Grafting Challenge

Stumbled over this, for those of you raising the bar on grafting @JWK @Lolimac

Clianthus formosus Grafting Kit

"Although it can be grown on its own roots, it then has a habit of dying just before it flowers. However, it has been found that if grafted as a young seedling onto a similar seedling of Colutea arborescens, it grows and blossoms much more freely and lives longer. We therefore offer a packet of each of these together with full instructions to give your green fingers a real test of skill. Australia. "Price per Kit""

http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item_380

 

Hahaha ... Chiltern Seeds - doubt there will be enough to divi up - particularly if you need a few timed differently to get right diameter scion/stock :(

 

P.S. Chiltern Seed are on sale (15% off) for the next few days - use the code "CHELSEA" at the checkout. I got "a bit carried away" with my order - although nothing new there

 

I grew this successfully many years ago and am growing it again this year. The trick IMO is to use a lumpy MPC, or add plenty of perlite. In both cases add a fair bit of sand as it's a desert dweller.
Grafting is not something that seems worth the effort as it only adds 2, 3 or 4 years to its life. It doesn't alter the fact that it needs a lot of good sunlight to do well.
If you can find fresh seed they're easy. The only tricky bit that I found is getting the watering right when they're seedlings.

No way could they be thought of as hardy. They may take temperatures close to freezing just before dawn in the outback, but it soon warms up. The lack of winter light will also make for unhappy plants.