modern.shaman said:

There should be a very small vascular ring under each areola. You don't need to cut deep into the cactus to get the ring just deep enough to get the entire areola. You would graft like any other cactus after that. They take two weeks or more to start growing; read some taking more than a month.

Good luck with your areola graft, I am still unsuccessful with it myself but using a trichocereus grandiflorus so I got lots to practice from. I'm hoping to do it with my TBM and have lots of penis cacti. 


Here's a Peyote areola graft
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/3255355

Here's a TBM areola graft
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/7564518#7564518

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islanduniverse said:

things im wondering about

-using newly born areoles vs. older ones
-how much flesh under the areole should remain or be discarded (perhaps answered above)
-horizontal vs angular cutting/seating of areole




also, general question about pereskiopsis grafts- does anyone find a decrease in vigor for growth when the leaves are removed? i.e. is it more beneficial or negligible to keep the leaves? i ask because i have some small grafts on short pere stocks, maybe 8-12cm w/o leaves and i feel they could be growing much faster

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Newer areoles are preferred from what I read and have a better chance at taking.  I don't have too much practice on areole grafting myself but I've done a couple successful TBM grafts so far.  I think a wedge areole graft might be beneficial but flat grafts work too.

I thought peres with leaves would cause grafts to grow faster too, but I see quite a few of my leafless pere+loph grafts grow faster than ones with leaves.  Logically, it makes sense that leaves would lead to quicker growth but what I'm seeing here personally is proving different.  Loose well-draining soil+ferts given to a leafless pere graft should overtake growth from a graft that hasn't been fed or boosted.  It's nice to have pere grafts that keep their leaves but ultimately I don't really spot a significant difference.  As long as the stock is actively growing it should boost the stock with or without leaves.