Buddy Tape is a specialized, flexible film developed specifically for horticultural practices, primarily for grafting and budding fruit trees, ornamental shrubs, and vines. Grafting is a propagation technique that involves joining two separate plant parts, typically a scion and a rootstock, so they can grow together as a single organism. The unique properties of this film create the necessary environment for the plant tissue to successfully fuse, a process known as forming a graft union. This material has become a preferred choice for professional propagators due to its efficiency and the high success rates it promotes.
Defining Buddy Tape’s Unique Properties
Buddy Tape is formulated from a proprietary blend of materials, often polyolefin polymers infused with paraffin or wax. This composition grants the film extraordinary elasticity, allowing it to be stretched significantly, sometimes up to eight times its original length without tearing. This high stretchability activates the film’s self-adhering quality, forming a tight, secure seal around the graft site without external fasteners.
The film offers both waterproofing and permeability to gases. The paraffin prevents water loss, which is essential for keeping the delicate cut surfaces from drying out. While moisture-retentive, the film allows necessary gas exchange, permitting oxygen and carbon dioxide to pass through so the enclosed bud can respire and remain healthy. Since the film is often translucent or UV-transparent, it also permits sunlight to reach the dormant bud underneath, which is important for eventual growth.
The Role of Buddy Tape in Grafting
The tape stabilizes the scion and rootstock, holding the cambium layers of both components in firm and continuous contact. This tight, continuous pressure encourages the formation of callus tissue, which consists of undifferentiated cells that bridge the gap. These cells eventually form the vascular connection between the two plant pieces. By creating an airtight and watertight seal, the tape prevents pathogens and water from entering the vulnerable wound site while the plant heals.
The film maintains a high humidity environment surrounding the graft, which is required for vigorous callus formation. Once the graft union forms and the bud begins to swell, the material stretches with the expanding diameter of the growing stem. This prevents the constriction or “girdling” that occurs with non-elastic tapes.
A significant benefit is the film’s eventual photo-degradation when exposed to ultraviolet light. After typically five to six months, the material naturally breaks down and disintegrates. This eliminates the requirement for manual removal, reducing labor costs and preventing the risk of accidentally damaging the newly formed graft union or emerging bud.
Step-by-Step Application Guide
Preparing and Wrapping the Graft
Application begins by tearing off a perforated piece of the roll, which is sized appropriately for most budding and grafting procedures. The film must be stretched as it is applied to activate its self-adhesive properties, ensuring a tight and secure wrap. Start wrapping slightly below the graft union, working upward with a smooth, continuous motion.
Stretch the film gradually during application, rather than stretching it completely beforehand, as excessive pre-stretching can cause the material to become thin and stringy. The film should be overlapped with each turn to ensure complete coverage and a maximum seal over the cut area.
Covering the Scion and Buds
Propagators typically cover the entire scion wood, including the terminal bud, to maximize moisture retention and prevent desiccation. When wrapping over a bud, use only one or two layers of the stretched film to minimize resistance the new shoot will encounter when it begins to emerge. The final wrap should be pressed firmly against the previous layer to maximize self-adhesion, effectively sealing the union against external elements. Since the film expands with growth and eventually degrades, manual removal is unnecessary.