Plant Propagation Technique
Grafting encompasses any process whereby a part (called the scion) taken from one plant, is made to unite with and grow upon another plant or part of a plant (called the stock). The scion may be a single bud, a small twig bearing a few to several buds, a piece of stem (as of a cactus), a terminal shoot (as of an evergreen), or a fragment of root of a desirable variety. The primary purpose of grafting is to either increase the chances of the scion’s making successful growth by giving it a new foundation in the form of a more vigorous root system than it had originally, or to change over the form, character, fruit-bearing quality, etc. of the stock plant or tree by substituting some other variety for its original top.
Grafting may also be used to create a tree or plant bearing two or more distinct varieties of flower or fruit. After the scion and stock have been cut and adjusted, they are tied into place after which the whole area of wounded surfaces is sealed with grafting wax, tape, or paraffin, which checks the evaporation of available moisture. As the two parts of a graft grow together they are said to form a “union”.
Many kinds of grafting are practiced by nursery growers for special purposes or with specific plants, but those best suited to the average gardener’s needs are whip, cleft, side and bridge grafting.
