Grafting
So, you say you want
a challenge? One of the most difficult methods of plant propagation
is grafting, or the combining of two plants so they join and grow
as one. This method of propagation is almost universally used in
the creation of fruit and nut trees, as it shears years off the
time it would normally take for the trees to begin producing quality
fruits and nuts.
The basics: Most grafting
takes place between members of the same species, although sometimes
you can get away with grafting in the same genus (ex. peaches on
a plum tree). The bottom (stock, or rootstock) and top (scion) meet
at a point called, appropriately, the "union." There are
many, many different types of grafting, among them veneer grafting
and chip budding.
The not-so-basics: The
term "surgical" is usually somewhere near whenever "grafting"
is mentioned, and with good reason. This is a difficult propagation
method, requiring proper timing, tools, and expertise - three very
good reasons why grafted plants are usually so expensive in garden
centers. Still, it isn't brain surgery, and a good reference book
should be sufficient for one willing to take on the challenge.
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