The avocado or avocado is a tropical climate tree whose origin is in the Mesoamerican area. It is very popular for the smooth and characteristic flavor and texture of its fruits, although by itself it is a very slow-growing species, which usually takes up to 10 or 15 years to start bearing fruit.
It is for this reason that its most common method of reproduction is grafting, which has the ability to stimulate its growth and fruiting, meaning that in just two years it can already have a good production of fruits.
if you want to learn when and how to graft avocado step by stepDo not hesitate any longer and join us in this EcologíaVerde article.
What is a graft and what is it for?
A graft consists of union of two plants of different species that become a single individual or organism. It is carried out by joining a portion of the plant to be grafted (the so-called graft) to another already established plant, which is called the foot or rootstock.
This, however, has its limitations, and can only be done between plants of the same family generally, since an adequate compatibility is necessary so that the rootstock can feed and nourish graft.
The majority of grafts are made for reasons of production interests. Some plants are slow producers, and grafting stimulates them and greatly reduces the time it takes for them to start bearing fruit. Another reason for grafting is to take advantage of the better resistance or adaptive conditions of a certain rootstock to a certain environment or soil in order to be able to cultivate a species that could not survive as well on its own.
When to graft avocado – the best time
If you were wondering when it is best to graft an avocado, take note of these aspects. Choosing the best time to graft is vital, as the plants need to be in a state of active growth for them to join properly. In the case of avocado, the best season is usually spring, so that the graft grows throughout the warm period until the arrival of autumn. Regarding the temperature, the ideal is that it is between 15ºC and 30ºC.
How to graft avocado step by step
There are many graft types and different techniques to carry them out. In this case, we are going to use a T-bud graft. It is a widely used technique, especially in the propagation of fruit trees. For this, it is recommended that the original avocado plant is approximately 1 cm thick, which takes about six months from planting.
Knowing the above, now learn how to graft avocado step by step:
- Properly disinfect the cutting tool that you are going to use by leaving it submerged in ethyl alcohol the night before.
- To cut the cutting, remove the bud from its original stem along with enough material to include a thin layer of inner bark. If you are not going to graft immediately, wrap it in a damp tissue or paper and store it in the refrigerator.
- Make a T-shaped cut in the surface of the rootstock or rootstock. It is recommended to choose a branch or stem without buds. It should be deep enough to expose the green layer of the inner bark. Where the two segments of the T meet, play with your fingers or the cutting tool to loosen the surface bark and expose the inner green layer.
- Insert the cutting between the folds of raised bark in the center of the T-shaped cut. Pay special attention that both the graft and the rootstock are completely clean and free of foreign matter.
- Cover the wound with the rootstock’s own bark, and surround the graft area with some type of rubber or tape, which keeps the cutting in place and without moving, although being careful not to cover the bud or squeeze it too much.
- In about a month, you should be able to remove the tape without danger of the cutting moving. The yolk should look healthy and start to develop right away. If it appears too dry, the graft was most likely unsuccessful.
In this other EcologíaVerde article we tell you more about How to graft fruit trees.
Caring for a grafted avocado
We just need to talk about the care for a grafted avocado tree; and these are our basic tips:
- As previous care, it is convenient that both the plant that is going to act as a rootstock and the one that will give the bud of the cutting have been generously watered and fertilized in the week before making the graft, so that they are in their best possible conditions.
- The first days after grafting, the plant is more sensitive and it is better to avoid the cutting receiving direct sunlight of great intensity or for many hours.
- After the graft, the care will be the usual of the two trees, that is to say, from the avocado tree and from the tree that is acting as a pattern. If the tree is exposed to a lot of sun, it is convenient to paint the avocado branch with white landscaping paintwhich will protect you from excess solar radiation.
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