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Graft after-care

September 20, 2013 by Jonas Dupuich

This past spring, I grafted shimpaku foliage onto a Utah juniper (see “Grafting Utah juniper”). While getting the grafts right is important, I’ve learned from past experience that the after-care is just as important. Some simple takeaways – don’t open the bags too quickly; open a little bit at a time; leave the tie at the base of the graft alone for the first year.

Getting the timing right for opening the bags depends on the time of year the graft was made and the speed with which the scion is growing. If the scion really takes off, that’s a sure sign we can start to open the bag. Where should the bag be opened? At the top corner! Creating an opening along the base of the bags lets additional moisture escape and can lead to desiccated scions. After creating a small initial opening, continue enlarging the opening every week or two until the bags are wide open.

In most cases, that’s all that needs doing the first year. Unless the ties holding the scion to the host are severely cutting in, I tend to keep them in place for the entire first year or longer.

In the photo below, I’d already created a small opening. Because the scion was doing well, I widened the opening.

Grafts

Tiny opening in top right corner

Grafts

After opening the bag further

Another graft was already growing outside of the bag. Continuing the process begun several weeks before, I opened the bag a bit further.

Grafts

Scion growing outside of the bag

Grafts

After widening the opening

I’ll continue to make room for new growth over the next month or two until all of the bags are out of the way. Once I have a good sense of this year’s progress, I can then assess the need for additional grafts next year.

Utah juniper

Utah Juniper with grafts

✕

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Filed Under: Bonsai Care Tagged With: Grafting, Utah juniper

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mac says

    September 20, 2013 at 5:48 am

    Jonas, good stuff here. What is the blue masking tape for? Is there a post about the grafting procedure and how you care for the whole tree from the time of graft until you get to the “cut the corner” point in the process?

  2. Jonas Dupuich says

    September 20, 2013 at 7:58 am

    Hi Mac – the tape shades the scion. As for overall tree care, I don’t do anything different. The tree stayed in a sunny spot and I watered and fed like normal.

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