How to carry out a whip-and-tongue graft

The ideal window for whip grafting runs from March to May, though you can start earlier under glass depending on your region and the weather.

I start mine in early February, for instance, if the forecast is good for the coming fortnight. The scion needs warmth to break bud.

Once the rootstock starts into growth, water it generously. A few days later you can graft.

Begin by disinfecting the secateurs and the grafting knife, then prepare the rootstock by cutting it fairly high with the secateurs (anvil upwards). To check that the sap is running well enough, try lifting the bark at the cut with the grafting knife:

If the bark tears and leaves fibres, it is better to wait another few days or weeks. If it lifts cleanly, prepare the rootstock by removing thorns and leaves with the secateurs (anvil on the side away from the stem).

Choose the height on the rootstock so that the diameters match (easier when starting out) and head the rootstock with a sloping cut. The movement must be continuous and come from the shoulder, elbow locked, and the knife should “glide” from the base of the blade to the tip. A single-bevel grafting knife makes the job easier and avoids a hollow cut:

Cut the scion the same way:

Then check the cut; if it is not satisfactory, start again:

For a plain whip graft, the cutting stops here. For a whip-and-tongue, add a split in the rootstock and in the scion at about one third of the cut face (I adjust the position of the tongue so that the scion does not sit too far off-centre on the rootstock):

Then slide the scion into the rootstock. The advantage of this graft is that the scion is firmly gripped, which makes the next steps easier:

I apply the Buddy Tape before the Flexibande:

Then the Flexibande, which I tie to the cane.

The graft is done. Remember to disinfect the secateurs and the grafting knife before moving on to the next one.

Over the next three to four weeks the scion will either dry out (turning black) or break bud. In that case the bud is green and swells until it pushes through the Buddy Tape — no intervention is needed:

In the meantime, rub out every shoot on the rootstock:

After the first flush you can cut the scaffold branches back to 5 leaves. After the second flush, cut the new growth back to 5 leaves as well, to build the framework of the tree.

After the first winter, as growth resumes in February or March, remove any new shoots below the graft union.

Remember too to release the Flexibande and Buddy Tape if they have not broken down on their own (too many layers), so that they do not strangle the union.

And finally, after that glorious flowering, you must force yourself to remove EVERY fruit: