I live in Sri Lanka. It's dry and warm in the day time here and, temperature in day time here is around 30 degrees in Celcius. I want to know what is the best time period of the year for grafting a tree. Is it ok if I do it these days by shading the tree and regularly watering the tree. Or do I have to wait till the rainy season? Also I want to know what is the best part of the day to graft a tree, morning or afternoon.? if there's a best time of the day for grafting a tree what is the reason for that? I am planning to graft a Mango tree.
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The key to success with grafting and budding is to eliminate as much as possible the drying out of cut surfaces. The threats come from: low atmospheric humidity, exposure time, irregular matching surfaces and disturbance. So in a nutshell, work fast in high humidity with sharp tools, match the surfaces perfectly and support the result. Choose the time of year when the tree is growing actively; in tropical climates this often is the beginning of the rainy season. This way the union will happen quickly, reducing the risk of drying over a long period. Midday through afternoon is usually the time of highest humidity. Other timing is possible but the risk of failure rises dramatically.
Sharp tools produce clean straight surfaces. If you try to match rough cuts there will likely be spaces between the surfaces and this allows air movement. Bind up the work to make it secure and then cover the join completely with a wax to eliminate air. Working fast takes confidence, which in turn comes from practice. Good luck.
Colin Beckingham
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