Grafting

[rusty]

How many folks on here do it ( on tomatoes that is ). I have budded & grafted citrus in the past ( untill it became illegal here in fl. for us hoi polloi ) and regularlly graft camellias. I checked out a few videos & looks SUPER simple- not much explination on the immediate after care though.

Is the maxifort the preferred stock?

[karstopography]

I looked a few videos on tomato grafting. It does look easy. I was a little surprised by the dearth of options in root stock. Maxifort seemed the first choice for slicing, beefsteak type scions, Estamino for smaller fruited scions. There’s a just a few others I’ve come across on my search.

I wonder why some vigorous and disease resistant hybrid like “beefmaster” couldn’t be used as rootstock?

[karstopography]

https://www.johnnyseeds.com/on/demandwa ... hnique.pdf

I found this link from Johnny Seeds with more details about which rootstock to use and why.

[wxcrawler]

I'm grafting a few for the first time this year, just to experiment. The process is fairly easy, but you have to be meticulous. I chose Estamino as my rootstock for big and small-fruited varieties. I have a fairly tight fruiting and ripening window here in Tulsa. Usually by mid-late June, it's too hot and humid to get any more fruit, but I can't plant-out until after April 15 most of the time. We'll see how it goes.

Lee

[Mark_Thompson]

viewtopic.php?t=2785

Not sure if you’ve seen this yet

[rusty]

viewtopic.php?t=2785

Not sure if you’ve seen this yet

No I have not
Thank you very much sir !!

[Cole_Robbie]

I was almost able to do it in my one attempt, but I opened up the box too soon and they wilted badly. You need grafting clips. I used a razor blade held with needle nose pliers as my knife and it worked well. The tricky part is that the correct environment for them is a sliding scale, as the graft heals, you can slowly give them more light and less humidity.

[Uncle_Feist]

A humidity tent and humidifier are necessary if you're serious about grafting. Both are inexpensive and will insure success if your homework is done.

After grafting is completed on a cloudy day, into the tent with 100% humidity and zero light for 24 hours, then gradually increase light and lower humidity over the next week.

[rusty]

I have a ? on tomato rootstock for those that might know
Is the maxifort rootstock a hybrid? Will seeds come true if left to fruit?
Those seeds are really expensive is why I am asking, i would be inclined to let one plant grow out just to harvest seeds for the following years crop.

[Mark_Thompson]

@rusty
Believe it’s a hybrid. Interspecies too. I have a hundred pack from Seedway, 2022, I could send you like 30 if you like. Would save you shelling out $40 for your first try at grafting.

[rusty]

@rusty
Believe it’s a hybrid. Interspecies too. I have a hundred pack from Seedway, 2022, I could send you like 30 if you like. Would save you shelling out $40 for your first try at grafting.

Mark
Thanks for the generous offer- I ordered some the other day ( Thurs.), and was just thinking ahead. I like to get my stuff together ahead of time. I am sure that the germination rate will be slightly lower on seeds another year older, but I am just a small time back woods hobbiest, so as long as I get some or most to sprout & grow I will be happy.

[rusty]

interesting one minute video

[Uncle_Feist]

I root the rootstock tops when I graft and make another round in a week and a half or so.

[rusty]

I root the rootstock tops when I graft and make another round in a week and a half or so.

So you get two for one from the seed? The orig seedling the when you whack off the top of the rootstock you stick it and grow it off to use as a understock? Is that about right? Do the all seem to grow roots like that?

[Uncle_Feist]

I root the rootstock tops when I graft and make another round in a week and a half or so.

So you get two for one from the seed? The orig seedling the when you whack off the top of the rootstock you stick it and grow it off to use as a understock? Is that about right? Do the all seem to grow roots like that?

Yes. Just clip most of the leaves off of the top and stick it in moist soil. I generally put mine in the humidity chamber along with the new grafts for a few days to get em started faster.

[Uncle_Feist]

A few tips.
Make sure the graft cuts fit well, and the clip is holding em together well. I push down on the top a little after the clip is on to make sure they are fully contacting each other. If I notice a visible gap between the graft I'll recut, or add a secondary clip over the first to pull the cuts together.

It's best to graft early in the morning or on a cloudy humid day.

Make sure that soil you use to pot the new grafts into is only slightly moist.

Once the new grafts are finished they need 36 hours of total darkness and 100% humidity. After 36 hours start introducing filtered light and reduce the humidity to around 80%. Gradually increase light and lower the humidity for around a week.