Buddy Tape® Grafting Tape

Buddy Tape - Buddy Tape® Grafting Tape
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Buddy Tape® Grafting Tape

Buddy Tape
$38.50
Perforated Buddy Tape 25mm x 857 pc / roll
$38.50
Non-Perforated Buddy Tape 25mm x 60m / roll
  • Summary
  • Hardiness Zone & More

The unique properties of Buddy Tape allow:
• BIODEGRADABILITY: The tape biodegrades naturally in exposure to sunlight and can help reduce labor costs necessary to cut away standard tapes after use, and providing an environmentally responsible answer to the problem of waste.
• ELASTICITY: Buddy Tape can be stretched to up to eight times its original length. The elastic nature of the material allows small pieces to be used for the application and ensures an extremely tight grip on the bud or graft to keep it firmly in place, which is necessary to allow successful growth. Elasticity also means the tape expands as the plant grows, avoiding girdling the plant which is a common problem with standard budding and grafting tapes.
• SELF-ADHESION: Buddy Tape is not adhesive in its normal stored form, but becomes self-adhesive when stretched. This allows quick application with no need for tying knots, and combined with the firm seal created by the film’s elastic nature, it means that the bud or graft is kept in place even in windy conditions.
• WATER-PROOFING: The film has a wax content to keep it waterproof, so the bud or graft will not dehydrate. Air can pass through the permeable tape allowing the bud to breathe.  The wax content also means that use of Buddy Tape can eliminate the need for waxing in covered areas.
• COMPLETE BUD COVER: Buddy Tape is pierced by the bud as it begins to grow, and because the permeable nature of the material allows the bud to breath, the bud can be completely covered.   This provides protection from infection and insects.  It is suggested that just a single layer be over the growing tip of the bud to ease shoot growth.  Multiple layers over the growing tip of the bud may delay or hinder shoot growth through the tape depending on your environment.

SHIPPING CHARGES: When ordering supplies separately from trees, we will adjust the shipping to reflect the actual shipping costs. Unfortunately our shipping estimator calculates UPS charges based on trees in big boxes. Most small supplies and tools can be shipped Priority Mail, while larger tools and supplies will be shipped UPS, but charges will be based on the box sizes and weights. We apologize for the confusion and inconvenience.

Buddy Tape is made in Japan and has been widely available for years.  The tape itself feels rather waxy and should be stretched significantly when applied.  It can be used for both grafting and budding, but when used to cover buds only one layer of it should be applied over the growing point of the bud.  Multiple layers over the growing point of the bud may delay or hinder the bud from growing and pushing through.  Once Buddy Tape is applied it is difficult to remove and may pull a growing bud out, so it is left on the bud or graft and over time will stretch and deteriorate so that removal is unnecessary.

Each perforated piece of Buddy Tape can often be split into two and used on two buds or small grafts.  The non-perforated Buddy Tape is useful for wrapping grafts or when longer or shorter pieces are desired.