like the white quarts but for me I try something different, one odd Daphne Hans Bauer. Ian

[Michael J Campbell]

Nothing much I can add to that Lily-anne, Ian  has demonstrated it perfectly. I usually start in at the end of January to get a good head of growth before the winter and obviously I have to apply a little bottom heat at that time. It is preferable to have the rootstock started into growth at grafting time so you can bring them into the greenhouse a couple of weeks before. The scion should be dormant but
I don't think it matters that much provided it is not too soft. The decision of what to graft is made for you as it is usually the ones that are difficult to root from cuttings. Late Winter early Spring and Autumn for grafting and late Spring and summer for cuttings. My first cuttings were taken on the 25th of May this year but it depends on the season and which plants you are taking the cuttings from, some are ready before others.  That is really all  can add as Ian has covered everything else. Good luck with you grafting,it is easy.

[lily-anne]

Ian and Michael, thank you!
 Soon I will repot my seedlings of Daphne tangutica  so  they can be grafted in the spring.
I am eager to start.

[ichristie]

Thanks for the extra info Michael have never tried grafting so early weather here usually foul and yes we have a heated propagator anything I try gets either dried out or zapped by overnight frost maybe try again, cheers Ian