Hey Dave, it was nice to finally meet you. Let me answer what I can:

“I never heard any mention of where to place a graft in relation to the roots, most of my fellow students then just seemed to place them at the very top of the rootstock…” – I hope our instructors note that. What I found while circulating among the beginner's classes was the participants fear of ‘messing up’ the rootstock cut; so rather than start lower, they’d cut high – to leave ‘extra wood’ in case they had to try again (as most do). But if they made a ‘good cut’ they're reluctant to try again lower and simply attach the scion high. They can always plant it deep… if not, it will maintain a constant desire to sprout growth from ‘all those’ rootstock buds below the graft… We’ll have to emphasize that next year.

“Also, I'm pretty sure that all the rootstock available was leftover from last year; none looked good…” – I doubt that; to remain viable it would have been planted out last season, perhaps doubled in girth, if trimmed, established a new and obvious ‘leader,’ and had far more roots than I seen. Though I purposely avoid memorizing the characteristics of rootstocks … we’ve had one that appears ‘red-brown’ inside. It’s ‘bothered me,’ until being assured, “That’s how it looks,” by an expert.

Don’t know how many friends I make at the rootstock table during our Exchange … but if stock looks ‘iffy’ to me I’ll send them back for a replacement. And though I was constantly pulled away to explain “top-working” (my part of the program), and had questioned one rootstock myself … I didn’t hear any/many complaints or questions regarding its quality. I did notice some ‘root pruning’ that didn’t look necessary.

“Also heard nothing about bud direction - one student was walking out with his completed tree when Karen called out something like "Bud inversion issues!” – That’s usually mentioned during the classes, but generally laughed off by the participants. Perhaps our instructors felt it demeaning to mention this time, thus – at least two ‘upside down’ scions … I caught one at my table. Guess we take bud direction as too obvious, but will have to return it to the program!

“Was also surprised at the use of masking tape, when there are several products available made just for grafting which I'd think would be superior…” -- Don’t get us started! Though I carried a pocket full of large rubber grafting bands, offering and suggesting they be used … there again, I was quickly pulled off to my top-working display. And I hate to contradict what everyone had just been taught…

Yes, masking tape ‘works,’ most of the time. One reason it’s used is that it’s readily available; few participants are likely to hunt down and purchase several lifetime supplies of these bands – and they don’t last a lifetime. An alternative is electrician’s tape, the cheaper the better. To me, a better choice; but curious students seem compelled to un-wrap it … there's hardly a better way to kill the delicate tree than tearing its bark away from the union! If you’ve experience, you ‘know’ when, how and where to sever this black plastic tape; but there’s recognizable confusion every time it's mentioned in class…

My concern with the tape is its lack of elasticity. It’s essential to line up one side of the whip & tongue graft. Grafting bands have the ability to conform, electrician’s tape too, to a lesser degree; but masking tape is more ridged, will tear, and may trap air… I think we’re providing ‘thinner’ masking tape; better, if not ideal. We did sell a grafting kit consisting of latex grafting seal and bands… That’s another reason I’d like some feedback here, otherwise we never know.

“Also surprised at the depth of cut for the "tongue", lots deeper than anything I've seen elsewhere; maybe it works but seemed more invasive than needed for structural strength.” – A concern of mine too, I even mentioned it after the first class. I had participants bringing me connections where the over-lapping edges of the cuts were a quarter inch beyond the corresponding cut… There’s an art to those deep splices, and done right, they’re a thing of beauty! Wrong, and their near-certain death… One guy, a professed woodworker, impressed me with a beautiful connection – better than I usually come up with when trying for the same, but most were less than impressive.

I suggest a tongue cut about a quarter inch deep, about 2/5ths from the sharp edge of the both cuts. Here again, you’re only looking to line up one side … and that tongue’s only there as a ‘temporary mechanical lock’ to aid in wrapping. As we discussed after class, the ideal connection would have no tongue cut – just a straight ‘splice’ – but how would you wrap it..? Problem is, get a dozen grafters together and you’ll easily end up with a half-dozen different methods – if not more!

“Guess I'll get to see more in practice at the Scion Exchange, I'll be there collecting interstem wood:)” – Remind us!

Ordering rootstock is never easy for the Society … wholesalers don’t want to break bundles down to the ‘small’ quantities we request. But if we don’t work with them our costs (passed on of course) would be as high as mail-ordering. And, what do we do with the extras? So we’re beggars - not choosers ~ But if we again have Persimmon rootstock – I’ll be impressed!

I don’t know? not my station … and I don’t know were to find out, other than the event itself.