How to Graft Fruit Trees With Rubber Bands & Grafting Tape

Grafting may be necessary for crossing tree varieties.

Most of the fruit you get from the super market cannot produce a new tree with the same fruit variety when planted from the seed. Different tree varieties are joined together in a process called grafting to combine the strengths of the two varieties. Grafting takes the fruit from one tree and combines it with the roots, or rootstock, of another tree. Grafting tape in combination with rubber bands holds the graft together during the healing process.

Things You'll Need

• Sharp knife
• Donor tree
• Rootstock
• Grafting tape
• Rubber band

Instructions

1. Cut the rootstock so there is only a 1-foot trunk rising up from the ground.

2. Cut a 1-foot length of new growth from the donor tree, using a straight cut. This is called the scion.

3. Make a 1-inch angled cut at the bottom of the branch. Do not touch the open wound with your fingers. Wear gloves to prevent contamination.

4. Make a cut at the same angle on the root stock.

5. Make a cut down the middle, along the length of the scion, to create a forked tongue in the scion.

6. Create the same cut on the rootstock.

7. Join the forked tongue of the scion and the rootstock together.

8. Wrap the grafting tape around the union, overlapping the tape until the graft is held in place. Wrap the tape with a rubber band to hold it in place.

9. Remove the grafting tape and the rubber band once the graft has started to bloom.

Tips & Warnings

• Rootstock can be purchased from good nurseries.

References

• University of Minnesota Extension; Grafting and Budding Fruit Trees; Leonard B. Hertz
• University of Missouri Extension; Grafting; Ray R. Rothenberger and Christopher J. Starbuck