# Grafting to make the perfect Bonsai Mom.



## methias (Nov 27, 2010)

Welcome boys and girls, sit on down and I will tell you my dream.

It started last August when my recently acquired master kush clone came home with the Borg. I, an admitted neophyte, panicked and went medieval on the scourge. I used 4 different methods to eliminate them and when I thought I was loosing I decided to start some seeds that were given to me by a friend. At least if my clone died I might still have some seedlings to work with.
Well as they say sometimes it's better to be lucky than talented and not only did my clone make a full recovery and all the mites are dead but two seeds sprouted. 
I keep a clean setup and filter the air coming and going quite well so unless I bring them in, there will be no more Borg.
Well I played a little LST on my clone and the seedlings and vegged them for about 35 days from seed sprout and went 12/12. 
A little before this I took about 8 clippings from the three plants and started to try clones. I made a small cabinet for the clones and started them going. 
Again luck was on my side and by the time I realized that 4 clones were good the seedlings declared their sex and they both are ladies..

Now I had 3 ladies in flower (1 midsize master kush and two small seedling mystery meat) and clones of each thriving. I figured that which ever one turned out to be the best bud producer would become my mother plant.

I was  toking on a bag of quality vaped bud reading about bonsai moms and it hit me. 
I could keep a mom for years in a small space, take a clone every 2-3 weeks, vegg for 3 weeks, and send straight to the flower cabinet.
The only thing better than having a bonsai mom forever would be if I could graft two other strains onto her and have a mom of many flavors forever.

I did some homework, watched a few videos, and asked a few questions on the forums and now I just did surgery on my Master Kush and Seedling clones.
I grafted both seedling clone branches onto my Kush clone. She is expected to be my Bonsai Mom of many flavors!!!

I worked in a clean environment. I used new razorblades, RO water, Schultz powder rooting hormone, gauze and a bit of masking tape.


First I set up the area for surgery and then fired up my vaporizer for an attitude adjustment. (I know, normally the patient gets anesthetized but )

Then I brought the patients in. 
I set up two cups with RO H2O for the cuttings to go into right after getting cut.
I decided to try the notch and wedge technique this time. I cut the donor branch and then after clearing the nearest leaf I (using the razor) cut a point  on the donor and placed it in the cup of water. --->
Next I located a slightly fatter branch on the recipient plant and trimmed just above a node while trimming off the leaf as well. I then (with the razor) slit down >===-- the center of the stalk about 3/8 of an inch being careful not to open the wound. 
I pulled the donor branch out of the water and touched the tip into the rooting powder shaking off the extra and gently slipped the donor wedge into the notch. I wrapped the joint snugly with surgical gauze creating a gauze splint and taped it with a little piece of masking tape being careful not to tape to the plant. 
I used some long pipe cleaners to act as supports and gave the ladies a spritz of momjuice.

All that is left to do is wait and see how things went.
If all goes well I will end up with a Master Kush / Berry smelling / metallic smelling Bonsai mom that will live forever.
As a backup I placed a piece of Kush on each of the seedling clones with the hope that at least one of them will take and make my dream a reality.

So either I am really  really stupid and I have killed all three clones, Or I just stunted  them all and may end up with crap,
OR
I get lucky again and have my dream become reality.
I will post pics next week once I see how things are going.

What do you think? Was this a good idea or ?????


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## Meetwad (Nov 27, 2010)

Works with fruit trees!!

Why not!

I have wondered for the last few weeks if it could be done.

I wondered if during the stress of absorbing,that the mother might herm.

& also all new growth should exhibit both strain traits.

How many times did the old Frankenstein movie scene play in yer head?

"IT'S ALIVE!!!!"


May the Gods be with you!!


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## methias (Nov 27, 2010)

From my research I read that the branch stays as its donor plant and the rest stays the same as before. You just take clones from different branches to get a different strain. Pick your next months poison so to speak.
Hoping to avoid hermies 
Time will tell.


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## benjamin alexander (Nov 27, 2010)

anyone know if this will actually work? looked all over for anyone thats done t before and found nothing, surely its been tried before? if not go hard my friend and if it works i shall follow you... lol FANTASTIC idea, it would certainly solve a lot of issues for me and others im sure...


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## karr (Nov 27, 2010)

There is a clip of this on youtube.

Here, found it. [video=youtube;QGhWLaTopL4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGhWLaTopL4[/video]


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## benjamin alexander (Nov 27, 2010)

lol karr, always there when i need you, fouund some plasma induction lights, but from what i gather they arent for a full cycle grow, no no from seed and unrooted clones for some reason, at least thats what the manufacturer told me, he suggested a better complete alternative though and guess what it was? led's lol, from what i gather using led's early on (seed/clone) and adding a plasma or two late into veg/flowering is the ultimate.


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## karr (Nov 27, 2010)

Eh i am on the Ceramic Metal Halide kick right now for flowering(soon to have a 600w hps to complete it). as for veg, i just purchased a Grow Led Hydro Spectra 120. After lots of reading, these guys seem to be the most reputable for the price. I will be using it as a mother keeper and clone/veg light. Maybe just the clone/veg if i cant fit it all under... Tight nodes are what i am hoping for, it seems to be able to flower well, but i will just be using it for veg.

as for plasma lighting, well like i had said the metal halide plasma (among others) are missing the red end for good flowering. Once the Sulfur plasma lights kick into full manufacturing they will be the best light for everything.



Back to the original topic. This would also be a great way to meet legal plant number limitations while still having a good variety of plants.


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## benjamin alexander (Nov 27, 2010)

yeah i was a bit skeptical about the plasma i found but the company does an awesome 5 spectrum 250watt panel i've ordered, seen a few grows with it and it seems to live up to it's claim of matching a 400watt hps, we will find out soon! 
and yeah, we can only have a few plants here so a multiple strain mother would allow me to pick n mix with my clones while staying under my limit, easier to keep one mother too, as im only small time it makes much much more sense.


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## methias (Nov 28, 2010)

I'll keep you posted on mom. 
Well my mom's living under CFL's and doing ok so far. 
Not looking for stellar growth on mom, just slow and steady like a Bonsai.
Room is limited for me. Mom's cabinet is about a third the size of the flower cabinet. For flower I have 3) 68 watt 2700K (300 watt equivalent), 4) 42 watt 2700K ( 200 watt equivalent) and a few 23 watt 3500K (100 watt equivalent) for a total of 418 watt ( 1900 watt equivalent). 
If all works with my mom O many flavors I will have 2 (mom & a clone) in mom's cabinet and 2-3 in the flower cabinet at all times all at progressing levels of ripeness. 
Gonna get some pics up in a few days. Camera's in the shop.

As God is my witness
I'll never be potless again...


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## methias (Nov 29, 2010)

OK, abject failure.
Gauze is not the answer.
Damm donor branches dried up quicker than my drying bud is. Leaves rolled and got crunchy.

Went out and got some grafting wax. Tried again.

waiting.....


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## Scooch McGooch (Nov 30, 2010)

watching and waiting... its so much fun


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## Meetwad (Dec 6, 2010)

& the verdict is........


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## cannabeast (Dec 6, 2010)

karr said:


> There is a clip of this on youtube.
> 
> Here, found it. [video=youtube;QGhWLaTopL4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGhWLaTopL4[/video]


thanks for looking up that video. we enjoyed viewing it over here


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## SCCA (Dec 10, 2010)

any updates? i would love to see if this works. i have grafted roses and fruit trees many times, I'm not sure but from your first post i think you used what is know as a wedge graft. it is sooo important that the cambium line up properly with any graft, also consider that an herbaceous plant will transpire much more than a dormant tree branch. perhaps extra misting will help also a product like "Cloud Cover" may help. be careful of grafting wax, if left too long it can start to damage the bark. grafting paste may help more. i would also say to try the T-grafting method used for roses. graft to a well lignified (woody) stem and secure snugly with green garden tape. i have been wanting to try this for years but have not had the opportunity.

best of luck!
Wes


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## Tarkett (Dec 10, 2010)

Subscribed. I must know if it works.


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## Dropastone (Dec 10, 2010)

I'm in for this one.


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## Tahmi.Guhnn (Dec 11, 2010)

methias said:


> OK, abject failure.
> Gauze is not the answer.
> Damm donor branches dried up quicker than my drying bud is. Leaves rolled and got crunchy.
> 
> ...


not to sound like a dick, but whats the point of this. this seems like a lot of unesicary stress on the plants. why not just take a clone of the three different strains you want and just put them in the same bucket? you'd still have ur three different strains and less stress on the plants and im sure less of a headache for ya. just my two cents. maybe im just missing the benifit of grafting.


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## Tarkett (Dec 11, 2010)

Don't give up! I Know that it's (probably) possible!


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## SCCA (Dec 11, 2010)

@Tahmi.Guhhn- for those of us in areas where we are allowed to grow a limited number of plants, having multiple mothers can drastically cut down the amount of medicine you can produce. i.e. many counties in California follow the state minimum of 12 immature or 6 mature plants. having 3 moms cuts your growing ability by half. beside the concept is just frigging cool!


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## Tahmi.Guhnn (Dec 11, 2010)

SCCA said:


> @Tahmi.Guhhn- for those of us in areas where we are allowed to grow a limited number of plants, having multiple mothers can drastically cut down the amount of medicine you can produce. i.e. many counties in California follow the state minimum of 12 immature or 6 mature plants. having 3 moms cuts your growing ability by half. beside the concept is just frigging cool!


ah i see where your comming from then. good luck. 

and ps atleast your allowed any plants legally, over here in sc.


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## methias (Dec 12, 2010)

The first pic is mom in her hood. Don't want her to dry out. Next is with the canopy withdrawn. Once I am sure the grafts are solid the canopy goes away.


Next we have a graft that is almost two weeks attached. 
I used grafting wax and water. This time I used a thicker target and donor branch. The donor had 2 fans that I cut in half and a small sprout starting. Now look at her.

I just might have pulled it off.
If this works I am going to add at least one more graft to momma.


I think I can......


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## xanadulives (Dec 12, 2010)

Ya baby!!! I'm smilin' with ya!!!
Also hitting some fresh NLx5 outta the vap!!!!


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## phyzix (Dec 12, 2010)

It will work.


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## SCCA (Dec 13, 2010)

Beautiful! cant wait to see how it turns out. another thing to consider is some plants will tend to favor the stock (momma) over the scion (donor branch) you may need to prune new growth in the stock plant until the scion is growing vigorously. also keep in mind that the union will be weak for a while even after the graft has taken, you may want to splint it to give it some extra support.

i think im going to put my pollen project on hold for a while and give this a shot. maybe i missed it but what strains are you using for your stock and scion?


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## GodSlave (Jan 3, 2011)

I'm so happy it seems to have worked! This is something I have thought about for a long time, and now I know the answer. But, just to be clear, there is no way the DNA from either plant will mix? You will always have truly DNA separate plants?
GS


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## Micromaster (Jan 3, 2011)

GodSlave said:


> I'm so happy it seems to have worked! This is something I have thought about for a long time, and now I know the answer. But, just to be clear, there is no way the DNA from either plant will mix? You will always have truly DNA separate plants?
> GS


 does you dna mix when you sleep with a woman and dont have a kid?


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## GodSlave (Jan 3, 2011)

Micromaster said:


> does you dna mix when you sleep with a woman and dont have a kid?


 WTF? Did I say anything about human sperm?


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## The Ruined (Jan 4, 2011)

GodSlave said:


> WTF? Did I say anything about human sperm?


Does your DNA mix if you graft someones arm onto your body?

So how's mom? Heal up fully yet?


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## GodSlave (Jan 4, 2011)

Again, not talking about human genetics. 
Mom?


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