🌿 Grafting

Grafting is joining two parts of plants so that they grow together into one. In viticulture, the rootstock and the scion are joined this way. The rootstock gives the roots, the scion gives the wanted variety, and together they form one vine.

Why is it needed? At the end of the 19th century the pest phylloxera destroyed many vineyards in Europe. It turned out that roots of American vine species resist it. European varieties were then planted on American rootstocks. Since then grafting has become the usual way of producing young vines almost everywhere in the world.

How is it done? A cutting with buds is cut at a suitable angle. The rootstock is cut the same way so that the parts match. Then they are joined, tied and protected from air until the tissues knit together. This happens in a nursery, often in spring.

The work is done by a nurseryman. The care he takes decides whether the vine takes. Grafting is also used for other garden plants, such as apple trees, pears and roses.