Thread Grafting Hole Too Big

[jimlau]

a hole i'm using for a thread graft is perhaps too big. does it reduce the time it takes for the shoot to merge with the tree trunk if I wedge a hard object in there? or is that negated by also reducing the contact surface between the shoot and the trunk?

It's on an elm.

thanks.

[bonsaisr]

Don't monkey with it. Insert the thread graft and seal both ends of the hole with cut paste. I also bandage the graft with florist's tape. If all goes well, the branch will continue to thicken and will eventually fuse to the trunk. If you make the graft now, it should be done by next spring.

[Marty Weiser]

I insert short wedges from both sides to hold the thread graft in place before sealing them. I normally put them on either the top or bottom of the hole, since the hole will seal from the sides.

[chansen]

Like Marty I usually use something to wedge it in. Toothpicks have worked well in the past

[Twisted Trees]

I would just throw the tree away and go fishing instead.  

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