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BUD SELECTION - Part 3 |
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Grasp the prepared bud by the petiole and insert its lower end between the upper ends of the vertical cut. Force it gently down behind the triangular flaps until the lower tip of the bud reaches the bottom of the incision. This leaves the flaps gaping slightly and the petiole and bud protruding from between them. Cleanly cut off any bark of the bud-shield remaining above the horizontal cut. Then the whole of the bud is within the T-shaped incision.
The bud must be tied in tightly. Raffia, rubber bands, and many other materials have been used for this purpose, but raffia is usually preferred. Some propagators wet it before use, to make it more pliable, easier to tie, and less likely to loosen on tying. It soon dries on the plant, and in doing so, shrinks, making the tie tighter. Wrap the raffia round the budding, extending in close turns, from just below the vertical cut to just above the horizontal one. Never cover the bud. Tight tying keeps the under-surface of the bud in close contact with the cambium. A half-hitch at the top will hold the raffia tight. Standards are budded by the same technique as dwarf stocks, but at a higher level. It is sometimes not possible to lift the bark of the main stem or trunk of the stock, especially when R. canina is used. Then a side shoot is chosen. The budding must be done on it within one or one and a half inches of the trunk. These stocks are the most costly of all, and so usually two or three buds are tied into different shoots lest one fails. In later years one will grow more strongly than the other. The weaker one is then removed. Sometimes buds of two different varieties are inserted, but they seldom grow equally well, the stronger type quickly outgrowing the other. The buds take better if, for several days after insertion, they are not moistened by rain or overhead watering. The sap must be kept flowing; irrigation is usually necessary. Each bud should remain green, and, after about three weeks, should begin to swell. To prevent strangling of the bud the raffia must be cut by a vertical slit down the side of the stock opposite the budding as soon as swelling of the bud is evident. Withering of the bud indicates failure, and another bud should be inserted on the opposite side of the stock at a lower level. Best budding results are obtained in warm weather, when the shade temperature is above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The warmer the climate the longer is the budding season. In Queensland R. multiflora cuttings and seedlings can be budded all the year round. In Melbourne budding on R. indica major is restricted to January, February, and March. This is due to two factors-climate and stock. In Perth the budding season is much the same. Autumn budding is a great advantage to both buyer and seller, for the rose sold twelve to sixteen months later has much more time to develop into a sturdy, attractive plant. This is not possible with imported novelties unless distribution is held back some months. The swelling of the eye is the first stage of its shooting. Its union with the stock is very insecure, and remains so for several months. A thin stick should be driven into the ground beside each plant, and the first shoot of the scion lightly tied to it. This will prevent separation from the stock by wind, or by birds perching on it. Shortening of the shoot, too, will reduce risk of damage, and, in addition, will stimulate the growth of new and stronger base shoots from the bud. With novelties, this adds to the supply of budding-wood, but with climbing sports of dwarf varieties it may cause reversion to the dwarf habit; in their case it is best not to shorten growths. |
