The art of grafting: joining two plants together to grow as one is horticultural magic

"Grafting is the method through which two different plants from the same species or genus are joined together to grow as one. The resulting plant benefits from the qualities of the two different original plants."

"For example, a delicious apple variety that would normally result in a full-size tree could be grafted on to the rootstock of a smaller variety, so that it produces the desired fruit while being suitable for a modestly sized garden."

"Grafting involves making a clean and precise cut on the scion and doing the same with the rootstock and carefully lining up their cambiums before binding them together."

"Despite grafting being a fairly advanced horticultural technique that few gardeners will probably ever do, I think it's worth understanding how it works, as the practice underpins the cultivation of many of the plants and trees that we might buy for our gardens."

A cherry tree outside a gym showcases stunning blossoms in spring, with white and pink flowers. Grafting is a horticultural technique that combines two plants from the same species or genus to create a single tree. This method allows for the cultivation of fruit trees that benefit from the qualities of both original plants. Grafting involves precise cuts on the scion and rootstock, aligning their cambiums, and binding them together. Understanding grafting is valuable for gardeners, as it underpins the cultivation of many plants and trees.

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