01/05/15 Technical Tips - Cutting chip buds is made easy

Cutting chip buds is made easy with the SCIONON Grafting Shears SGH2-16.  

Here are a few notes on how to get the best results when preparing the buds (on grape wood).

• If your scion wood has come out of storage, make sure it is well rehydrated before use. Standing or submerging in a water bath for 24 to 48 hours prior to use is beneficial.
• Discard any wood that has not stored well and use this to practice on while getting proficient at creating symmetrical buds.
• Bud sticks of 8mm-10mm in diameter will yield the best buds.
• Make sure your blades are sharp and that your shears are well maintained and in good condition.
• Honing the secondary bevel to a flatter angle back to the bottom locator hole will help to minimize fractures in the back and sides of the buds being removed from the bud sticks.
• First section the bottom of the bud stick by cutting a taper at about 0.5 - 1.0 cm below the bottom usable bud.
• Bud thickness can then be controlled by how deep you place the tip of the bud wood into the recess in the jaw anvil. Most material will rest on the rest plate grip to allow cutting a bud of about 4mm- 6mm thick.
• Thicker material can be rested below the rest plate grip by pushing against it to control bud thickness.
• The length of the bud is controlled by the amount of opening in the jaws prior to initial blade penetration. 'T' Buds should be longer overall, chip buds shorter.
• Discard any badly fractured or non-symmetrical, poorly cut buds so that you minimize the potential of failure.
• Buds with minor imperfections will be usable when placed in a 'T' cut and will heal in the cut as callus forms. Be more discerning when cutting and placing chip buds into a notch, by making sure there are no loose fragments dislodged when placing the bud.
• Making sure that you have at least 50% more viable buds than required for you grafting project will ensure you achieve high success.
• If preparing buds ahead, hold them in water or wrap them in damp cloth so they don't dry out prior to insertion.
• Make sure the buds are securely taped in in quick time, especially on days of high temperatures.
• Make sure the vines are adequately hydrated prior to and following grafting. Make a relief cut in the trunk below the bud, so bleeding can occur if necessary, to ensure the union does not flood and inhibit healing.
• Monitor results two to three weeks following grafting and if scions are doubtful, have another go if you have good quality wood remaining.

This article is published in response to Kostas Bazigos, Kefalonia Greece