A method of top-working trees where a branch or trunk is sawed off straight across, and a vertical split or cleft is wedged into the center of the stump. One or two dormant scion shoots, shaved into wedges, are inserted into the split so that their cambium layers align with the stock. It is commonly used in orchards to change the variety of an established fruit tree.
We're doing some cleft grafting on the old apple trees to switch them over to a newer cider variety.
The most common failure in cleft grafting is failing to line up the green cambium layer of the scion with the cambium of the rootstock.
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.
Rind grafting
A grafting method where a small scion is slipped under the bark of a larger rootstock.
Splice grafting
A grafting technique where both the scion and rootstock are cut at matching diagonal angles.