A specialized form of grafting where a single dormant bud, rather than a whole shoot, is excised from a desired plant and inserted under the bark of a compatible rootstock. Orchardists and nursery workers use it extensively for propagating fruit trees and roses because it is highly efficient and uses minimal scion wood.
We start T-budding the apple rootstocks in late July when the bark is still slipping easily.
Related terms
Graft
A piece of living plant tissue attached to another plant to grow together as one.
Rootstock
The lower underground portion of a grafted plant that provides the root system.
Cleft grafting
A propagation technique where a small scion is inserted into a split cut in a larger rootstock.
Rind grafting
A grafting method where a small scion is slipped under the bark of a larger rootstock.