ABSTRACT
Before beginning a graft there is a need to decide between two main strategies: apical grafting and side grafting. Both utilize scions detached from the mother plant and grafted onto separate rootstocks, a process known as detached scion grafting. In apical grafts the scion replaces the top of the rootstock stem, which is cut down to a chosen height, a process known in grafter’s parlance as ‘heading-back’ or ‘heading-down’. Side grafting involves totally or partially retaining the top portion of the rootstock above the graft. With side grafts it is often possible to rest materials used for moisture retention, and shading directly onto the tops of the remaining portion of the rootstocks. Since grafting methods have developed, categorisation and naming of grafting methods has been disordered and inconsistent, unfortunately there seems to be no standardised system in general use. A systematic approach towards categorisation of grafts linked to methods and names seems long overdue.
