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Muddy Waters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ9goudaABA&NR=1&feature=fvwp
I keep talking to people about different ways to graft but I think the hole insertion looks easiest. Lets here some views on this.

4/10/2013 7:52:02 PM

Muddy Waters

There cutting at a 60 degree angle,with no compound cut.Looks very very easy grasshopper!

4/10/2013 7:54:20 PM

formerly RGG

They make it look like anyone can do it !

4/11/2013 7:38:34 AM

The North Coast

There are so many ways to hole insertion graft with different angles and different shaped tools. In that video they were using a flat, tapered tool. It would produce a slit in the rootstock that the one sided scion would be inserted into. What all methods try to accomplish is a hole that matches the shape of their scion and a good snug fit. However doing the surgery is the easy part to the whole process. You must practice impeckable sanitation during the procedure. I am not sure how these two guys do their grafts out in the field without spreading disease. I have an hypothesis about CC seeds and that is that a good number of them may hold in their seed pathogens that are just waiting for an opportunity to develop. Cutting them open and the humid nature of the healing conditions are a great opportunity something to start up. I know from first hand experience that seeds from a plant with no symptoms can hold a pathogen in its seed. So as you go forward, be clean and if you can spray the plants something that may help like a fungicide or a biological. Also, dont mist more than you need to.

Another very big thing is not to have the moisture level of the rootstock soil too high. I would highly recommend that the soil moisture level be so low that the soil is one fractional step above bone dry. Or, about one half the amount in germination soil. This will keep the rootstock in a state of suspended animation for the process. If your soil is wet at all the rootstock will continue to develop and if your poking tool makes a small hole in the rootstock it will grow dramatically and open up. When this small hole opens up (cracks open) it will lower your odds of success and again, the main reason it opens up is soil moisture level. If your rootstocks have too much moisture on the day of grafting I would recommend that you transplant them into some dry soil. One thing is for sure, you will not be able to dry out or wilt the rootstock too easily.

4/11/2013 9:31:09 AM

The North Coast

Part of the success of the grafters in the video is that they are most likely using treated seeds, both the rootstock and the watermelon. FYI, I heard second hand that one of the watermelon seed producers in Japan uses dry heat treatment for their seeds. They hold them at 154 degrees for 72 hours. Yep, and the fellow I heard it from is from a major southern university and is a watermelon researcher. I dont have any more information on how they pull that off.

I will be doing some hole insertion grafting but I will also do plenty of approach grafts for back ups. Approach grafts are easiest because there are no healing requirements. With out the humidity of the healing chamber you are less likely to manifest a pathogen. The key there is manifest. If you hole insert it, approach graft it, or just plant it- if your seed has it, it has it.

Biota Max claims to have seed treatment benefits so I started my last batch of seeds (except for some that had special instructions) after a one hour soak in their product. Some day I will do a test with Biota Max on some of my known diseased seeds and see how it does. Peracetic acid is another seed treatment means but is very hard to get here in the states for reasons I do not understand.

4/11/2013 9:31:19 AM

Garner, NC

Hey Nathon, Thanks for all your work and research!!!

4/11/2013 9:41:50 AM

Muddy Waters

Thanks Nathan I think I will try both methods this Sunday

4/11/2013 12:09:11 PM

formerly RGG

Nathan, I believe you are making great strides in the advancement of giant watermelon growing. Thanks !

4/11/2013 7:51:40 PM

Princeton Kentucky

You can take this or leave it, but it may help those trying to get past the healing period. Since Nov, I have had very good luck using the single hole method using 3" vertical halved pots and sleeving them into another whole pot imediatly misted and covered with a halved plastic water bottle for humidity, simple. Transplant time simply lift out halves and seperate, little or no root stress. I use a single 60-70 degree cut and they take every time. I use shiscabob sticks for the preinsert hole cut down to a couple inches that way you can leave them in the rootstock and it won't bend them over due to weight of a whole stick. I stick several rootstocks a few minutes ahead of time to help relax the hole before inserting the scion. I won't devulge what I've got growing at this point but all I can say is....DANG..this season ought to be very interesting, lol. I'm also trying Giant Cushaw rootstock to see how that does...so far so good. Still practicin and still learnin, lol. My first year for Watermelon..Can't wait!! Good Luck all

4/13/2013 12:50:49 PM

Princeton Kentucky

Meant to add I leave the bottle covers over the grafted plant for about 4-5 days under growlights, off at night.

4/13/2013 12:53:02 PM

Muddy Waters

Joesph can post a picture of this or send it to me.i'm a visual learner.

4/13/2013 4:16:31 PM

Muddy Waters

Sounds good Joe I think I can wrap my mind around what your saying.Can I see a pic of the plastic bottle in place?

4/13/2013 4:19:00 PM

Omaha, Ne.

I didn't know ninja's liked to garden:)

4/13/2013 7:26:54 PM

Princeton Kentucky

Mark, I've got some seeds fixin to bust surface so I'll post a couple pics in a about a week or so. If it weren't for all the good ideas posted on here from others I wouldn't know whats up er down, lol. Lots of good idea's swirlin around on here, just gotta grab onto em and tryem for yourselves...thats all I do, lol. Darren..TOOO Funny,lol.

4/14/2013 7:49:25 AM

Marshall, MI

Joseph are you giving your grafts 24 hrs total darkness?
are you keeping grafts in a heated environment?
If so what temp do you keep them at.

4/14/2013 8:43:08 AM

Muddy Waters

I just posted a melon grafting video on the Getting started page at worldwidegiantgrowers.com

Dr Homegrown doing a addarootame with long gourds & melons.

4/14/2013 5:50:45 PM

Walhalla Sc

Hey Nathan, I got the seeds you sent me...Got them planted and a camelforce is starting to come up...Thanks a lot....

4/16/2013 8:20:38 PM

formerly RGG

Bill, are you giving grafted plants a try this year ?

4/17/2013 7:33:23 AM

Marshall, MI

Yes TD I will try one or two grafted plants this year along with my regulars.
I have grafted my own plants this year.
I have several all ready grafted and ready to plant.

4/17/2013 8:29:50 AM

formerly RGG

Way to go Bill. I bet you grow some whoppers !

4/17/2013 7:20:03 PM

Muddy Waters

Its about time you came out of the closet Bill,lol

4/17/2013 8:54:08 PM

Muddy Waters

Just kidding Bill,I was really surprised when you had grafted plants at seminar.I brought one home its been under the melon head grow lite.How old is this plant?I transplanted it in a bigger pot & its basically standing still right now.

4/18/2013 6:59:08 AM

Marshall, MI

I Believe it was grafted about March 26th

4/18/2013 8:45:14 AM

Muddy Waters

Wow! it grew fast!That was only 1 week before I got it.its huge!

4/18/2013 5:13:47 PM