Grafted tomatoes

[Nature's Babe]

Hi Johnboy, Moles talk about grafting here...

http://www.molesseeds.co.uk/flower_and_ ... matoes.pdf

hopefully they still have seeds, though I couldn't see them on line, I asked and am waiting for a reply.

[Johnboy]

Hi NB,
Thank you for the info. It seems that Moles are now putting out information sheets like D. T. Brown Commercial used to do. Very clear and precise with good sound information.
JB.

[Tigger]

We've bought four different grafted tomato plants this year to compare them with our (numerous) home grown varieties, just to see if it's worth doing.

[Gerry]

Hi all,

I raised this subject last year as I had seeds of "He-man" from Moles seeds. There was an article in the March 2010 issue of KG on this and the advise was to sow rootstock seeds 8 to 12 days prior days to sowing the fruit seed. When I did this, using Moneymaker to practice the grafts, the rootstock germinated within about 3 days so that put paid to that theory.

I e-mailed Moles and they sent me an instruction sheet which said to sow rootstock approximately 4 days prior to sowing the fruit (I used Shirley and Sungold this time). Germination was still miles apart.

With the instruction sheet was an e-mail from Robert Aldsworth their Vegetable Seed Manager and I quote "I think there are two potential issues here which have led to your problem.

Firstly, I think 8-12 days is too long a time gap; we normaly recommend 4 days (see attached guide).

Secondly....The He-Man we supply is professional grade seed of a leading hybrid variety, which means that it is graded to ensure the germination is at least 90%, while the effect of hybrid vigour is such that it will germinate much more efficiently. In addition to this our He-Man seed is primed (i.e. partially germinated) to ensure rapid and even development.

To sumarise, I think you should sow at most 4 days apart, but many people sow them together in the same pot. To get the real benefit of grafting you really want to use a high performance scion variety with the hybrid rootstock." unquote.

I tried again this year, putting both in the same pot, but just couldn't get both the same size so finnished up cutting out the He-Man and growing on the Shirley and Sungold. I won't be trying again.

Hope this helps,
Regards, Gerry.

[Nature's Babe]

I found the link but quite expensive for min 50 seeds, plus special clips

http://www.molesseeds.co.uk/flower_and_ ... 50_20_2002

scroll down for seed info

[Tigger]

They are expensive but as grafted plants are between £4 and £7 each, it still works out cheaper to do your own. I'm going to see how my trial plants go and then decide. They're already at least 4 times the size of my best ones and the first trusses have set.

[Nature's Babe]

hI Tigger, just wondering how your grafted plants fared?

I saw this on victoriana website.

http://www.victoriananursery.co.uk/vege ... tomtatoes/

[Tigger]

They've been (and still are) fantastic. Much bigger than any other of my tomato plants, fruited about 4 weeks earlier, really prolific. They need more tying in than the others and are pretty thirsty, but I would definitely grow them again. I think I will be ordering some rootstock and clips!

[Nature's Babe]

Which rootstock Tigger, when I looked they only did big quantities.
Looking at the grafting clips they look like my clothes pegs might do as well.

[peacocks]

We were given 3 grafted tomatoes as a present. I'm not sure what variety they were except that they were Japenese. They grow to over 6" tall but the tomatoes are similar in size and shape to strawberries, fairly sparse on the trusses and are not a patch on Shirley, grown from seed, on the allotment We certainly wouldn't bother with them again.

[Nature's Babe]

Just wondering if a cape gooseberry could be grafted onto a potato, same family. Two crops in one?

[peter]

Tomato onto Potato has been done I believe.

[Nature's Babe]

Yes Peter, they have, tomtatoes. I posted a link showing them earlier in this thread

[Tigger]

I haven't decided yet NB. Still working my way through the catalogues!

I'll let you know as soon as we've made a choice.

[Nature's Babe]

Thank you Tigger