Online Exclusive: Grafting Melons

The art of plant grafting was introduced in Korea and Japan during the late 1920s by grafting watermelon onto bottle gourd rootstocks to tackle the problems of declining yield due to soilborne disease in plants. Use of rootstocks can enhance plant vigor through attaining soil nutrients, avoiding soil pathogens, and tolerating low soil temperatures, salinity, and wet-soil conditions.

Four methods have been evaluated: hole insertion graft, approach graft, one cotyledon graft, and side insertion graft. Each graft requires different materials as well as different procedures in order for it to be successful.

Click on the links below to view a diagram and learn about each method of grafting.

Hole Insertion

Approach

One Cotyledon

Side Insertion