Description of Budding & Grafting

Grafting and budding are two techniques used in nurseries. These techniques take two different plants and join them so that they grow as one. This practice is done when both of the plants are at their optimum growth rate.

Reasons for Grafting and Budding

• Plants are grafted or budded for a number of reasons. The most common reasons include changing varieties or cultivars, cross-pollination, taking advantage of strong rootstocks, cloning, saving damaged plants, and improved seedling production.

Types of Grafts & Budding

• Graft methods include a cleft graft, bark graft, side-veneer graft, splice graft, whip and tongue graft, saddle graft, bridge graft and inarch graft. The two main budding techniques are chip budding and T-budding.

History

• Grafting is a practice that has been documented as far back as 4,000 years ago. This asexual method of propagation was initially practiced in China and Mesopotamia. Budding is a more recent practice and is considered a modern science.