Now these are aerial roots! (Koehres 'pachanoi')

[Berengar]

I guess it's trying to tell me something! I'll degraft it soon, I swear!

This was bought from Koehres as pachanoi seed several years ago. I honestly don't know what to call it, it looks like cuzcoensis, but the spine bases aren't swollen. A mutt probably?

[Evil Genius]

Hi Berengar, this type was sold as Trichocereus Pachanoi by Knize. Gotta have a look which one it is. But I know this type being offered as Pachanoi. It´s definitely interesting but of course from the Cuzcoensis group.

[Berengar]

Thanks EG, I assumed these are from Kniže. I like it a lot, especially this blue epidermis - white long spine combination, it will be an impressive plant when it grows up.

[Spanishfly]

I think it is trying to tell you that it will grow better on its own roots than as a graft !!!

I have found from experience that at least some species do grow better on their own roots.

I had a few Astrophytum asterias , all from the same sowing and growing happily together in the same pot. Having never been a great enthusiast of grafts I did need to have a go - for a future need I will have to - and used one to see if I could graft it to a Myrtillocactus geometrizans - that attempt failed, but I learnt from it and the second attempt was successful. That was 18 months ago, and that Astro has grown and flowered.

But it has not grown as well as its compatriots, which have remained on their own roots, and have grown markedly larger and flowered more freely.

EDIT: I showed these pics to Mrs Fly - she said of the graft - That is Grotesque - absolutely hideous - I had hoped that one would die too. I told her grafts are popular with some folks in this Forum. Then they must be kids - was her response.

Edited October 12, 2015 by Spanishfly

[Berengar]

I think it is trying to tell you that it will grow better on its own roots than as a graft !!!

I got it's message and it will be growing on it's own roots from next year.

However, it was grafted as a tiny 2 week old seedling a year and a half ago, others from the same sowing are now about 5 cm tall with juvenile areoles and spines still. So grafting most definitely served it's purpose.

Btw, I got one A. myriostigma grafted onto Myrtillocactus geometrizans to flower exactly 45 days from sowing (30 days to produce a bud), and in that time it was the size of at least a 3 year old myriostigma grown on it's own roots.

Edited October 12, 2015 by Berengar

[Spanishfly]

Do you happen to have a pic of that A. myriostigma, Berengar? I would be most interested to see.

And how did you manage to do a proper quote box? When I click on the Quote button - it doesn´t !!!

Here is my 3 year old A. myriostigma var. nudum - on its own roots (of course).

Edited October 12, 2015 by Spanishfly

[Berengar]

That's very impressive!

My climate is much more restrictive, and even someone with much better horticultural skills, and if all other conditions were perfect, would probably achieve half that size in the same time.

But your skill is undeniably great, regardless of the climate. I have to substitute my poorer climate and lack of own-root growing skill with grafting, it works for me just fine.

[highdesertcacti]

i dont think you should degraft it, but just up pot it,,, and let the roots find soil,,, it would make for an interesing looking specimen.

[Berengar]

Hm, I was considering doing that too, but I'm afraid the Opuntia would rot if buried much deeper into the soil.

[Spanishfly]

I am sure it would !!!!!

And thanks for the kind words.

[BedOSpines]

I think it's a boy

[Berengar]

EDIT: I showed these pics to Mrs Fly - she said of the graft - That is Grotesque - absolutely hideous - I had hoped that one would die too. I told her grafts are popular with some folks in this Forum. Then they must be kids - was her response.

I don't like being judgmental, and that includes not judging people who are. She is perfectly entitled to her opinion. Different people have different preferences, the best thing we can do is accept those differences and live our own lives, but if some can't, oh well.

My sense for aesthetics is severely underdeveloped, and I only look at grafting from the perspective of usefulness. To categorically deny there is any usefulness or any skill involved in grafting would be incorrect in my opinion. But to each their own.

Maybe in another 30 years, when I'm all grown up, I'll dislike grafts as well.

[Spanishfly]

So she is right then !!!!

[Conv3rgence]

So she is right then !!!!

Spanishfly, people here are more easy going than on the shroomery ethno board, but this same kind of derogatory commentary towards grafting contributed towards a disruptive shit fight over there, with a few bruised egos, and it kind of spoiled the forums atmosphere. I don't think repeating the same kind of stuff actually benefits anybody. Lets just respect differences of opinion, admire your beautiful rooted specimens as well as respect the grafting skills of those who take time to learn the art.

I haven't much experience with grafting, but I can see its value. I do prefer rooted specimens and dislike the appearance of older grafts, so I really admire some of the plants you have grown. But this is merely my opinion, and someone else might prefer the grafted look. Lets keep the judgemental comments minimal because you clearly have a lot of knowledge and experience to share.

Edited October 13, 2015 by Conv3rgence

[Visceral420]

That thing is BEGGING to go in the ground! haha

[Berengar]

So she is right then !!!!

Yeah, and being young is soo great! I love my youth and my grafting!

[nut]

Grafting is the logical choice if you want to selectively breed cacti for the production of hybrids and cultivars before you GET old. I've found it to be a pretty popular method on most cacti forums. I don't like how they look. It is a means to an end. It also allows me to show all my hot young cacti groupie girlfriends the fruits of my labour before they get old. ;-)

[Philocacti]

Yeah, and being young is soo great! I love my youth and my grafting!

I guess we'll be forever young then ;)

So we can add this to the advantages of grafting.

Grafting increases the size of the scion in a short period and it also keeps the "grafter" young.

[2Deep2Handle]

I don't like how they look. It is a means to an end.

This.

Usually my grafts are not for show, but for accelerated flowering and fruiting for initial seed collection in some genus. There are various forms of grafting, and each is a technique/skill in itself.

Sometimes we graft for silly reasons too. Like so we can see a pach/cuz just begging for it, only to have it's owner master further deprive it (reminds me of bonsai somewhat actually)

or so we can take named clones like 'Tim' and stick a TBM on them so we can give them to our mate Tim and call it 'Your Penis'. :S (I may have watched my gnome do this ;) )

[2XB]

I am curious about this grafting vs not grafting argument.. . For an elite grower who grows prize winning specimens in Europe when cacti are indeed endemic to the Americas, what is the objective?

Out do nature, replicate nature??

Eitherway its unnatural and grosse!

[Señor Corrochio]

what is the objective?

 

Edited October 16, 2015 by Señor Jefferson

[Señor Corrochio]

I think the rooting has a lot to do with the fact that the stock's at an angle, plus opuntia stocks are well known for this.

[theuserformallyknownasd00d]

Mrs fly will never be young again, so she wouldn't know what it feels like to be young and adventurous like the youngins can be in today's age. The youngins however will be old one day so they might get their chance to share her jadedness with the world and cactus. Its all relative tho, I'm sure Mrs fly lived on the edge when she could, before she became old.

[theuserformallyknownasd00d]

Hm, I was considering doing that too, but I'm afraid the Opuntia would rot if buried much deeper into the soil.

Opuntia stocks are often cut just below the scion and buried for rerooting, this will give the appearance of a non grafted plant too. It happens with Dutch grafters, at least that's where I picked it up from. Theory is the opuntia will slowly die and fade away allowing the scion to root up on its own time while still getting some nutrients and love. Just keep it dry as per usual whilst rooting and even in six months when you have a rooted scion you can cut the opuntia out if it hasn't shrivelled in the meanwhile. If you cut it out tho just remember to keep it dry again for a bit.

[Change]

Id just like to thanks all the senior members that post up their grafting photos and experiences.

Sharing your hard work has inspired me to take up grafting as a hobby and without all the inspiration from this forum it may never have happened.

much love