What are the precautions for growing flowers in winter? Do these few things well

Growing Techniques Jan 1, 1970 0 views

Most people think that once they move their flowers indoors, they are safe and can relax. Actually this is not the case. After flowers are brought indoors, there are still four taboos: - Taboo 1: indoor temperature too high. Many flowers enter dormancy or semi-dormancy in winter and need quiet rest and full relaxation. Whether in a living room or on a balcony

Most people think that once they move their flowers indoors, they are safe and can relax. Actually this is not the case. After flowers are brought indoors, there are still four taboos:

- Taboo 1: indoor temperature too high. Many flowers enter dormancy or semi-dormancy in winter and need quiet rest and full relaxation. Whether in a living room or on a balcony, the temperature should be controlled between 4-8°C (for flowers that need dormancy), and must not exceed 10°C. Once the temperature is high, the flowers will have physiological activity, and even their leaves will begin to sprout, wasting the energy they have stored up, which is extremely unfavorable for the next year's growth. This type of flowers includes Milan, gardenia, jasmine, orange, plum blossom, fig,

pomegranate, grape, hawthorn, papaya, Malus spectabilis, apricot, peach, apple, honeysuckle, winter jasmine, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, etc.

- Taboo 2: too much fertilizer and water. When flowers reach the dormant period, all physiological activities basically stop, and they need very little fertilizer and water, just enough to sustain life.

All flowers that go dormant in winter do not need fertilizing in winter. Fertilizing not only causes waste, but also harms the flower's root system.

- Taboo 3: dry air. The environment in the north is already very dry, and when the relative air humidity is too low, it will affect the growth of flowers.

Flowers that require relative air humidity of no less than 80% include camellia, rhododendron, anthurium, orchid, spider plant, asparagus fern, Acorus gramineus, saxifrage, etc.

Flowers that require relative air humidity of 60% include Michelia alba, hibiscus, fuchsia, cyclamen, jasmine, rubber tree, Monstera deliciosa, Milan, Michelia figo, Pittosporum tobira, cacti, etc. When humidity is insufficient, misting with water can be used to solve the problem.

- Taboo 4: no sunlight. Flowers must be placed in a well-lit place, with at least more than 3 hours of light every day, so that the flowers can grow vigorously the next year. Even woody flowers without leaves must be exposed to sunlight. Keeping them in a dark place for a long time is absolutely inadvisable.

Flower cultivation methods

A comprehensive analysis of bougainvillea grafting

Bougainvillea grafting time:

Generally speaking, bougainvillea can be grafted all year round, but the survival rate varies at different times. The survival rate is relatively high when grafting in spring and summer, and the lowest in winter. This is because spring and summer are growing seasons; in spring and summer there is more rain, higher humidity, and rising temperatures, which can effectively reduce water loss and drying of the scion, benefit the sprouting and growth of the rootstock and scion, promote healing of the graft union, and result in a high grafting survival rate. When grafting, avoid repotting, flowering, leaf drop, and dormancy; grafting is absolutely not allowed at these times, otherwise the survival rate will be seriously affected. Autumn and winter are the flowering seasons for bougainvillea; the root system's nutrients are heavily consumed, the nutrients in the canopy become imbalanced, and the grafting survival rate is relatively low. However, if flower lovers in the north have heating at home and the indoor temperature is around 20°C, and the bougainvillea is placed in a position with ample sunlight, and there are suitable rootstocks and scions, grafting is entirely possible. On the basis of my spring and summer grafting, I tried grafting bougainvillea last winter and this winter and achieved some small progress. Below, I will go through the specific issues of grafting propagation one by one and learn together with everyone.

Grafting is composed of two parts, the rootstock and the scion. The branch or bud used for grafting is called the scion, and the part that bears the scion is called the rootstock.

The principle of successful grafting:

After the scion is grafted onto the rootstock, on the surface of the wounds of both the rootstock and the scion, the remnants of dead cells form a brown film covering the wound. Subsequently, under the stimulation of wound hormones, the cells around the wound and the cambium cells divide vigorously, causing the brown film to rupture and form callus tissue. As the callus tissue continuously increases, after the gap between the scion and rootstock is filled, the parenchyma cells of the callus tissues of the rootstock and scion connect with each other, and finally the cork cells formed by differentiation connect the cork cells at the junction of rootstock and scion; the callus tissue continuously differentiates, further causing the vessels and sieve tubes to connect with each other, forming new xylem inward and new phloem outward, so that the rootstock and scion combine into a unified whole and form a new plant. This process takes 10-15 days in summer and 15-20 days in spring.

To make it clearer for everyone, here is another picture.

From the structural characteristics of the tissues shown in the above three figures and the arrows, it can be seen that vessels exist in the xylem and conduct water and inorganic salts upward; sieve tubes exist in the phloem and conduct organic matter downward. Vessels mainly transport the water and inorganic salts absorbed by the roots from the soil. Sieve tubes mainly transport the organic matter produced by photosynthesis in the leaves to the roots, stems, flowers, and fruits.

A simple understanding of the relationship between them will be of great help to bougainvillea enthusiasts in choosing the timing and noting the precautions for grafting [high-branch layering]. If you are interested, you can take a look at this article.

The grafted bougainvillea is shedding tears! Published on 2013-3-31---zhfg

The phenomenon mentioned in the article is typical bleeding. Where does the water come from? As stated earlier, vessels exist in the xylem and mainly transport the water and inorganic salts absorbed by the roots from the soil; if it happens to rain during grafting, excess water will flow out from the wound. It accumulates around the wound, the wound rots, and grafting fails.

Factors affecting grafting survival:

Internal factors:

Affinity---Affinity refers to the ability of both the rootstock and scion to heal, survive, and grow and develop normally. That is, the ability of the rootstock and scion to be similar to each other in internal tissue structure, physiology, and heredity, and to combine with each other to form a unified metabolic process. Grafting bougainvillea onto bougainvillea is grafting within the same family and same genus, not distant grafting. Therefore, the phenomenon of weak affinity will not occur.

External environmental factors:

The external environmental factors are mainly temperature and humidity. Grafting under suitable temperature, humidity, and good aeration conditions is conducive to healing, survival, and growth and development.

Temperature----Temperature has a great influence on the speed of callus tissue formation and grafting survival. Under suitable temperature conditions, callus tissue forms quickly and survival is easy; if the temperature is too high or too low, it is not suitable for callus tissue formation. Generally, below 15°C, callus tissue grows very slowly; at 15-20°C, callus tissue growth accelerates; at 20-30°C, callus tissue grows relatively quickly. After grafting, callus tissue grows fastest at 25°C. But in spring the temperature requirements are not so strict; within the range of 10-25°C it is a suitable temperature. This is related to the flow direction of hormones and nutrients! In spring, it spreads from the root system to the branches, while in autumn it concentrates from the branches to the root system. The two are "one release and one storage, or one emission and one storage," completely opposite directions! When grafting, choose the period of the year with the above temperatures and when the cambium is in vigorous activity. Such conditions generally appear in spring and early summer. Spring is the best season for branch grafting, because in spring the sap begins to flow, the cortex has not yet peeled off, or if the rootstock cortex has peeled off but the scion buds have not yet sprouted, grafting at this time is most favorable for survival. The best time for bougainvillea grafting is from May to early July [determined by geographic location]. In early summer, mainly "bud grafting with wood" and softwood grafting are carried out.

Humidity----The humidity conditions affecting bougainvillea grafting mainly refer to the air humidity in the small environment of the rootstock graft union and scion, and the humidity of the rootstock planting position. Because the rootstock's root system can absorb water, it can usually form callus tissue. Generally speaking, the soil humidity in the rootstock pot should be relatively low, while the air humidity should be relatively high. [Relative humidity reaching above 95%, but no water accumulation.] The rootstock should be watered thoroughly once before grafting. Do not water for three or four days after grafting, and do not let outdoor-planted ones be rained on for half a month. [Avoid bleeding.] This ensures improved healing ability; as long as the humidity of the wound and scion is ensured and callus tissue grows, grafting can survive. The bougainvillea scion branch is detached; the parenchyma tissue in the callus is tender and weak and not resistant to drying. If humidity is below the saturation point, the cells will dry out, and over time this will cause death. Plump cells are more favorable for callus proliferation than wilted cells. Humidity has a great influence on grafting survival. Relative air humidity close to saturation is most suitable for healing. Before healing [about 10 days], it is difficult for the scion branch to absorb water from the substrate, while transpiration loss of water continues. The branch will quickly wilt because it cannot get water replenishment, thereby causing dehydration physiological damage or death. During grafting, how can this problem be solved and the scion's water kept balanced? Only by creating a high-humidity environment, reducing water transpiration, and keeping the branch in an environment of high air humidity and suitable soil humidity can the scion avoid water loss, allow the graft union to heal as quickly as possible, and ensure normal physiological metabolism. This is the basis for survival.

Wrapping the grafted branch tightly with grafting film and bagging are crucial measures for solving moisture retention. They act on the day-night temperature difference inside and outside, and the water vapor produced by respiration and condensation of branches and leaves plays a role in graft moisture retention.

Light---Light inhibits the growth of callus tissue. Under dark conditions, callus tissue at the graft union grows abundantly, is tender, white in color, and heals well; under light conditions, callus tissue grows less, is hard, and dark in color, making it difficult for the rootstock and scion to heal. Therefore, during grafting, dark conditions should be created around the wound. [Wrapping the cut with black tape both prevents moisture and blocks light.] This is beneficial to the growth of callus tissue and promotes grafting survival.

Grafting methods:

There are many grafting methods. According to how the scion is used, they are divided into bud grafting and branch grafting; according to the form of the graft union, there are cleft grafting, cut grafting, bark grafting, chip budding, tongue grafting, approach grafting, etc., but the basic grafting methods are bud grafting and branch grafting. For home flower growing, branch grafting is still advocated. The growth vigor with branch grafting is much better than with single-bud grafting! Because after grafting and before healing, the water and nutrients needed are supplied by their respective reserves. The larger the scion part, the correspondingly better the growth vigor! However, no matter which grafting method is used, the cambium between the scion and rootstock must be aligned, and at the very least one side of the cambium must be aligned. Only in this way can callus tissue form as quickly as possible and differentiate into various tissue systems, connecting the upward and downward transport routes for water and nutrients. To align the cambium, the knife must be sharp, movements must be quick, and the exposure time of the scion cut surface and rootstock graft union must be reduced; the cut surface must be flat and smooth, preferably made with one cut, and must not be jagged. The cut surfaces of the rootstock and scion must not be "fuzzy" (with fibers). Maximize the contact surface of the cut, as all of these help the graft union to fit together quickly. Therefore, when grafting, the top of the scion and the graft union must be tightly wrapped and bound, and must be sealed so air cannot pass through, in order to prevent evaporation of water! Water entering the graft union causes mildew.

Preparation before grafting:

I like grafting bougainvillea. It is purely leisure, self-entertainment, and enjoying life, so I do not care about time and cost. I can enjoy the loveliest colors in nature without leaving home and breathe fresh air. That endless vitality makes people full of confidence in life. An ordinary retired life has also become richer and more colorful because of its existence. The tools and materials listed below should be selected according to your own conditions; there is no need to insist on them.

The long wooden-handled high-speed steel knife is homemade. The knife is very sharp, but its hardness is too great; after the curved edge is sharpened, it basically does not need sharpening. The smallest high-speed steel knife is very sharp, but not very comfortable to use.

The black handle is a Ningsan brand grafting knife, forged from high-carbon tool steel. The edge is sharp, easy to sharpen, and the price is cheap. When splitting thick branches it feels a bit soft. It is best to sharpen it a few times before use.

Songge wooden-handle grafting knife, SK-5 steel. The edge is sharp, the wooden handle is thick and solid, it feels good in the hand, and it is wear-resistant. The knife is very sharp, the knife is very sharp,

A handy grafting knife + diligent practice is the basic guarantee to help you learn grafting techniques.

To do good work, one must first sharpen one's tools!

Knife sharpening instructional video one -1269028802.html

Knife sharpening instructional video two -1269028802.html

Knife sharpening tools:

Preparation of binding materials:

Comparison, selection, and cultivation of rootstocks:

Spring grafting: [hardwood grafting]

Scions with higher lignification are better than those with lower lignification.

Rootstock lignified, scion lignified: survival rate average.

Rootstock lignified, scion green branch: survival rate very low.

Rootstock lignified, scion semi-lignified: survival rate lowest.

Rootstock semi-lignified, scion semi-lignified: survival rate relatively high.

Rootstock semi-lignified, scion lignified: survival rate highest.

Choose rootstocks with lower lignification rather than higher lignification, [because branches that are still growing are more conducive to healing of the graft wound].

The above passage is limited to the environmental and climatic conditions at the time, and I have drawn on the experience and insights of predecessors in grafting. Please do not mind it; take from it what is useful to you.

From the above comparison, it is not difficult to see that when the rootstock is a green branch or semi-lignified branch, the grafting success rate is very high. From this it is not difficult to see that the cultivation of the rootstock is particularly important.

For bougainvillea grafting rootstocks, you can choose lazy-flowering varieties that adapt to the local climate and soil conditions and grow robustly, such as small-leaf purple, Angus, green-leaf red, Golden Award, etc. The key is to choose those with developed and robust root systems. Branches should be selectively heavily pruned. The purpose of heavy pruning is to remove apical dominance and stimulate the sprouting of basal branches, thereby producing more branches growing from the base for use as rootstocks. [A rootstock diameter of 3 mm or more is sufficient for grafting.]

Cutting the bougainvillea rootstock:

For the bougainvillea used as rootstock, select and retain several robustly growing branches with evenly distributed space at different heights from low to high as multiple rootstocks. Leave 4-6 leaves at the base of the rootstock; never strip it into a bare pole, so as to ensure the normal growth of the scion and the rootstock plant. Leave about enough room at the cutting point for one return cut. Cut the rootstock off at the grafting site. The position of the cut is very important; make the surface of the remaining branch smooth, thorn-free, and with straight grain, preferably with no scars within 3-5 cm above and below, otherwise the split will not be straight and the xylem will crack to one side. Use the knife to smooth the wound [heading back]---that is, cut away 3-5 mm of the torn part caused by compression of the phloem when the rootstock was cut. Then use the knife to make a cut from the center of the rootstock, or when the rootstock is thicker, make a cut on one side of the top of the rootstock. Make the split 1.5-2.0 cm deep, slightly shorter than the long slanted surface of the scion. Bougainvillea wood is not too hard, and the cutting force along the grain is not great either. After the right hand holds the knife and cuts in, press down with the left thumb. [For spring grafting, if the rootstock is highly lignified, before the cut reaches the required depth, twist the knife handle left and right to make the branch below the cut split into a slit.] This avoids causing new damage to the phloem from excessive compression when inserting the scion, which would affect healing.

How to cut the scion:

Choose scion branches with substantial, robust tissue and short internodes, preferably the plump, un-sprouted buds of the middle part of one-year-old wood. They are easy to survive after grafting.

Choose scions 5-8 cm long, preferably with 2-3 plump buds. It is best to take the scion and graft it immediately; after collecting the scion, immediately cut off the leaves to reduce water evaporation. Keep the petiole 0.5-1.0 cm; do not pull it off by hand, so as not to damage the bud eye. Cut off the hooked thorns. This makes binding easier, prevents injury, and prevents obstruction of the bud's growth direction. If there are many scions, they can also be prepared by the above method, then wrapped well in a moist towel, with both ends breathable, and stored in a cool place for later use. During this period, check the moisture condition at any time, spray water promptly, and maintain a certain humidity.

When cutting the scion, first plan the direction of bud emergence, so as to improve the ornamental value after survival.

The cut should be made at the lower end of the scion, 1 cm below on both sides of the bud. Hold the scion firmly with the left hand, and push the knife with the right hand to make an oblique cut into the scion. The pushing force should be even and consistent from front to back, and the direction of pushing the knife should remain consistent with the direction of the cut. If the force is uneven and inconsistent from front to back, the cut surface will not be smooth; if the direction deviates upward midway, the cut surface will not be straight. If one cut does not make it flat, one or two more cuts may be made to bring the cut surface up to standard. The lower part of the scion is cut into a wedge shape, with a cut surface 1.5-2.5 cm long, but it must not be cut too thin; if too thin, less callus tissue forms, which is unfavorable for survival. The outer side of the scion should be slightly thicker than the inner side. At the same time, the bud eye should also remain on the thick side. The two sides of the cut surface should be thick on one side and thin on the other.

Soft-tip cleft grafting----Traditional grafting cannot make use of the soft tip of the scion, and it is generally discarded; but soft-tip cleft grafting can make full use of the scion.

Scions with terminal buds are better than those with lateral buds. [Soft-tip grafting]

Using soft branches with terminal buds as scions for grafting gives a higher success rate than those without terminal buds.

When the temperature is low, thick scions are easier to graft successfully.

When grafting at high temperatures, thin scions are easier to graft successfully.

Thin-branch scions can also be cut into one straight line and one slanted line, or made into a pointed triangle with two cuts. Place the bottom of the cut scion flat on a clean platform, cut off 3-5 mm of the torn part caused by compression of the phloem when the scion was cut, and the hardness of the remaining tail end is greatly improved. This greatly ensures the tightness of the scion when inserted into the rootstock and lays a good foundation for healing of the cut.

Winter grafting of bougainvillea:

On the basis of successful grafting in spring and summer, I will try winter grafting this winter to accumulate some experience and lay a foundation for the future. Winter grafting, as mentioned earlier in the article, has many unfavorable factors: winter---flowering season---low temperature and humidity---the lowest survival rate in winter, etc. Come up with corresponding methods to turn disadvantages into advantages. As long as part of it can be grafted successfully, then after supplementary grafting, small seedlings become large seedlings, and the growing season can be advanced by one year. One plant with many flowers, condensing the essence, greatly saves space. It improves the ornamental value.

In summary, the first external condition is temperature. The community where I live has been under development and construction for more than ten years, and was basically completed last year. It is divided into five residential areas, each with basically ten or twenty buildings. There is central heating, and in addition the authorities require that winter heating reach the standard of 18°C. My home is also on the outermost side of the building, which greatly reduces the original temperature. Replacing the heating radiators was imperative. After adjustment, the temperature has basically recovered to close to the previous state. This laid the foundation for the winter grafting experiment.

Inserting the scion:

Use a cleft knife to pry open the split in the rootstock, with the thick side of the scion facing outward and the thin side inward, gently insert the scion into the rootstock, then gently remove the cleft knife. Press the upper end of the rootstock cut with the left thumb, and continue pushing the scion downward with the right hand. When inserting, pay special attention to aligning the cambium of the rootstock and the cambium of the scion. Generally, the cortex of the rootstock is often thicker than that of the scion, so the outer surface of the scion should be slightly more inward than the outer surface of the rootstock, so that the cambium layers can align with each other. The xylem can also be used as the standard, aligning the xylem surfaces of the rootstock and scion, and then the cambium will also align. Grafting is about creating the conditions for producing callus tissue: "white exposed at the top, open space below." When inserting the scion, do not insert the cut surface all the way in; leave about 3-5 mm exposed (that is, leave a 3-5 mm length of the scion cut surface above the top of the rootstock cut). In this way, the cambium contact surface between the scion and rootstock is larger; leaving margin makes the tree surface smooth and heals well after healing. Conversely, callus tissue growth will be restricted, making healing difficult and lowering quality; after healing, a lump will form near the wound, causing poor later healing and affecting lifespan.

Binding generally uses two methods:

Bagging method: [soft-tip grafting----thin-branch grafting]

Black PVC environmentally friendly electrical tape [for wrapping the graft union]

Lay the black PVC environmentally friendly electrical tape flat on a platform and cut it open from the middle, about 10 cm long, for later use.

Ordinary PVC electrical tape has very heavy adhesive; when untying the binding, it was found to have torn off even the bougainvillea bark, so it cannot be used. [See the figure below for the state after one year.] After switching to black PVC environmentally friendly electrical specialty tape, no bark tearing was found after use.

Binding tape: [thick-branch or hardwood grafting]

After the scion branch is inserted, pinch both sides of the graft union with the left thumb and index finger to prevent displacement. With the right hand, take the binding tape [use black PVC tape for bagging], first place it on the graft union, press the binding tape [tape] down with the left thumb, wrap it around the joint several times and pull it tight and firm, then use overlapping tile-style wrapping, [wrap and tie tightly all exposed parts of the split and wound. Put a transparent plastic bag over it to retain moisture.] Wrap the branch from bottom to top. If the scion branch is longer, you can also wrap while moving the index finger and always pressing the binding tape forward. Avoid the bud eyes, or at the bud eyes wrap only one layer of film, then at the top turn back downward so the wrapping film forms a rope shape and wraps downward. At this time, wrap from top to bottom to the joint, then wrap several more times, pull tight, and tie firmly. [Self-adhesive film can simply be flattened and tied tightly.] Before cutting the scion, you can also leave enough length for cutting and first wrap the rest. After cutting, wait until it is inserted into the rootstock and then tightly wrap the unwrapped part. It looks troublesome, but it is very suitable for beginners, avoiding shaking and misalignment of the cut that affects healing.

Grafting-23.jpg (101.69 KB, Downloads: 20)

Checking whether a grafted plant has survived:

Grafting can generally be checked for survival in about 15 days. If the buds on the scion have already sprouted or still remain fresh and tender, and the petiole falls off at a touch, it indicates that the petiole has formed an abscission layer and the graft has survived; if the bud body turns black and the petiole does not easily fall off, it has not survived. For those that have not survived, immediately graft again.

Loosening the binding and removing the film:

For those covered with plastic bags to retain moisture, at this time you can cut a small opening in one upper corner of the plastic bag for ventilation to harden the buds, letting the new buds gradually adapt to the external environment, and then gradually remove it. For summer grafting with bagging, pay attention to observing that the temperature inside the bag is not too high, otherwise the scion easily rots. For branch grafting, there is no hurry to remove the wrapping film; it is very thin and elastic and will not hinder growth of the graft union. Generally after half a year, when the scion has grown robustly and the graft union has grown firm, and when the new shoot has grown to more than 20-40 cm or after pinching the tip new shoots emerge and grow normally, then remove the binding tape. Remove the wrapping material, otherwise it easily constricts and injures the rootstock and new shoots. Also set up a support and tie the new shoot with string. If untied too early, the graft union still risks water loss and survival may be affected.

Management after grafting:

The management work after bougainvillea grafting is very important. If management is poor or not timely, even if the graft survives, in the end all previous efforts may be wasted. Therefore, one must not be satisfied merely with the survival of the bougainvillea graft; careful management of the grafted bougainvillea seedlings is also required.

Removing sprouts and suckers:

After bougainvillea grafting, the rootstock will grow many sprouts and suckers. The sprouts and suckers grow faster than the grafted buds. In order to ensure rapid growth of the new shoots after the bougainvillea graft survives and to prevent the sprouts and suckers from consuming a large amount of nutrients, the sprouts and suckers on the rootstock should be removed in a timely manner. If the sprouts and suckers on the rootstock are not removed in time, they grow quickly while the scion grows slowly; because it cannot compete with the sprouts and suckers on the rootstock, the scion branch will gradually stop growing and die. Only when the scion grows vigorously can the bougainvillea sprouts and suckers stop growing. At this point, you can move into the normal management stage.

Xueqipeng's bougainvillea grafting

1. Bougainvillea grafting time:

Bougainvillea can be grafted in all four seasons, but the survival rate varies by season. The survival rate is relatively high when grafting in spring and summer, and the lowest in winter. Because spring and summer are growing seasons, with more rain, higher humidity, and rising temperatures, they can effectively reduce water loss of the scion, benefit the sprouting and growth of the rootstock and scion, promote healing of the graft union, and result in a high survival rate. Grafting should avoid repotting, flowering, and leaf drop; grafting is absolutely not allowed during dormancy; otherwise, the survival rate will be seriously affected. Autumn and winter are flowering seasons; the root system's nutrients are heavily consumed, the nutrients in the canopy become imbalanced, and the grafting survival rate is relatively low. But in the north, if there is heating at home and the temperature is around 20°C, and the placement position has ample sunlight, and there are suitable rootstocks and scions, grafting is entirely possible.

2. The principle of successful grafting:

After grafting, on the wound surface of the rootstock and scion, the remnants of dead cells form a brown film. Subsequently, under the stimulation of wound hormones, the cells around the wound and the cambium cells divide vigorously, causing the brown film to rupture and form callus tissue. As the callus tissue continuously increases, after the gap between the scion and rootstock is filled, the parenchyma cells of the callus tissues of the rootstock and scion connect with each other, and the cork cells formed by differentiation connect the cork cells at the junction; the callus tissue continuously differentiates, further causing the vessels and sieve tubes to connect with each other, forming new xylem inward and new phloem outward, so that the rootstock and scion combine into a unified whole and form a new plant. This process takes 10-15 days in summer and 15-20 days in spring.

Vessels exist in the xylem and conduct water and inorganic salts upward; sieve tubes exist in the phloem and conduct organic matter downward.

3. Factors affecting grafting survival:

1. Internal factors:

2. External environmental factors:

The external factors are mainly temperature and humidity. Grafting under suitable temperature, humidity, and good aeration conditions is conducive to callus survival and growth and development.

a. Temperature----Temperature has a great influence on the speed of callus tissue formation and grafting survival. Generally, below 15°C, callus tissue grows very slowly; at 15-20°C, callus tissue growth accelerates; at 20-30°C, callus tissue grows relatively quickly. After grafting, callus tissue grows fastest at 25°C.

In spring the temperature requirements are not so strict; within the range of 10-25°C it is a suitable temperature. This is related to the flow direction of hormones and nutrients! In spring, it spreads from the root system to the branches.

When grafting, choose the period of the year with the above temperatures and when the cambium is in vigorous activity. Such conditions generally appear in spring and early summer. Spring is the best season for branch grafting. In spring the sap begins to flow, the cortex has not yet peeled off, or if the rootstock cortex has peeled off but the scion buds have not yet sprouted, grafting at this time is most favorable for survival.

The best time for bougainvillea grafting is from May to early July [determined by geographic location]. In early summer, mainly "bud grafting with wood" and softwood grafting are carried out.

b. Humidity----The humidity affecting grafting mainly refers to the humidity in the small environment of the graft union and scion and the humidity of the rootstock planting site.

The small environment of the graft union and scion should have high relative humidity 10-15 days after grafting, but there must be no water accumulation or rain exposure.

The rootstock should be watered thoroughly once before grafting. Do not water for three or four days after grafting, and do not let outdoor-planted ones be rained on for half a month, to avoid bleeding.

Therefore, the graft union must be wrapped tightly, and the graft union and scion must be bagged to retain moisture.

c. Light---Light inhibits callus tissue. Under dark conditions, callus tissue at the graft union grows abundantly, is tender, white in color, and heals well; under light conditions, callus tissue grows less, is hard, and dark in color, making it difficult for the rootstock and scion to heal. Therefore, during grafting, dark conditions should be created around the graft union to promote grafting survival.

4. Preparation before grafting:

The listed tools and materials should be selected according to conditions; they are not mandatory: pruning shears, grafting knife, whetstone, binding and wrapping materials, rootstock and scion.

5. Comparison, selection, and cultivation of scions and rootstocks:

Spring grafting: hardwood grafting.

Scions with higher lignification are better than those with lower lignification.

Rootstock lignified, scion lignified: survival rate average.

Rootstock lignified, scion green branch: survival rate very low.

Rootstock lignified, scion semi-lignified: survival rate lowest.

Rootstock semi-lignified, scion semi-lignified: survival rate relatively high.

When the rootstock is semi-lignified and the scion is lignified, the survival rate is the highest.

From the above comparison it is not hard to see: when the rootstock is a green shoot or semi-lignified, the grafting success rate is very high. The cultivation of the rootstock is therefore especially important.

For Bougainvillea rootstock, you can choose lazy-flowering varieties that adapt to the local climate and soil conditions and grow vigorously: such as 'Xiaoye Zi' (Small-Leaf Purple), 'Angus', 'Lüye Dahong' (Green Leaf Big Red), 'Huangjin Dajiang' (Golden Grand Prize) and others. The key is to choose ones with a well-developed, robust root system. The branches should be selectively hard-pruned. The purpose of hard pruning is to remove apical dominance and stimulate the buds at the base to sprout, thereby producing more branches growing from the base for use as rootstock. A rootstock diameter of 3 mm or more is enough for grafting.

Six, Grafting methods:

According to how the scion is used, grafting is divided into bud grafting and stem grafting; according to the form of the union, there are cleft grafting, cut grafting, bark grafting, chip budding, tongue grafting, approach grafting and so on. For home flower growing, stem grafting is recommended. Stem grafting grows much better than single-bud grafting! Because after grafting and before healing, the water and nutrients needed are supplied by each part's own reserves. When the scion portion is larger, growth is correspondingly better! However, no matter which grafting method is used, the cambium of the scion and the rootstock must be aligned, and at the very least the cambium on one side must be aligned. Only then can the callus tissue form as quickly as possible and differentiate into the various tissue systems, connecting the pathways for water and nutrient transport between the upper and lower parts. To align the cambium, the knife must be sharp and the movements quick, reducing the time the cut surface of the scion and the rootstock union are exposed to the air; the cut surface must be flat and smooth, ideally made with a single cut, and must not be jagged, and the cut surfaces of the rootstock and scion must not be "fuzzy" (bearing fibers). Maximizing the contact area of the cut surfaces all helps the union to knit quickly. Therefore, when grafting, the top of the scion and the union must be wrapped and tied tightly, and must be sealed airtight to prevent evaporation of water! Water entering the union causes mildew.

Seven, Grafting:

1. Cutting the rootstock:

From low to high, select and keep several vigorously growing branches at different levels with even spatial distribution as multiple rootstocks. Leave 4-6 leaves at the base of the rootstock, and by no means strip it into a bare stem, so as to ensure normal growth of the scion and the rootstock plant. Leave enough room at the cut point for one return cut. Cut the rootstock off at the grafting site; the position of the cut is very important, so that the remaining branch surface is smooth, thornless and straight-grained, and preferably has no scars within 3-5 cm above and below, otherwise the cleft will not be straight and the xylem will split to one side. Smooth the wound with a knife. Then make a cut from the center or one side of the top of the rootstock, with the cleft 1.5-2.0 cm deep, slightly shorter than the long bevel of the scion. Bougainvillea wood is not too hard, and the resistance when cutting along the grain is not great either. After the right hand inserts the knife, press down with the left thumb. [For spring grafting, if the rootstock is fairly lignified, before the cut reaches full depth you can twist the knife handle left and right so that the branch below the cut splits open a crack] This avoids causing new damage to the phloem from excessive squeezing when inserting the scion, which would affect healing.

2. Cutting the scion:

Choose a plump, vigorous scion, with short internodes, preferably the plump, un-sprouted bud from the middle part of a one-year-old shoot; it will survive easily after grafting.

Choose a scion 5-8 cm long, preferably with 2-3 plump buds.

The scion is best taken and grafted right away; after collecting the scion, remove the leaves immediately to reduce water evaporation. Leave 0.5-1.0 cm of petiole, and do not pull them off by hand, so as not to damage the bud eyes. Cut off the thorns to make binding easier, prevent injury to people, and avoid blocking the direction of bud sprouting. If there are many scions, they can also be prepared as described above, then wrapped in a damp towel, stored in a cool place for later use, and kept at a certain humidity.

When cutting the scion, first plan the direction of bud sprouting, so as to improve the ornamental value after survival. At the lower end of the scion, make the cut 1 cm below on both sides of the bud. Hold the scion steady with the left hand and push the knife diagonally into the scion with the right hand. The pushing force must be even and consistent from front to back, and the direction of the push must remain consistent with the direction of the cut. If the force is uneven or inconsistent from front to back, the cut surface will not be smooth, and if the direction deviates upward midway, the cut surface will not be straight. If one cut does not make it flat, one or two more cuts can be added to bring the cut surface up to standard. Cut the lower part of the scion into a wedge shape, with the cut surface 1.5-2.5 cm long, but do not cut it too thin; if too thin, little callus tissue forms, which is unfavorable for survival. The outer side of the scion should be slightly thicker than the inner side. The bud eye should be kept on the thicker side.

Soft-tip cleft grafting: traditional grafting cannot make use of the soft tip of the scion, which is usually discarded; soft-tip cleft grafting can make full use of the scion.

A scion with a terminal bud is better than one with a lateral bud.

Grafting with a soft shoot bearing a terminal bud gives a higher success rate than without a terminal bud.

When the temperature is low, a thick scion is easier to graft successfully.

When grafting in high temperatures, a thin scion is easier to graft successfully.

A thin-branch scion can also be cut into one straight line and one diagonal line, or shaped into a pointed triangle with two cuts. Place the bottom of the cut scion flat on a clean platform and cut off the torn part, 3-5 mm, caused by squeezing the phloem when the scion was cut; the remaining tail end is then much harder. This greatly ensures the tightness of the scion when inserted into the rootstock and lays a good foundation for the healing of the cut.

3. Inserting the scion:

Use the knife to pry open the cleft of the rootstock, with the thick side of the scion facing outward and the thin side inward, insert the scion into the rootstock, then gently withdraw the splitting knife. Press the left thumb against the upper end of the rootstock cut, and with the right hand continue pushing the scion downward. When inserting, pay special attention to aligning the cambium of the rootstock with the cambium of the scion. Generally the bark of the rootstock is thicker than that of the scion, so the outer surface of the scion should be slightly inward from the outer surface of the rootstock; in this way the cambium layers can align with each other. You can also use the xylem as the standard, aligning the xylem surfaces of the rootstock and scion, and the cambium will then also be aligned. Grafting is about creating the conditions for callus tissue to form: "white exposed on top, gap left below." When inserting the scion, do not push the entire cut surface in; leave about 3-5 mm exposed (that is, leave 3-5 mm of the scion's cut surface above the cut end of the rootstock). In this way the contact area between the cambium of the scion and the rootstock is larger; leaving some margin makes the tree surface smooth and heals well after union. Otherwise, the growth of callus tissue will be restricted, making healing difficult and lowering quality; after healing, a lump will form near the wound, causing poor healing later and affecting lifespan.

4. Wrapping: generally two methods are used

Bagging method: [soft-shoot grafting ---- thin-branch grafting]

Black PVC eco-friendly electrical tape [for wrapping the graft union]

5. Tying: [thick-branch or hard-branch grafting]

After the scion branch is inserted, pinch both sides of the union with the left thumb and index finger to prevent displacement. With the right hand take the tie [for bagging, use black PVC tape] and first lay it on the union; press the tie [tape] down with the left thumb, wind it a few turns around the joint and pull it tight, then use the overlapping-tile method [wrap and tie tightly over the cleft and all exposed wound areas. Put a transparent plastic bag over it to retain moisture], wrapping the branch from bottom to top. If the scion branch is long, you can also wind while moving the index finger to keep pressing the tie forward. Avoid the bud eyes, or wrap only one layer of film over the bud eyes, then at the top turn back downward so the wrapping film forms a cord and winds down; at this point wind from top to bottom to the joint, wind a few more turns, pull tight and tie securely [for self-adhesive film, just flatten and bind tightly]. The scion can also be left with enough cutting length before cutting, and the rest wrapped first. After cutting, once inserted into the rootstock, wrap the unwrapped part tightly; this seems troublesome but is very suitable for beginners, avoiding displacement of the cut caused by wobbling, which would affect healing.

Lay the black PVC eco-friendly electrical tape flat on a platform and slit it down the middle, in lengths of about 10 cm, for later use.

6. Checking whether the grafted plant has survived:

Grafting can generally be checked for survival after about 15 days. If the buds on the scion have already sprouted or still remain fresh and tender, and the petiole falls off at a touch, it means the petiole has formed an abscission layer and the graft has survived; if the buds turn black and the petioles do not fall off easily, it has not survived. For those that have not survived, re-graft immediately.

7. Loosening and removing the wrap:

For those bagged in plastic to retain moisture, cut a small opening in one upper corner of the plastic bag to ventilate and harden the buds, letting the new buds gradually adapt to the outside environment, then remove it gradually. When bagging in summer grafting, watch that the temperature inside the bag does not get too high, otherwise the scion will easily rot. For stem grafting, do not rush to remove the wrapping film; it is very thin and elastic and will not hinder the growth of the union. Generally after half a year, when the scion has grown vigorously and the union has grown firm, or when the new shoot has grown to more than 20-40 cm or after pinching the tip and new shoots have emerged and are growing normally, then remove the tie. Remove the wrapping material, otherwise it will easily constrict and injure the rootstock and new shoots. Also set up a support and tie the new shoot to it with string. If untied too early, the union is still at risk of losing water, which affects survival.

8. Management of grafted seedlings:

After Bougainvillea is grafted, the rootstock will grow many suckers. To ensure rapid growth of the scion of the grafted Bougainvillea seedling, remove the suckers promptly. Otherwise the scion cannot compete with the suckers and will gradually stop growing and die. Wait until the scion grows vigorously and the suckers stop growing. At this point you can switch to normal management.

The easiest grafting to succeed -- approach grafting

Grafting Bougainvillea is quite difficult; I have put a certain amount of effort into this myself, but with little success.

After trying the approach grafting method, I kept at it and gradually figured out some of the basics. The dozens of graft points on the two large stumps below all use the approach method; not only is the success rate high, but grafting can be done continuously and the shape forms quickly. You can graft in the same year and enjoy the beautiful results in the same year.

Today I happen to have two new varieties to graft, so I will introduce them mainly with pictures:

1. Adjusting the direction of the scion:

To bring the scion close to the rootstock, 1-2 days before approach grafting, use aluminum wire to adjust the direction of the scion.

Diagram of cutting the scion: slightly longer than the rootstock; soft shoots are not ring-barked.

2. The rootstock is relatively short:

Diagram of cutting the rootstock:

3. Approach grafting: one scion can be approach-grafted to several rootstocks:

(1) The scion and rootstock branch should be as close and parallel as possible; if the angle is greater than 30 degrees, tie them with thin string to correct it for 1-2 days, and graft after they are straightened out. Otherwise they break easily.

(2) Pinch off the top above the rootstock union; some small branches can be kept, and tender buds and old leaves removed.

(3) When approach grafting, if the scion is old and hardened, ring-bark it by 1 cm behind the union (the bark-scraping method can be used); if the scion is tender, do it at the right time after grafting.

(4) The union length is about 1.5 cm.

Diagram of wrapping for approach grafting:

The first one grafted with 'Cheng Bing' (Orange Ice):

One 'Huangdie' (Yellow Butterfly) scion is approach-grafted to two small rootstocks at the same time:

Several issues to note:

1. The grafting knife must be sharp, to reduce the degree of wound damage and aid recovery;

2. When grafting, both the scion and rootstock should have only a small part removed; if cut too large, they break easily;

3. When tying, ensure the two surfaces fit effectively, and align the water-absorbing line as much as possible;

4. When both the scion and rootstock are semi-lignified, success is easiest.

Bougainvillea grafting technical materials

One, CCTV7 grafting video and text:

1. Video:

CCTV7 .cn/datalib/meizi_video/2007/2007_07/meizi_video.2007-07-30.0512****54/#

Video Potted Bougainvillea: introduces the characteristics and ornamental value of Bougainvillea, as well as its grafting and shaping methods.

2. Related text from the video:

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Before grafting, you must first collect specially cultivated tender buds. For the grafting branch, choose tender buds that grow vigorously and have upright stems, and put them into water immediately so they do not dehydrate and become difficult to survive. Once the grafting branches are ready, you must choose the rootstock. Look, these are all Bougainvillea growing in the wild; they were moved into the park precisely to be used as rootstock. However, not every season is suitable for grafting.

As for the grafting time, apart from summer, when grafting is not easy, it can be done at any other time; however, the survival rate is highest when grafting in the two seasons of autumn and spring. Because in autumn there is no rain and the climate is neither cold nor hot, so it is easier to survive; and spring is exactly when buds grow. Choose a fine, mild day and the grafting work begins: first cut off about 5 cm from the top of the rootstock branch, and cut downward along it with the blade for 3-5 cm. To reduce water evaporation from the grafting branch, the leaves need to be trimmed off to raise its survival rate. Watch this movement carefully; at this point the cut surface must have a certain slope to increase the contact surface with the main stem, and finally just insert it into the cut.

When grafting, the bark of the rootstock and the bark of the bud must be aligned very precisely. Only when aligned will it survive quickly; if not aligned, it will soon dry up.

Of course, sometimes one cut can hold two sub-branches. Tie them tightly with plastic film; by the same principle, to retain moisture and raise the survival rate, then fasten the plastic strip onto the grafting branch and tie it tight. To avoid direct sunlight, also wrap it with kraft paper, then write down the date for checking later.

After about two weeks you can tell whether it is alive or dead. If after two weeks the leaves are still green and have not fallen, it will probably live. As for unwrapping it, that takes about a month; after a month it is truly alive. And even then, do not open it all at once. First prick a tiny hole to let it go through a process of adapting to the air, and only after another week can it really be opened.

These branches that put out green leaves have chosen to merge with the rootstock, so they survived. Those branches that were not successfully grafted should be pruned away in time, so that more nutrients go to the strong ones that survived. So how exactly do grafted Bougainvillea grow?

The work of picking off leaves is relatively easy, and strolling through a sea of flowers must feel good; however, seeing these Bougainvillea with messy branches and an unattractive tree shape, even the most beautiful flowers lose their beauty as a whole. As a variety that likes a warm, humid environment and grows new branches very quickly, timely cleanup and shaping is also a necessary task.

Generally speaking, it should look relatively soft to people; another thing is to make the shape look rather ancient. Only then will the flowers look better when they bloom in the future. Suppose some branches grow straight and long as if no one has managed them; that is why we pay more attention to adjusting the shape.

To achieve a soft, classical effect, first tie the base of the selected branch to the main trunk, and slowly bend it into an arc. At this point the movements must be gentle, so the trunk tissue is not easily damaged. Then use plastic string to tie and fix it to the branch below. Finally insert a bamboo pole into the pot as a support pole, and tie the branch parallel to the support pole. After one to two weeks of forced fixing, a shape that looks soft, simple and elegantly classical emerges.

Potted Bougainvillea has both the charm of natural growth and the refinement of artificial sculpting, but it is not to be trifled with. Like most beautiful flowers, it is covered in thorns. In particular, potted Bougainvillea needs frequent repotting, so when the workers are handling them they must be extremely careful.

Repotting technical steps: because Bougainvillea grows too fast, you must repot and change the soil every year; but as long as you find the trick, you can also find plenty of fun in the work.

This big fellow cannot be handled without some special skill. Look, the roots have even grown out of the bottom of the flowerpot. Cut them off first to prevent dragging soil and water when repotting.

Throughout the entire life of Bougainvillea, scientific management will directly determine whether it grows well or poorly. However, as a plant with strong vitality that likes light and is not drought-tolerant, it must be supplied with sufficient water during the growing season, otherwise it very easily drops leaves. Knowing this, as long as you provide plenty of fertilizer and water, long sunshine and strong light, the flowering period of Bougainvillea can last as long as 180-200 days, which will not only bring fun to your life but also bring you considerable income.

Two, Grafting of potted Bougainvillea - 54881-3-1.html TE> Xueqi TE>

By grafting Bougainvillea branches to one another, a single Bougainvillea can bloom with flowers of many colors at the same time. Grafting is a traditional biological technique that combines part of one plant with part of another so that the two parts form a whole plant. Bougainvillea of different flower colors belong to the same family and the same genus, with strong compatibility; after combined grafting, the union heals well and is relatively smooth and neat, so it succeeds easily.

The relationships among the various factors affecting the survival of Bougainvillea grafts to one another:

There are many factors affecting the survival of Bougainvillea grafts to one another, and their relationships and mutual influences during the grafting process are complex. In Bougainvillea grafts to one another, from cambium activity to the formation of callus tissue, to the connection of the callus tissues of the rootstock and scion, and then to the survival of the graft, this is the internal cause. The compatibility of the rootstock and scion is the basis for graft survival. A suitable grafting period, temperature, humidity, air, light intensity and good grafting technique are the external causes. Internal causes are the foundation, external causes are the conditions, and external causes work through internal causes.

Grafting technique:

Selection of Bougainvillea rootstock:

Collection of Bougainvillea scions:

The selection of Bougainvillea scions is very important, and two points must be noted:

(1) Strictly select disease-free branches: to prevent the spread of pests and diseases, choose healthy, high-quality Bougainvillea branches of different flower colors that carry no pests or diseases.

(2) Take cuttings from the best positions: when collecting scions, take branches of Bougainvillea of different flower colors from positions with sufficient light. Do not take lower water sprouts or branches that are too old as scions. Instead, choose healthy, thick, well-grown tender shoots or semi-lignified branches of the current year with relatively plump buds, and the scions must be grafted as soon as they are collected; if they must be kept for a day or two, they must be soaked in clean water or refrigerated.

Bougainvillea grafting time and preparatory work:

Generally speaking, Bougainvillea can be grafted to one another all year round, only the survival rate differs at different times. Spring and summer are growing seasons, and the graft survival rate is high. Autumn and winter are flowering seasons, when the nutrients of the root system are heavily consumed and the nutrients of the crown are unbalanced, so the graft survival rate is relatively low. Therefore grafting is generally done in spring and summer. Before grafting, the plant must be watered once, or watered immediately after grafting, to ensure improved compatibility; as long as the humidity of the scion wound is maintained, callus tissue will grow once the temperature rises, and the graft can survive.

Grafting methods:

For grafting Bougainvillea of different flower colors, the method most conducive to graft survival is an ancient yet primary method -- cleft grafting. Cleft grafting is not only conducive to graft survival, but because the cleft method lets the rootstock union clamp the scion tightly, it is not easily broken by wind. During grafting, achieve "fast, flat, accurate, tight." "Fast" means the grafting knife must be sharp and the grafting movements agile, minimizing the time the scion cut surface and rootstock union are exposed; "flat" means the scion cut surface and rootstock union must be smooth, with no bumps or hollows, so the two can fit closely; "accurate" means that when inserting the scion, the cambium between the scion and rootstock must be aligned -- this point is the key to the entire grafting process; if the cambium is not aligned, it will absolutely not survive; "tight" means the binding of both rootstock and scion must be firm and tight, with no looseness; only when it is tight can callus tissue form. The operating essentials are as follows:

Cutting the rootstock:

Around a one-year-old purple-flowered Bougainvillea, select corresponding branches at different levels from low to high as multiple rootstocks. At a place on the trunk of the rootstock that is straight and thornless, cut it off with scissors, and smooth the wound with a blade. Cut vertically along the pith, with the split about 2-3 cm long to form the cleft.

Cutting the scion:

Use scions of various different flower colors, with thickness similar to the rootstock branch, about 3-4 cm long. To reduce water evaporation from the scion, the leaves need to be cut off, or more than half cut off leaving a small portion, to raise its survival rate. Keep 2-3 buds on the scion, and at about 2-3 cm below them make one cut on each side (the cut surfaces must be flat, done in one smooth motion), forming a wedge, with both sides of the wedge equally thick; note that the scion cut surface must be long and flat, but must not be cut too thin. The angle formed after cutting the scion must match the angle of the rootstock cleft, so that the callus tissue growing from the cambium of both the rootstock and scion connects from top to bottom.

Joining:

Use a blade or fingernail to pry open the cleft of the rootstock. Then insert the scion into one side of the cleft, aligning the cambium of both. If it cannot be aligned on both sides, then align one side outward with one side of the rootstock; aligning with the phloem of the rootstock is also acceptable. Soft-shoot cleft grafting requires the scion and rootstock to be equally thick, so that the cambium on all four sides -- front, back, left and right -- of the scion and rootstock is basically connected. When joining, do not insert the entire wounded part of the scion into the cleft; leave more than 0.5 cm exposed, which is conducive to healing. If you insert the entire wounded part of the scion into the cleft, then on the one hand the upper and lower cambium cannot be aligned, and on the other hand the healing surface forms a lump below the cleft, causing poor healing later and affecting lifespan. Of course, sometimes one cut can hold two sub-branches, by the same principle. On the multiple rootstocks of one purple Bougainvillea, multiple scions of various different flower colors can be grafted.

Wrapping:

After joining, use a plastic strip about 1.5 cm wide and about 30 cm long to bind tightly from bottom to top (moderate tightness; willow bark rings can also be used to sleeve tightly from bottom to top) for wrapping. When wrapping, the cleft and all exposed wound areas must be fully covered and bound tightly. Put a transparent plastic bag over it to retain moisture. To avoid direct sunlight, also wrap it with newspaper or kraft paper, then write down the date for checking later. After about two weeks you can tell whether it has survived; if after two weeks the leaves have not withered or fallen, it will probably live. Unwrapping the binding cloth takes about a month; after a month it is truly alive. And even then, do not open it all at once; first prick a small hole to let it go through a process of adapting to the air, and only after a week can it really be opened and switched to normal care.

Key management points after grafting:

The management work after Bougainvillea grafts to one another is very important. Because grafting is not the goal; only by using grafting to develop a variety of improved Bougainvillea of different flower colors, and to improve resistance, improve quality, accelerate growth and advance flowering, is grafting the goal. If management is poor or not timely, even if the grafts survive, all the previous work will be wasted in the end. So you must not be satisfied merely with the survival of the Bougainvillea graft; you must also carefully manage the grafted Bougainvillea seedlings. The methods are as follows:

Removing suckers:

After Bougainvillea grafting and cutting back of the rootstock, the rootstock will grow many suckers. Suckers grow faster than the grafted buds. To ensure rapid growth of the new shoots after the Bougainvillea graft survives, and to prevent the suckers from consuming a large amount of nutrients, the suckers on the rootstock should be removed promptly. If the suckers on the rootstock are not removed in time, the suckers grow fast while the scion grows slowly, and because it cannot compete with the suckers on the rootstock, the scion will gradually stop growing and die. Therefore, the suckers on the Bougainvillea rootstock must be removed. Sucker removal generally needs to be done 3-4 times, or repeatedly many times, and only when the scion grows vigorously will the Bougainvillea suckers stop growing.

Removing the ties:

Plastic ties can maintain humidity and temperature, are elastic, and bind tightly. Their disadvantage is that after a period of time they will affect the thickening growth of the scion and rootstock. Moreover, plastic does not rot, so such ties must be removed.

Pinching the new shoots:

After the Bougainvillea grafts have survived, when the new shoots of the scion grow to 30-40 cm, pinch the tips to control excessive growth and reduce wind damage. At the same time it can also promote the formation and growth of side shoots, making them grow uniformly and improving ornamental value.

Water and fertilizer management:

Within one week after grafting, water less; afterwards, fertilize and water in time, so that the rootstock and scion heal well, grow vigorously and increase leaf area, promoting photosynthesis. Therefore, repeated pruning and shaping must be done, and when necessary, appropriately control water and fertilize, then water, so that it blooms with flowers of various different colors and achieves the ornamental effect. This is beneficial both to root growth and to balanced growth of the aboveground and underground parts.

Three, Grafting techniques for Bougainvillea of different flower colors:

1. Selection of Bougainvillea rootstock:

It is best to use well-grown purple-blue-flowered Bougainvillea as the rootstock. Choose perennial healthy, thick, well-grown purple-blue-flowered Bougainvillea as the rootstock; after planting, let it sprout, and once the branches are semi-lignified, grafting can be done.

2. The collection and selection of Bougainvillea scions is very important, and two points must be noted:

(1) Strictly select disease-free branches: to prevent the spread of pests and diseases, choose healthy, high-quality Bougainvillea branches of different flower colors that carry no pests or diseases.

3. Bougainvillea grafting time and preparatory work. Generally speaking, Bougainvillea can be grafted to one another all year round, only the survival rate differs at different times. Spring and summer are growing seasons, and the graft survival rate is high. Autumn and winter are flowering seasons, when the nutrients of the root system are heavily consumed and the nutrients of the crown are unbalanced, so the graft survival rate is relatively low. Therefore grafting is generally done in spring and summer; as long as the humidity of the scion wound is maintained, callus tissue will grow once the temperature rises, and the graft can survive.

4. Grafting tools and supplies: packing string, newspaper or kraft paper, plastic ties, plastic film bags, scissors, blades. The knife must be sharp; if the knife is not sharp, it not only affects the operation and slows the speed, but because the cut is not flat, it also causes poor contact between the wounds of the scion and rootstock, and at the same time increases the death of cells on the wound surface, thereby affecting graft survival.

5. Grafting methods. For grafting Bougainvillea of different flower colors, the method most conducive to graft survival is an ancient yet primary method -- cleft grafting. Cleft grafting is not only conducive to graft survival, but because the cleft method lets the rootstock union clamp the scion tightly, it is not easily broken by wind. The operating essentials are as follows:

a. Cutting the rootstock: Around a one-year-old purple-blue-flowered Bougainvillea, select corresponding branches at different levels from low to high as multiple rootstocks. At a place on the bark of the rootstock that is straight and thornless, cut it off with scissors, and smooth the wound with a blade. Then use the blade to slowly cut down about 2-3 cm from one side of the rootstock to form the cleft.

b. Cutting the scion: Use scions of various different flower colors. To reduce water evaporation from the scion, the leaves need to be cut off, or more than half cut off leaving a small portion, to raise its survival rate. Keep 2-3 buds on the scion, and at about 2-3 cm below them make one cut on each side, forming a wedge, with both sides of the wedge equally thick; note that the scion cut surface must be long and flat, but must not be cut too thin. The angle formed after cutting the scion must match the angle of the rootstock cleft, so that the callus tissue growing from the cambium of both the rootstock and scion connects from top to bottom. It is required that the scion and rootstock be equal in thickness, or the rootstock slightly larger. Otherwise, grafting is very difficult to survive.

c. Joining: Use a blade or fingernail to pry open the cleft of the rootstock. Then insert the scion into one side of the cleft, aligning the cambium of both. If it cannot be aligned on both sides, then align one side outward with one side of the rootstock; aligning with the phloem of the rootstock is also acceptable.

Soft-shoot cleft grafting requires the scion and rootstock to be equally thick, so that the cambium on all four sides -- front, back, left and right -- of the scion and rootstock is basically connected. When joining, do not insert the entire wounded part of the scion into the cleft; leave more than 0.5 cm exposed, which is conducive to healing. If you insert the entire wounded part of the scion into the cleft, then on the one hand the upper and lower cambium cannot be aligned, and on the other hand the healing surface forms a lump below the cleft, causing poor healing later and affecting lifespan. On the multiple rootstocks of one purple-blue Bougainvillea, multiple scions of various different flower colors can be grafted.

d. Wrapping: After joining, use a plastic strip about 1.5 cm wide and about 30 cm long for wrapping. When wrapping, the cleft, the wound and all exposed wound areas must be fully covered and bound tightly. Then tie a plastic bag over it; to avoid direct sunlight, also wrap it with newspaper or kraft paper. After about two weeks you can tell whether it has survived.

Four, Video on the bark inlay side grafting method for chestnut:

V. Chestnut bark-grafting technique

Timing: mid-April to early May, when the bark slips most readily, is the best period. Carry it out from when the rootstock sap begins to stir and the bark peels easily until just before the scion buds break. The survival rate for grafting before the scion buds break is over 95%, and 55% after the buds break.

Cutting the rootstock: Cut off the rootstock 10 to 20 cm above the ground, and pare the cut surface smooth and flat with a knife.

Cutting the scion: Cut a long horse-ear-shaped slant about 3 cm long at the lower end, then make 3 reverse cuts on the back, left, middle and right, forming a small sword-tip-shaped slant 0.2 to 0.3 cm long; on the upper part of the small face and the corresponding part of the large face, lightly shave off the epidermis with firm gentle strokes to expose the green tender bark. Once the scion is cut, hold it in the mouth to prevent the tannins on the cut surface from oxidizing into a thin film, which would hinder callusing of the graft union, and at the same time to prevent moisture loss.

Grafting: Use a grafting knife to make a vertical cut through the rootstock bark, deep into the xylem, gently pry open the bark, and immediately insert the prepared scion, with the large slant facing inward and pressed tight against the xylem, leaving 0.2 to 0.3 cm of the upper part of the slant exposed. A rootstock 2 to 3 cm in diameter can take 2 to 3 scions.

Tying: After inserting the scion into the rootstock, bind it tightly with a plastic strip about 3 cm wide. The plastic strip should be wrapped up to 3 to 5 cm above the cut surface of the rootstock to form a tube; casually put a handful of soil into the hollow tube and press it down with the hand. This keeps the graft union moist so the scion does not lose water, and the soil also holds the scion in place.

Management after grafting:

Remove sprouts and pick off female and male inflorescences. Promptly wipe out the sprouting shoots on the rootstock below the graft union, removing them early, while small, and completely.

Loosen the binding and set up supports. Generally about 2 months after grafting, depending on growth, untie the plastic strip to loosen the binding, then wrap it back around the graft union to protect the scion. At the same time, secure it with a bamboo pole.

VI. Bark grafting

If the rootstock at the graft union is more than 3 cm in diameter, bark grafting can be used. Bark grafting is also called under-bark grafting. The specific procedure is as follows:

Use a wax-sealed scion. Starting 5 cm from the lower end, make a horse-ear-shaped cut surface, entering the wood rather steeply. Then cut downward and flat to a depth of one-half into the xylem on the upper part; do not cut the back, just sharpen the tip.

Cut or saw the rootstock flat; if the rootstock is too thick, saw it off first, then pare it flat. On a smooth part of the rootstock bark, draw a vertical cut deep into the xylem, 1-2 cm long, then insert the scion into the cambium at the vertical cut; the bark will naturally split to both sides and tightly wrap the scion, with about 0.5 cm of the wound exposed above the graft union on the scion. Bind it with a pre-cut plastic strip 3-4 cm wide and about 40 cm long. Bind the scion firmly and also wrap all the cut wounds on both the rootstock and the scion completely tight to prevent water loss from the wounds.

Collected experience from Wang Shunfeng on grafting Bougainvillea

1. In Taiwan, China, I graft Bougainvillea in all four seasons. The survival rate depends absolutely on the placement environment and temperature. For trunks a dozen or so centimeters in diameter, I graft few, and 20---30 buds at a time have to be done in one go; if luck is poorer, at most I fill in 1--2 buds. I graft in winter too; if the placement avoids cold wind and gets sunlight, they still survive just the same. Now there is a kind of constant-temperature chamber: after grafting, push them straight in without bagging, and once they sprout, push them straight out.

2. If I find a new variety outside, the branches and buds I collect are not used for cuttings but for grafting. Do you know why? Cuttings do not match the medium and die within a few days. Grafting is different: the rootstock is already a living plant, so there is no soil-quality problem; once aligned precisely with the water-absorbing glands, water moves over and the bud lives.

3. Grafting is simpler than cuttings; for newly collected varieties, I always use grafting.

4. I advocate side grafting followed by bagging and cuttings; after grafting, take cuttings or plant, and remove the thorns when taking cuttings.

5. Graft-cutting is used on other plants; I applied it to Bougainvillea.

6. In cold weather, graft thicker buds; in hot weather, graft thinner ones for faster survival.

7. There is a kind of elastic Nomi tape that wraps the cut union and scion directly; when sprouting, the buds pass straight through the Nomi tape, which is very convenient.

8. When choosing varieties, use deep-colored varieties paired with a few light-colored ones and it looks very good; those too light in color with no special character should be given up.

9. For green-bud scions, green buds that have grown well for several weeks are best. For branch grafting, use ones with strong vigor within one year; those over one year also survive very well. But taking spring as an example, during the growing season green-bud grafting is preferable.

10. When grafting as the weather warms, water every day but not necessarily very wet. I always do this. The survival rate is very good, often 100%.

I went to graft for a friend; his plant had suckers at the base. He did not water, and the potting soil was all dry. The survival rate was less than 30%. But he still insisted that with suckers at the bottom of the pot it is fine not to water. Different ideas, and even skillful hands cannot make a good result. So I stopped going to help him.

11. The buds I cut off are definitely not soaked in water. Whether grafting right away or not using them all up, I just mist them and put them in a bag. When the temperature is high and they dry quickly, mist a few times; for leftovers, mist a few times and seal the bag, and they are fine for several days as long as they are kept in a cool, shaded place.

12. The scion can be cut with 2 cuts, one straight line and one slant line, into a pointed triangle. Both sides can also be cut into slants to a point. The larger the contact area, the better the alignment of the bark layer; if the thickness differs greatly, aligning one side is enough.

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