Do I need prior grafting experience?

No. The workshop is designed for beginners and includes demonstrations, hands-on practice, and one-on-one feedback.

Can I bring my own tools or scions?

Yes—bringing a preferred knife or labeled scions is fine; instructors will inspect tools and advise on scion quality.

Will I take home grafted pieces?

Yes. Participants typically leave with labeled grafts prepared for transplanting or potting and instructions for aftercare.

What is the success rate for first-time grafts?

Success varies by technique and aftercare; following timing, storage, and watering guidance improves outcomes significantly.

Are there age restrictions?

There are no formal age limits, but younger children should be supervised due to sharp tools and plant material.

What should I do if a graft fails?

Troubleshoot by checking cambium contact, moisture, and pests; instructors provide troubleshooting steps and re-grafting advice.

Hands-On Mango Grafting Workshop in Miami: Learn to Propagate Mango Trees | Workshop

In Miami, Florida, a practical hands-on workshop teaches gardeners how to graft mango trees and accelerate fruit production in urban yards. Meeting at 4013 Douglas Rd. Miami, FL 33133, the 1.5-hour session focuses on knife technique, cambium alignment, scion selection, wrapping methods, and aftercare, all tailored to South Florida’s subtropical growing season. You work directly with living material: rootstock trunks and fresh scion wood sourced for flavor, vigor, or disease resistance. Instructors guide small groups through making clean cuts, matching cambium layers, and securing unions so callusing begins. Emphasis on proper timing and scion storage increases success rates, and students practice both whip grafts and bark grafts where appropriate. The workshop is less about lecture and more about craft: you handle a knife, feel bark textures, compare cambium colors, and adjust technique until the fit is snug. That tactile feedback is exactly what accelerates learning; watching is useful, but doing creates muscle memory and confidence to try grafts at home. Participants leave with practical takeaways: labeled grafts ready for transplanting or potting, step-by-step troubleshooting for common failures such as desiccation or cambium mismatch, and guidelines for aftercare including watering schedules and protective wraps. Instructors also outline strategies for building multi-grafted trees so a single specimen can produce several cultivars for diversified harvests. This class fits Miami’s practical urban-grower scene. Whether you maintain a compact backyard, manage a community orchard, or curate a balcony collection, grafting gives control over variety selection and accelerates fruit-bearing compared with seed-grown trees. The subtropical climate shortens establishment times, but attention to pests and fungal risks remains important. Small group size ensures one-on-one feedback; bring leather gloves, eye protection, and a small sharpening stone if you have one. Wear clothing you don’t mind getting sap on and bring a labeled container to carry grafts home. The meeting point is easy to find by car or rideshare: 4013 Douglas Rd. Miami, FL 33133. For visitors seeking an active souvenir, this class delivers a living outcome rather than a trinket. It’s a short, focused way to connect with South Florida horticulture and come away with a skill that multiplies fruit trees and preserves varietal diversity. Advance booking is recommended because seats are limited to maintain quality instruction. Whether you’re a first-time grafter or have made a few cuts before, expect practical correction, real-time demonstration, and a checklist for seasonal timing and pest prevention. The instructors discuss cultivar selection with respect to flavor profile, harvest window, and storage traits, and they demonstrate how to label and track grafts for future observation. Participants often exchange contact info to form local pruning and grafting groups, extending the classroom into neighborhoods and community gardens across Miami. Arrive ready to learn and graft.

About The Kampong - National Tropical Botanical Gardens

The Kampong — part of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens — is a historic tropical garden located in Miami, Florida on the shores of Biscayne Bay. The site preserves the Fairchild-Sweeney House and showcases the legacy of plant explorer David Fairchild through extensive exotic fruit trees, rare tropical species, and curated collections. Visitors can choose docent-led guided tours that highlight the estate’s history and plant collections, or self-guided tours that allow leisurely exploration with a provided map.

The Kampong hosts a rotating schedule of hands-on workshops and classes set in the garden landscape. Offerings include cyanotype printing for fabric, community indigo dip workshops teaching Shibori resist dyeing, edible gardening programming presented with UF/IFAS (recommended for ages 12 and up), watercolor courses led by local artist Eileen Seitz, and all-levels yoga with Sam Reynolds. Forest bathing sessions guided by neuroscientist Karina Del Punta focus on sensory practices grounded in science; evening Moonrise Forest Bathing is offered under the full moon.

Several specialty experiences such as macrophotography, ikebana, functional movement, and seasonal events invite creative engagement with plants and place. Cyanotype workshops note limited spaces to encourage advance booking. The Kampong combines plant conservation, education, and cultural programming on a historic estate, offering both structured interpretation and independent discovery for visitors interested in botany, art, sustainability, and Miami’s tropical landscape.

Public programs emphasize hands-on learning, conservation-minded practices, seasonal plant highlights, and the site supports research, education, and community engagement for residents and visitors from Miami and beyond, with year-round programming and volunteer opportunities available.