Grafting conifers Grafting for commercial purposes takes years of experience but that’s not to say you can’t be successful at home. For best results, keep your equipment clean and remember that aftercare is just as important as the graft, if not more so. 1 In winter, while the plants are dormant, select your scion material for cutting. Choose fresh, healthy growth about 10-15cm long and the thickness of your little finger. Cut with clean, sharp secateurs. Place in a plastic
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bag to conserve moisture if not grafting immediately. 2 Clean your understock or rootstock (these can be bought separately and are generally seed-raised plants of the same genus that are around two years old). Remove the lower branches
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to make space for the graft and cut back heavy top growth to minimise water loss. 3 Having selected a piece of your scion material, which is slightly thinner than the understock, use a grafting knife to expose the cambium (the ring of growth cells
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between the wood and the bark), leaving a flat, cut surface down the length of the stem about 2.5cm long. 4 Make a ‘matching’ cut on the understock and bring the two pieces together, positioning them so the
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cambia of the rootstock and scion are aligned. 5 Tie firmly with grafting tape. Water well and place the grafted plant under plastic sheeting to ensure it’s kept humid. Check daily for temperature and ventilation until, in late spring, the graft
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becomes calloused and buds appear on the scion material.