Grafting Plants with Bubble Gum!

Grafting is a technique that botanists have used in the past to join two different plants in order to create hybrid fruits and vegetables {e.g. fruit that combines the traits of the two original fruits}. For upper elementary students interested in plants and botany, this grafting project is sure to be interesting!

Grafting Basics

• Two plants are chosen; one is selected for its roots and is known as the stock, the other is selected for it's leaves, stems, flowers, or fruits and is known as the scion.
• The scion plant contains the desired genes to be passed on in the stock/scion fruit.
• For successful grafting to take place, the vascular tissue {the tissue that carries water and nutrients to the plant} of the two plants must be placed in contact with each other.
• Grafting can take up to a few weeks.
• As stated above, the resulting fruit of the grafted plants will exhibit traits of both the original fruits. For example, nectarines are the result of the union between a peach and plum plant.

Project Overview

Did you know that bubble gum can be used as a tool in grafting? This awesome science fair project created by Glen Vecchione shows you how! While the grafting process takes a few weeks {and it takes even more time if you plan to wait for the the grafted plant to flower/produce fruit}, growing a pomato by grafting a tomato and potato plant together with bubble gum is sure to be a neat experience and is worth the extra time!

For the full project, be sure to follow the link to the full write-up!