Lee Valley Grafting Tool

 by Ron Adams

After doing more than thirty grafts with the new grafting tool from Lee Valley (commented on "Planting, Care, Seeds & Drying, Cutting & Storage section) I am not so sure of its efficacy.  The tool will only make an incision of 3/8" which presents a challenge when holding the scion and rootstock together and binding the parafilm over the join.  At first I was attempting to graft alone but after many trials found that an extra pair of hands to hold the scion and rootstock together allowed me to bind the parafilm much tighter and thereby obtain a better fit.
The limitations that I encountered were that the largest diameter that the tool could accommodate was 5/8" with the wedge method one is usually dealing with a depth of an inch or more whereas this tool's depth is only 3/8".  Another limitation was the difficulty in trying to sterilize the tool.  The blade is inside the sliding mechanism and troublesome to clean also the blade became tarnished and rusty overnight in spite of efforts to clean and dry it.
In conclusion I do not feel confident that the grafts will "take" but who knows maybe next spring I will be pleasantly surprised and rewarded with a few grafted peonies.  Will report back next year.


Lee Valley Grafting Tool    http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?cat=2,47236&p=64798

Has anyone else tried this tool??  Share your experiences with us.