If you’re at our orchard supply store looking for grafting tools for your orchard, there’s a good chance that you’ll just grab all of the budding and grafting equipment you’ll need and be on your way. After all, running an orchard probably means you know what you’re doing and are simply here stocking up on everything you need to get your trees the way you want them.

But not everyone who stops by our store is a professional. Some people are simply backyard gardeners or homesteaders, those who might be new to the idea of grafting and need a quick primer on the supplies they’ll require to make it all happen. After all, it’s important to have the right equipment so that the user and the tree are safe through the entire process.

What Is Grafting?

Grafting is the process of attaching a new part of a plant to an existing part of another plant. The new part, often a branch cut from a different tree, is called a scion. The part of the plant that will accept the scion is called the rootstock.

While at first this might just sound like a weird way to make a Frankenplant, there are many good reasons to graft plants. The most common reason that orchards use them is because some plants are sterile. For instance, the navel orange has no seeds and cannot create other trees. While this makes them an excellent choice as a table fruit, the fact is that there would be no more navel oranges without grafting once the current generation of plants died. Grafting plants can also help a tree pollinate itself should there be no other trees like it around.

Other reasons that plants are grafted include repairing damaged trees, using a rootstock that is more resilient to diseases that are in the soil, or creating shorter trees that make harvesting easier. Of course, there’s also the option of creating a new type of tree with multiple kinds of fruits, such as the Fruit Cocktail trees that can grow apples, pears, and plums all at the same time.

Okay, now that we’ve detailed some of the reasons that people graft, let’s take a look at the grafting supplies needed.

Grafting Knives

Why is a good grafting knife so important? First of all, you want one that’s ergonomically designed for the task of grafting so that you’re getting the cut exactly where you want it. Whether you’re making a grafting cut in one tree or in hundreds, you want to make sure you are comfortable doing so. This is good for both the tree and for your own safety.

Speaking of what’s good for you and the tree, it’s important to get a sharp cut every time, so make sure you grab a high-quality grafting knife that keeps an edge. Blunt knives can not only damage the tree — leaving them open to disease and insects — but can also slip and cause you to cut yourself. Since you’ll also be whittling the scion into a V-shape, keeping a sharp blade is important for getting the exact shape you want. Check out our excellent selection of high-quality grafting knives here.

Grafting Tape

Once you have the proper cuts in your rootstock and have the right shape of the scion, you need a way to keep them together until they are grafted together. That’s where grafting tape comes in. Loop this tape around the cut so that the two parts of the trees are held together tightly. Tape will prevent the scion from falling out or growing at an angle, and it also keeps the cambium layers are held close together to ensure a strong, fast bond. Check out our grafting tape options right here.

Grafting Wax

While grafting tape is great at keeping the two tree parts together, it’s not doing a whole lot to protect them from the elements and pests. After all, when you cut a tree you’re actually injuring it, which allows water, insects, and disease an easy entry point.

Grafting wax is the answer to this problem. Apply this wax around the cuts before the tape is applied and it will form an airtight and watertight seal. The wax will last long enough for the tree to heal and is then naturally decays over the years.

Grafting Kits

If you work for an orchard, we’re sure you’ll be buying grafting supplies in bulk. But if you are a backyard gardener and this information was fairly new to you, a grafting kit might be in order. It has everything you need to take care of a small number of trees.

Grab Your Grafting Supplies Today!

No matter how many trees you need to graft, Frostproof Growers Supply is here to provide the tree grafting supplies you’re looking for. All the best on your grafting efforts!