The avocado is an evergreen fruit tree that, although it requires patience to begin producing fruit, is prized for the quality and quantity of its harvest. Its slow development means that, if grown from seed, it can take more than a decade to produce fruit of optimal quality. For this reason, the grafting technique is fundamental For those who want to enjoy healthy and tasty avocados in much less time. Grafting allows you to accelerate the start of production and ensure that your tree retains the desired characteristics of the chosen variety.
Why graft an avocado?
The avocado or Persea americana has a particularity: When grown from seed, the resulting plant can take between 10 and 15 years to produce fruit., and many times these fruits are of unpredictable quality and size. On the contrary, graft It allows you to take advantage of the capabilities of a rootstock adapted to the local climate and soil, ensuring that you can soon enjoy specimens with the best properties of the selected variety (such as Hass or Bacon).
The grafting technique has other additional benefits, such as:
- Advance fruit production just two years after grafting, under optimal growing conditions.
- Increase stamina from the plant to the local soil or climate, since the rootstock is usually a native or adapted variety.
- Allow the combination of different varieties on the same tree, making it possible to obtain more varied or staggered harvests.
- Rejuvenate or recover damaged trees, giving them new productive life or changing the cultivated variety.
What is the best time to graft an avocado?
The success of the graft depends largely on when you do it. The best time to graft an avocado is spring., when the sap begins to move strongly and the tree resumes its growth. It is crucial to wait for minimum temperatures are always above 15°C and maximum temperatures do not exceed 30°C. This range facilitates healing and reduces the risk of frost, which can ruin the graft.
It is not advisable to graft as soon as winter ends. It is essential to ensure that the weather has stabilized and that there is no risk of low nighttime temperatures that could affect the rootstock or newly planted scion.
In regions with very warm climates, you can extend the grafting window until early summer, but avoid periods of extreme heat above 35°C, which can hinder the survival and establishment of the graft.
The spring period offers the following advantages for avocado grafting:
- Greater vegetative activity, which facilitates the union and growth of the graft.
- Availability of branches in optimal condition to be used as grafts.
- Favorable humidity and temperature conditions that accelerate the healing process.
What is a graft and how does it work?
El graft It is a traditional vegetative propagation technique that consists of joining two parts of plants: the rootstock and the graft Properly speaking. The rootstock is the basic plant, generally robust and adapted to the area. The graft is a cutting of the desired variety that, after merging with the rootstock, will become part of the tree and produce fruit with the characteristics of that variety.
Although there are different types of grafts, the most common ones in avocado are:
- Cleft graftA wedge-shaped cut is made in the rootstock branch, and the prepared graft is inserted in a corresponding shape, ensuring direct contact between the cambial tissues.
- Side grafting (side veneering): It consists of making a lateral cut in the branch or trunk of the rootstock, approximately 3 cm, and inserting a bud or rod of the avocado of the desired variety, also cut at an angle to fit perfectly.
- Bud graft (shield): Less common in avocado but equally valid, a bud is extracted from the selected variety and inserted into the bark of the rootstock using a T-shaped incision.
Instruments and materials needed for avocado grafting
To proceed safely and increase your chances of success, have the following materials on hand:
- Grafting knife or razor: Very sharp and clean tool, essential for making precise cuts.
- Grafting tape or plastic tape: Helps to fix the graft firmly, ensuring that it does not move during healing.
- Transparent plastic bag: Maintains moisture and protects the graft, key during the first weeks.
- Alcohol or disinfectant to clean all tools before and after use and prevent infections.
- Clean gloves, especially recommended if you have several plants to prevent the transmission of diseases.
Tip: Never directly wet the graft area, as excess moisture can cause rot or infection. Water the base of the tree, keeping the graft area dry.
Step by step: How to graft an avocado?
- Select a healthy rootstock: The base plant should be at least one year old and at least 2 centimeters thick. Make sure it's disease-free, has strong roots, and is adapted to the soil.
- Choose the right type of graft: Cleft grafting and side grafting are the most commonly used. For young trees, side grafting is especially effective.
- Disinfect all your tools (knife, razor, scissors) with alcohol before starting the process. This will prevent infection in open wounds.
- Make the cut in the rootstock: For a cleft graft, make a clean horizontal cut in the desired area and then a wedge-shaped indentation. For a side graft, make a 3-centimeter side cut with an inward incision.
- Prepare the graft: Choose a healthy avocado scion, about 30 centimeters long and with 4 to 6 buds. The cut should be wedge-shaped to fit the rootstock. If you use buds, they should be 8 to 10 cm long and about 1 cm wide.
- Insert the graft: Carefully place the graft onto the rootstock cut, ensuring good contact between the cambial layers of both parts. Secure with special grafting tape.
- Cover the area with a clear plastic bag, making small holes for air circulation. This will help maintain humidity without promoting mold growth.
- Keep checking the graft every two or three days: If mold or rot is observed, remove the bag and check for moisture. The healing process typically takes 3 to 6 weeks, depending on the climate.
- After a month, check the union: If the graft is green and sprouting, you can gradually remove the plastic protection.
Care after avocado grafting
Aftercare is just as important as the grafting technique:
- Do not wet the graft area: Water at ground level to avoid rot.
- Avoid direct sunlight on the graft for the first few days. You can cover the area with a paper bag or, failing that, paint the branch with lime or white gardening paint.
- Apply fertilizer and water moderately days before grafting, so that the plant is well nourished but not excessively wet.
- Gradually remove the tapes and plastics when the graft is well united, to avoid constrictions as growth progresses.
- Selective pruning of unwanted shoots below the graft point, to focus the sap on the new variety.
If the graft dries out or doesn't sprout after a month, it probably didn't thrive. In that case, repeat the process with another fresh cutting.
Is it possible to graft an avocado onto a bay tree?
A common question is whether an avocado can be grafted onto a bay tree (Laurus nobilis). Although both species belong to the Lauraceae family, It is not feasible to graft avocado onto bay treesSuccessful grafts are only achieved between plants of the same genus or closely related species, as their tissues must be compatible. Bay and avocado, despite sharing a family, belong to different genera (Laurus and Persea), which makes long-term tissue union impossible. To ensure success, only use adapted avocado rootstocks or graft between different varieties of avocado. Persea americana.
Frequently Asked Questions About Avocado Grafting
- When will I know if the graft has been successful? If the bud or scion sprouts and is green after 3-5 weeks, the graft has taken. If it dries out or blackens, it has probably failed.
- Can all avocado trees be grafted? Yes, but it is important that the rootstock has sufficient vigor and is well adapted to the environment.
- How often should I perform grafting if it fails? You can try again in the same season if there is enough time and the rootstock remains healthy.
- Which varieties are best for grafting? Popular varieties include Hass, Fuerte, Bacon, and others tailored to your climate and taste preferences.
- How long does it take for the tree to bear fruit after grafting? With proper care, it is possible to obtain fruit from two years after grafting.
