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Wixom MI.

I have tried it halfass but i think it has some good potential.to me it seems to be best for late season tomatoes. On plants 4'-5' tall.

2/13/2019 11:11:54 PM

Grittyville, WA

In my mind there is no question anyone who is really serious should be grafting. Not saying I will put that much effort into it myself. But if I was serious about growing 10 lbs... no question about it. I would be grafting,

2/14/2019 12:52:12 AM

Morgantown, WV

An extensive amount of tomato grafting is done for our organic farm each year. The primary reason however is disease resistance. Most of the plants do show a bit better yield, though they do need longer initially before harvest due to the healing time and such.

Counterquestion Chris... what rootstock are the crafters using for yield? It's not enough to just graft, different rootstocks have different effects.

It seems, with the spray programs used, yield would be the main factor for grafting over disease resistance? That said, tomatoes are some of the easier plants to try grafting, and where I started getting success before moving on to hardwood grafting.

You should sprout a few trays and practice, even if they don't hit the soil. It's a lot of fun when they take!

2/14/2019 7:16:11 AM

Wixom MI.

I used supernatural, maxifort, and spirit. I really don't know what rootstock would be best for a large tomato. Like most catalog desciptions they all say that they are the best !!! I beleive the giamoto plants you see in catalogs use the maxifort rootstock but im not absolutely sure ? My problem was that i did some early winter grafts for practice and by planting time my plant was to large and rootbound in the pot and my later atemps did not make it. So i planted my rootbound plant in a out of the way spot and let it do its thing. Once it took root i had a legy 2 foot long plant so i chopped it down to about 8" so i could get stronger growth.well in late August i had strong healthy plants with two good tomato sets going and When they were about 3 lbs each we had a heavy rain causing one tomato to rot and the other one started pulling away from the stem half way causing that half of the tomato to stop growing and prematurely turn red on that side. But for late August the grafted plants looked to be the most promising plants i had. So yes i think i will try them again and hope that i don't screw them up like i did last year.

2/14/2019 12:11:27 PM

Grittyville, WA

I dont feel like sandbagging it I will post pics this eve of where I am at with my grafting... Started trying it a couple weeks ago. I dont have any great results yet but I think it has huge potential. Its Valentines day guys and gals and whats the point of a ten pound tomato anyhow lol... If you are thinking about tomatoes today you are in for trouble! But on the other hand a world record might be worth some trouble.

2/14/2019 3:13:55 PM

Bethlehem CT

I bought a few rootstock seeds to give tomato grafting a try. The seeds are super expensive!!

2/14/2019 3:39:28 PM

Norfolk, UK

I’ve grafted normal toms; the strength of the graft is variable - I did think any positive effect is potentially counterbalanced by the loss of connective tissue at the join. If you get it right - perhaps a winner. If it’s off, I wonder if it might be less vigorous than the original rootstock. Watching with interest!

2/14/2019 4:08:08 PM

Wixom MI.

http://bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=300292

Here is my grafted plant from. Last year.i recommend having a graft at least 4" above the ground level so that the upper plant can't send roots into the ground and eliminating the purpose of the graft.

2/14/2019 4:26:47 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

I tried it a few years ago, the plant and roots were very impressive but the fruit was not. I sure someone someday will get all three to be very impressive an then we will all be grafting.

2/14/2019 4:28:47 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

I used Maxifort as the root stock, if I remember correctly the fruit from the Maxifort itself are uneatable. I think some of the indoor growers should try this.

2/14/2019 6:17:58 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

I have grafted my tomatoes for the last 4 years, both my eaters as well as my competition plants.
The rootstock folks designate their rootstock as either “vegetative “ or “generative “.
Well, not many of us are going to need a plant that is producing more stalks & leaves, that is what vegetative means.
I have tried 6 different rootstocks & have come down to 2 favorites which have been responsible for my largest fruit.
Those 2 are Arnold & DRO141TX & of course they are both “generative “
I do approach grafts rather than top-grafting because I have a higher success rate & there is no need for a humidity chamber.

2/14/2019 10:11:25 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

With either method, the most important thing is for the rootstock & the scion to be as close to the same size as possible, preferably 2.5-3 mm in diameter.
I saw the 1 Chris did last year where the graft union was around 6” above the soil surface & I admit I was jealous of it.
But I have greater success with the union around 2” above the soil so I just have to watch where the union is when I transplant it outside.

2/14/2019 10:17:08 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

Once I have a successful graft I wrap some masking tape around the union so my clumsiness doesn’t disrupt it.
It also marks the union for me.
Eventually the union is just as strong if not stronger than the rest of the stalk.
Of course during the season you still need to watch the union for roots going down & stalks going up from the rootstock to prune them off.

2/14/2019 10:24:26 PM

Wixom MI.

Thanks materdoc, it is harder to do a graft highter up on a larger plant but im going to keep tring to keep it highter if i can. I should do more practicing to improve my chances.im also going to try the dro141tx rootstock i see in johny select seed.thanks again

2/14/2019 11:23:25 PM

Grittyville, WA

re your split one...
I had a good one split like that I thought humid/wet conditions contributed to weakening the attachment. My guess... day length temperature and general plant stress in the fall could all contribute to making the fruit/stem less stretchy and resilient. I dont know your climate. Chris... Are you saying they seem to do this more in the fall than in the spring? For what its worth I'd say bump up the blue-grow, use artificial lighting and drop the humidity however you possibly can... Not saying I really know anything... just saying what I would try... I think high potassium might be good too. But perhaps some are just destined is to split the way the cells are arranged is a matter of luck? Some configurations of cells just wont work?

2/15/2019 12:12:35 AM

Ontario, Canada

I read that you can graft them to potatoes. That way if you don't get a megabloom on your plant, at least you got some potatoes to have with your steak. If the tomatoes are smaller, then use it to make a salad. ;o)

2/15/2019 9:12:46 AM

Wixom MI.

If i grow a 10 lb potato on my pomato plant do you think that will count as my 10 lb Tomato ?

2/15/2019 9:52:59 AM

Wixom MI.

Glen i think your talking about my other diary post were my tomato pulls itself from the stem. You may be right that the late season dew may have somethimg to do with it or the combination of shorter days cooler nights and increased morning dew on the plants, but unfortunately i can not change my environment out where i am. May garden is in a woods with no nearby electricity and i pump swamp water with over head irrigation because the muddy swamp water will clog up any other irigation system like trickle. But at least you gave me some new thought on the subject to think about.

2/15/2019 10:05:57 AM

Grittyville, WA

oh... Do you use a gasoline powered pump? Email me... If you use remay or something like that it might keep the dew off or just a brown paper sack pinned around the stem of the tomato at night...

2/15/2019 12:39:04 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

Glen, just saw your grafting pics on your diary.
I haven’t been able to graft as high up as Chris but I always do it above the cotyledons (seed leaves).
Oh, and don’t feel bad about cutting the scion stem.
The rootstock roots are much more vigorous than the scion roots...that’s why you are grafting.
Once your graft union has taken, you don’t need to cut the scion stem completely at once, I do it in 3 stages.

2/18/2019 9:47:19 PM

Wixom MI.

I never tried it your way before. Im sure you het a better sucsess rate than i get. I just cit off the top completely clip the new pieces together spray it with water and cover it with a jar. If i see it drooping i will spray it again. It usually takes me 5 to 7 days to get it to heal. But it is harder to do the bigger plants but i perfer the higher graft area.

2/18/2019 10:01:59 PM

Grittyville, WA

Thanks for taking a look. These are identical stock just done for rudimemtary practice. So... I really dont buy into the whole burying for extra roots thing. I've thought about it but I think if the plant just puts that energy into the primary root system the nutrient uptake may be just as good or better. In my opinion if you are trying for a first truss mega, then even the cotyledons are valuable. There is not enough time to be growing more roots or leaves. In theory I want the roots as far from the fruit as possible anyhow because they are a 'phloem sink'. Additionally, if you drop your plant down into a deep hole you are not putting the main root system at an optimal depth. If you plant deep and then water with fertilizer the roots will be at a depth that may not have optimal oxygen. Let me suggest that if you add fertilizer and organics at the same time it kills the oxygen levels in the soil so if you are going to do that, then plant shallow.
I think a seamless graft and recovery at cool temperatures may be possible. Not sure what kind of grafts I will try next. Led lights might be cool enough for a more rapid transition back to normal growth...

But, yes guys, it would also be interesting to try some grafting higher up too. Thanks for the input you guys are awesome.

2/19/2019 3:43:28 AM

Grittyville, WA

Thanks for taking a look. These are identical stock just done for rudimemtary practice. So... I really dont buy into the whole burying for extra roots thing. I've thought about it but I think if the plant just puts that energy into the primary root system the nutrient uptake may be just as good or better. In my opinion if you are trying for a first truss mega, then even the cotyledons are valuable. There is not enough time to be growing more roots or leaves. In theory I want the roots as far from the fruit as possible anyhow because they are a 'phloem sink'. Additionally, if you drop your plant down into a deep hole you are not putting the main root system at an optimal depth. If you plant deep and then water with fertilizer the roots will be at a depth that may not have optimal oxygen. Let me suggest that if you add fertilizer and organics at the same time it kills the oxygen levels in the soil so if you are going to do that, then plant shallow.
I think a seamless graft and recovery at cool temperatures may be possible. Not sure what kind of grafts I will try next. Led lights might be cool enough for a more rapid transition back to normal growth...

But, yes guys, it would also be interesting to try some grafting higher up too. Thanks for the input you guys are awesome.

2/19/2019 3:43:43 AM

Morgantown, WV

Jane and Phil, you can see an example of a Po-mato plant in my 2016 or 17 diary.

The plants did go full term, producing tomatoes on top and potatoes on the roots. As a side note, the determinate tomato on top had more potatoes than the indeterminate top. My guess for this, is the plant cannot handle a "double sink"... meaning the normal source for producing tomatoes is switched to trying to store energy for the potatoes themselves...

My general thought on it, is that when the clusters were ripe on the determinate, the plant then had enough energy to produce fingerling potatoes. The indeterminate variety kept wanting to produce tomatoes and had little leftover energy for the roots. Got tiny balls, but not what I would consider a potato harvest.

2/19/2019 7:39:18 AM

East Carbon, Utah

I've had limited success with grafting giant tomato scion (Big Zac) on Maxifort rootstock. My biggest challenge has been finding the patience and making a suitable "hospital" so the graft can heal properly. I do like the idea of grafting in stages!

This year, I will be trying to graft with this promising new open-pollinated rootstock variety:

https://www.delectationoftomatoes.com/store/p1531/Timmy%27s_Wild_Rajah_Grafting.html

I'll try to post progress updates in my grower diary, or at least on my blog, https://delectationoftomatoes.wordpress.com/

3/16/2019 2:08:56 AM