Creating graft unions

[blumentopferde]

Hello!

I wonder if anyone of you has ever created graft unions himself.

I'd like to create graft unions from cuttings of a rootstock variety (don't know the variety, but probably 5BB) and a vinifera variety (don't know the variety either, probably Riesling) that grow on my property...

But I'm not quite sure how to do that.

I'd first take the cuttings from the rootstock variety and stick to grapeman's advice from his thread "wineyard from the beginning":
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f25/vineyard-beginning-grapeman-30613/

Can I just graft the rootstock cuttings after they've calloused?
Or will I have to wait for roots to form and graft on an established plant?
How about the temperature? I've heard that grapevines need a warm climate for successful grafting, but couldn't find anything more specific about that.

Anyone who knows more?

Best Regards,
blumentopferde

 

[grapeman]

Good luck with the grafting experiment. You probably can graft to the rootstock once it is calloused. I have never grafted grapevines myself but that is what I have done before with apples. I purchased rootstock wood just like you are talking about with the grapes. With them I made the graft to the rootstock with the scion wood and put in the fridge I had special for that until spring in a plastic bag with shavings in it. The graft union calloused over in there. When it got warm outside, I warmed up the rooting area with a heating pad and some soil in pots. After a couple weeks the rootstock had formed larger callouses so I set them out into a warn nursery bed. I had almost 100% grafting and rooting success.

Does anybody else have some advise for him? I'm not sure treating the grapes the same way would work.

 

[garymc]

I've tried grafting grape vines and apple trees. I think I might have tried peach trees, too. Not one single graft lived. I finally decided my time was worth the money to buy what I need. The next lesson I learned was to buy disease free tissue cultured plants when they're available.

 

[blumentopferde]

Thanks for your replies!

Seems like I'm left to make my own experiences!

That's my plan:
1. Put the rootstocks into soil
2. Heat the soil with a heating mat while ambient temperature is still low.
3. Graft the rootstocks as soon as they've calloused
4. Tape the grafting position
5. Cover the grafts to increase the ambient temperature
6. Hope for the best!

 

[blumentopferde]

Update:

I've ordered some rootstocks now:
SO4, Binova, SORI and 1616C

I've changed my plans: I don't want to graft them immediately but let them grow instead. So I'll have plenty of material for graft unions in the future.

This is the growing box, I made up:


The plan is to keep the cuttings there for a month or even more and wait until they form roots, then put the pots into a greenhouse to let the shoots grow. Could that work or am I missing something?

 

[grapeman]

That should work fine. Good luck with it and thanks for updating.