Method and apparatus for horticultural grafting

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for making improved grafting joints between plant components, particularly woody plants. Selected plant materials may be grafted one upon another by cutting out two diametrically opposed longitudinal 90.degree. sectors from each end of the plant parts to be joined. The sectors are of equal length on each plant part and are joined by slipping the sectored end of one plant part into the cooperating sectored end of the other plant part so that the parts interlock. The joint is then enveloped by tape or the like to seal the joint. Tools for making uniform, repeatable grafting cuts are disclosed, including a simple gauge block with an integral cutter. The tool includes a socket bisected by a blade for making a cut of uniform depth lengthwise down the center of the plant and at least one gauging groove having a transverse cutting edge to make the transverse cut to remove the sector from the slit plant. Hand tools and semi-automatic machinery are also disclosed for sectoring plants in a single operation and include radial cutting discs arranged perpendicularly to one another and adapted to make four simultaneous 90.degree. slits lengthwise along the plant and reciprocating perpendicular cutting elements to remove the opposing slit sectors.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.