So on the 26th, I grafted a small seedling directly on top of the pereskiopsis scion. It was a perfect fit size wise. The join s were identical in size (and I thought that this might help kepp it all "glued" together). As per Kada's instructions, it is sitting covered with a coke bottle, with light and heat and high humidity. I spray it every 2 days.

BUT:

Is it normal for the bottom of the graft to pull in? Its Day 5 and it has pulled in at the join and the edges of the peres has dried up and it seems as though it has pulled away from edges of the graft. The graft still looks joined and the plant has not shrunk in size.

I'm hoping its ok.

So not to be daunted - just grafted an Astrophytum Asterias Superkabuto Kitsuko Supar to another peres stock. Day 1: - will let you know how it progresses.

Good luck calycium, hope all goes well.

i suck at grafting!

Good luck with the Astrophytum Asterias Superkabuto Kitsuko a very rare cv that is notoriously difficult to graft especially to pereskiopsis spathula.

What was the first scion you grafted ?

First graft is also with a pereskiopsis scion, hoping it will do well.

astophytum asterias (especialyl kabuto) have very hard rigid skin, it helps to use tape with them!

good luck with your grafts, hope they work. sometimes the edges wont make perfect contact and it may look raised. it is usually ok as long as some of the tissue is still connected ok but it is very fragile for a while when like this.

Calcyium,

Mate I think you have little technical error. The scion is the top/seedling/plant to be grafted. The bottom is the stock/pereskiopsis/tricho/myrtillo etc etc

So what was the original seedling/scion ?

Thanks Kada,

It's been fun following your instructions, and giving it a go.

I'm not going to move them - got them under a light for heat, and keep turning them every few hours.

There is a leaf on each pereskiopsis, would it be ok to leave one on for chlorophyll production, or should I remove it too and allow all growth ONLY on the grafted plant. I was thinking that one leaf might help the rootstock along initially.

HelloNasty -
thanks for that, getting my scions and stock all confused

First one I did was a pereskiopsis with a Echinocactus scion. She's 5 days old now. Apart from the ridge around the join and slight seperation on one side, its still looking pretty good.

I cut the asterias so that it was smaller than the stock diameter and placed it off-centre. It looks as healthy as the first graft did initially so I am pretty happy. I've got six of the A. A. Superkabuto Kitsuko Supars so I thought it would be good to compare their growth, and the experimental grafting might be worth the risk of a faster growing plant.

I'll put some photos on the web if I succeed, possibly some to show how I didn't.

yeah i never had any luck with super kabuto. good luck.

you should leave all leaves on if you cant...what you dont want are the offsets which will leach from your scion...the elaves help the scion.

Day 6: sad news, the SuperKabuto graft did not take - it somehow popped off. Sliced them BOTH again and regrafted, so back to Day 1****

So taking kada's advice this time. Graft "persauded" to stay put this time with tape and a nice pink hat of folded tissue paper.

I'll let you know how its going.

As to graft 1 - have the screw cap partially off while I lower the humidity gradually. Its looking a bit shrivelled, but seems to have bonded and I'll have to wait and see now (Day 12!!!)

hey calcium, how'd those grafts go?

Yeah. How about an update cal? Like to know those Peres are going to good use

I can never get the hang of Peres grafting, hmm maybe this season...

...Nearly spring!!!