Aside from allowing your cannabis plants to produce seeds through pollination, grafting is another way to propagate your crops. In this article, you will learn a few important things about grafting and if it is possible to combine two or more marijuana strains into one plant.

What Is Grafting?

Grafting is an agricultural technique that has been used since ancient civilizations. Although its origins remain unclear, the horticultural practice offers a few distinct advantages.

It is widely believed that grafting was inspired by parasitic plants that latched themselves onto another plant. Even today, the technique is widely practiced on various crops, including marijuana plants.

Typically, the technique entails using one plant, called a scion, and another plant, called the rootstock. Take note that grafting is an asexual form of propagation. This means that no genes are transferred from one plant to another. Like cloning, grafting allows the resulting plant to keep the characteristics of the mother plant. However, the scion can take on some of the features of the rootstock.

Usually, people graft plants that are having difficulty developing their roots. Grafting cannabis, or any plant for that matter, is one way to preserve the life of a scion. Usually, gardeners graft woody plants, but it can also be done on other plants. But take note; grafting is not an easy technique to master. It can be quite tricky and requires serious effort and some knowledge about horticultural practices.

What Are the Benefits of Grafting Cannabis?

Still unsure if grafting cannabis is a viable option for propagating a weed plant? Here are a few benefits and some risks involved in this practice. Knowing these will help you make informed choices about grafting cannabis.

Grow multiple strains

Despite the growing number of areas that legalize the sale and cultivation of cannabis seeds, many countries enforce restrictions, especially those about the number of cannabis plants that you can keep on your property. Grafting cannabis allows cannabis growers to cultivate different strains using one rootstock. Grafting cannabis is also a great way to maximize a small grow room.

Easier pollination

If you are a cannabis breeder looking to create a new strain or want to produce your own marijuana seeds, grafting cannabis allows you to keep male and female plants even if you have limited space. Grafting a male and female plant together on the same rootstock doesn’t require much space.

Take advantage of desirable traits

You finally found a cannabis plant that possesses some of your desired traits. Unfortunately, it has a few imperfections. You can spend time breeding out those imperfections or try grafting cannabis plants to attain the characteristics you desire from a marijuana plant.

Cannabis growers clone their plants to preserve genetics and to propagate marijuana strains. However, the practice can be stressful for plants. Sometimes, the cannabis plant clones do not survive the process.

An alternative to cannabis plant cloning

Grafting cannabis can be viewed as an alternative to cloning. By taking advantage of the strength of a rootstock, you can take a weak scion and propagate it with a higher level of success.

Grafting for root repair

Cannabis plants can succumb to a variety of conditions that can damage their roots, especially when they are cultivated outdoors. Through the grafting process, you can rehabilitate a cannabis plant with root damage.

Opportunity to experiment with multiple strains

Most cannabis growers want to try different marijuana strains. But due to constraints related to resources, it might not be possible to cultivate different strains all at once when you opt to start with cannabis seeds.

But with graft cannabis plants, you can try different marijuana strains without fully investing in completely different plants. When you graft cannabis, you can use one rootstock and then use scions from multiple strains. Essentially, you get to try different strains without fully committing resources.

A few caveats

Before you graft cannabis, it is critical to be aware of a few of the risks involved with this horticultural technique. For starters, you should know that like cloning, grafting cannabis can stress a plant.

Second, you need to choose cannabis strains that have similar growth requirements. Otherwise, if there is a mismatch between your scion and rootstock, especially in terms of flowering cycles, you might face a few complications like nutrient deficiencies.

How to Graft Two or More Cannabis Strains

Can you graft two or more marijuana strains together? The short answer is yes, you can. Listed below are the steps you need to undertake plus a few important reminders.

Essential tools and supplies

Before you begin grafting cannabis plants, you need to gather a few tools and supplies. These include

Gardening shears
Razor blade
Grafting tape
Cutting board
Gardening wire
Plastic bags
Water
Vegetative nutrient solution

A step-by-step guide to grafting cannabis

When it comes to grafting cannabis, there are a few techniques that you can choose from, including those used for fruit trees. But when it comes to weed plants, the most convenient and popular technique that most cannabis growers use is whip grafting.

Step 1

Before you graft cannabis, you need to choose a scion and a rootstock. Remember, the rootstock should be healthy enough to sustain the scion. Another useful trick that will guarantee success is choosing two plants with the same width.

Step 2

Once you have selected your scion (or scions) and a rootstock, the next step that you need to undertake is to prep the plants for the grafting process.

Begin by defoliating the scion. Ensure you leave a few leaves at the tip of the stem. Once you are done, repeat the same step with the rootstock.

Step 3

Using your garden shears, cut the scion from the mother plant. After that, take the scion to the cutting board. Next, find the base of the scion and make a diagonal cut on it using your razor. This will help create a larger surface area that will boost the chance of the rootstock and scion binding together successfully.

After making a diagonal cut on the scion’s base, put it into a glass of water. Do this fast to minimize the air exposure of the scio

Step 4

Once you are done preparing the scion, you can prepare the graft site on the rootstock. Using your garden shears, cut the graft site. Then, make a diagonal cut on the rootstock by using a razor. Make sure that the cut on the rootstock matches the cut you made on the rootstock.

Step 5

After making diagonal cuts on the scion and rootstock, you must quickly attach the two plant parts. Start by spraying the vegetative solution on both of them. Next, line the cut you made on the scion with that of the rootstock. To facilitate a quicker bond, you must ensure the two match up. In some cases, you may need to make adjustments to the cuts you made. Be sure to replace the scion with a glass of water while making the necessary adjustments.

Step 6

Line up the scion and the rootstock and press the two before taping them with grafting tape. Cut a small piece of tape and attach it to the branches to make things easier for you. This will hold the branches together as you wrap them in grafting tape. Be sure to wrap the tape around the graft site multiple times to prevent air and light from contaminating this area. You will need to keep the graft site wrapped for a few days.

Step 7

Using gardening wire, bolster the connection between the scion and rootstock. Begin wrapping the gardening wire below the graft site before moving slightly above it.

Step 8

After wrapping the two plant pieces together with grafting tape and gardening wire, you next need to wrap plastic around the graft site. But before wrapping the graft site with plastic, spray a vegetative solution on the plastic bag. Next, wrap the graft site with the plastic bag, ensuring you make a close seal. Do not wrap the plastic bag too tightly, as this will prevent the graft site from breathing.

Taking care of the newly-grafted plant

Be sure to spray the graft site one to two times a day. It would be best if you punched holes in the plastic bag to make it easier to provide moisture to the graft site.

Once you see new growth, you must cut it off immediately. New growth redirects the plant’s energy from recovery toward foliage growth and development.

The graft site should be healed after two weeks. But if you notice that the scion has wilted, you have been unsuccessful. Take the scion out and start the grafting process again on a different area on the same stem.

Grafting Cannabis Plants: Keys to Success

While grafting is an excellent propagation technique, offering a few advantages over cloning, it has drawbacks. Remember a few essential things to minimize your chances of failure.

Choose the right plants

Whether you are grafting one or multiple strains, plant choice is a crucial foundation for success. In choosing your scion, consider its strain and its flowering schedule. Ideally, the scion and the rootstock should have the same flowering cycle. This will ensure that the scion and rootstock

finish the flowering phase together. It is also highly recommended to choose plants that have similar sizes. Finally, check the health of both the scion and rootstock.

Create the right environment for recovery

While the grafted plant is still recovering, you must foster a hospitable environment. Keep the grow lights on 24 hours a day during the first few days. Once you see new growth on the plant, you can lower the daylight hours. Consider using a less powerful lamp. Some growers use T5s for this purpose.

Pick the right graft location

When choosing a graft site on the rootstock, one important thing to remember is to place it on a branch that gets adequate light.

Be patient

It will take some time before the scion and the rootstock form a solid bond. Usually, the older the scion and rootstock, the longer it will take before the grafting process ends. If you want to fast-track the process, you can use a younger plant as your scion.

Final Thoughts

While grafting can get a bit technical, it is a useful technique to learn

. If you want to grow as a cannabis cultivator, you should strongly consider learning and mastering this horticultural skill.

How To Grow Marijuana Seeds

Can We Graft Two or More Cannabis Strains Together?