Author Topic: Pomato challenge? (Read 12682 times)

small · « **Reply #40 on:** May 24, 2014, 09:33:19 »

Just to say, I'm very much enjoying reading about this, I know nothing about grafting and it's really interesting. Please keep posting your progress, all!

goodlife · « **Reply #41 on:** May 27, 2014, 06:31:21 »

My plants got little compost and fertilizer dressing on their pots yesterday..they needed FOOD..they were HUNGRY

While I was at it...I trimmed all the new potato growth off from the base, removed clips and the string, very carefully indeed.
The crafts have taken nicely though they didn't look that strong yet so I did put the clips back on for time being.
Tops have started to grow nicely now and given a week or so they will definitely need potting on larger or planting outside, maybe both...in buckets and straight into ground.
I'm glad that I had a looked at the crafts more carefully yesterday as the 'heels' where already started to grow over the string..whoopsie..but I managed carefully cut the knots with razorblade and leave the plant intact

No flower buds on plants yet...

Jayb · « **Reply #42 on:** May 28, 2014, 09:19:45 »

Exciting

goodlife · « **Reply #43 on:** June 08, 2014, 14:51:13 »

Update with the progress...

After I gave my plants top dressing with some compost and few chicken pellets...top growth really took off!
With a effect that the potato stem couldn't keep up with the weight of the tops and they were starting to topple over. As the weather have not been that kind of tomatoes being outdoors yet, I re-potted the plants into deep rose pots that allowed me to 'sink' the plants in and hopefully the tomato tops will now soon root in to allow proper support for the top growth.
The same two tomato varieties that I used for the pomato crafts I have growing also with their own roots only and their growth is more and less identical..BUT...with potato as rootstock, one is showing very different 'behaviour'..being much stronger and stockier than other variety !?
I'm planning to get the plants out in the open next week and then the trial really start..

squeezyjohn · « **Reply #44 on:** June 09, 2014, 13:34:14 »

I think that if you put the graft below the soil level the tomato part will begin to make it's own roots above the potato bit.

I don't know if that would be detrimental to the project at all - but I know with fruit trees on dwarfing rootstocks if you let the graft become covered the dwarfing effect is negated as the fruiting bit of the tree tries to make it's own standard type root system.

goodlife · « **Reply #45 on:** June 09, 2014, 16:20:04 »

Ah..that's the thing...there is no need to any dwarfing...the whole idea is just to get two different crops from one plant/space.
Actual opposite effect would be ideal situation as good growth, in theory at least, would mean bigger/better crops.

Once you see how the craft behave, it is clear that the tomato have to root as well. Although it has been already mentioned here and I have read it from other sources as well for tomato part of the craft needing being planted bellow soil level...it was slight surprise to see why. Potato stem on its own is just too soft and bendy to able to support the tomato growth. Potato tops are too heavy even for themselves and you see them toppling over when they get bit taller.

Paulines7 · « **Reply #46 on:** June 10, 2014, 10:40:03 »

I thought I might have a go with this.

I assume the potato root doesn't have a potato attached to it when the tomato plant is grafted? If it did, the potato would throw up more shoots and then they would cross with the tomato and produce poisonous fruit.

I haven't any grafting clips but will try either super glue or tie it with cotton and put in a stake to give it support.

Jayb · « **Reply #47 on:** June 14, 2014, 10:57:17 »

Sorry missed your post Pauline.
I took off shoots from the main potato and potted them up http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,77692.msg788203.html#msg788203 They root and grow very quickly.

I wonder if a peg would work, or one of clips used for orchids/hair? - if you have any.

Even a rooted potato shoot will send up new potato shoots, but not so many as a potato seed tuber. Potatoes and tomatoes won't cross pollinate. The grafted tomato plant will produce edible fruit. The only possible way to have poisonus fruit were if your potato part of the grafted potato/tomato plant goes on to flower and set true potato seed - and these were then eaten. If at all worried should you get potato flowers just cut them off.

Hope your grafting goes well, let us know how you get on

Jayb · « **Reply #48 on:** June 14, 2014, 11:02:01 »

Orchid/hair clips like these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ladies-Black-Plastic-Hairpin-Claws/dp/B009PJ8DF6

goodlife · « **Reply #49 on:** June 14, 2014, 13:25:09 »

My plants are now growing outside...planted all straight into ground as I'm getting fed up with constant watering already.
I planted the plants quite deep and gave them good feed and thick mulch with old straw and some chopped up comfry

I'll access their feeding needs again in couple of weeks time..now all they need is good talking to get the growth going on...

Paulines7 · « **Reply #50 on:** June 15, 2014, 10:08:36 »

Thanks Jayb.

I had seen your pictures but wasn't 100% sure as the potato was still in your second picture.

galina · « **Reply #51 on:** June 15, 2014, 11:48:52 »

One of my grafts died quite fast, the other has not done anything. Still looking ok but the tomato bit has not grown. I pick off potato shoots every other day and hope. Next year I'll start much earlier and do many more.

Yes I have used pegs - quick scout of what I had available produced plastic pegs. We had several that were old and the spring wasn't very good anymore. I boiled them to get them clean enough. They do hold the graft together successfully and the end also keeps the covering bag from touching against the tomato plant.

The pot sits on capillary matting, the bag covers the pot, but sits loosely on the pot. There are always small beads of moisture inside the bag. Learning curve

winecap · « **Reply #52 on:** June 15, 2014, 19:45:35 »

All this talk of clips has made me feel obliged to offer an alternative. I have used a plastic straw. Somewhere on youtube there was somebody using plastic tubing to connect the two plants and hold them in position. It was in my price range so seemed the best option. I cut the potato stalk diagonally and then slipped over a short piece of plastic straw, and finally pushed in the tomato stalk with matching cut into the other end of the straw. It holds it nicely and seems to work ok. I did a couple more last week when the weather turned cooler.
I have decided to not let the tomato root independently, keeping the graft above ground. It just seems to me that the potato part becomes nonessential if the tomato sends out its own roots. Could that effect the potato yield? We will see. My first plants should be going in the ground this next week. They will be in the greenhouse border though. I suspect we may have another blight year.

goodlife · « **Reply #53 on:** June 16, 2014, 09:54:40 »

Quote from: winecap on June 15, 2014, 19:45:35

All this talk of clips has made me feel obliged to offer an alternative. I have used a plastic straw. Somewhere on youtube there was somebody using plastic tubing to connect the two plants and hold them in position. It was in my price range so seemed the best option. I cut the potato stalk diagonally and then slipped over a short piece of plastic straw, and finally pushed in the tomato stalk with matching cut into the other end of the straw. It holds it nicely and seems to work ok. I did a couple more last week when the weather turned cooler.
I have decided to not let the tomato root independently, keeping the graft above ground. It just seems to me that the potato part becomes nonessential if the tomato sends out its own roots. Could that effect the potato yield? We will see. My first plants should be going in the ground this next week. They will be in the greenhouse border though. I suspect we may have another blight year.

There is two problems that I can 'see' with 'potato only' rootstock...the one that I already mentioned, potato stems not being strong enough for support the tomato plants weight and I suspect the craft will be in danger of breaking. Other one problem being..potatoes having shorter life span than tomatoes. If tomato top haven't had chance to root on its own..what happens when the potato has had it? With that reasoning I have done totally opposite to your plan...but I will follow our experiments eagerly to see what will happen..we don't learn if we don't try

winecap · « **Reply #54 on:** June 20, 2014, 19:44:25 »

There is two problems that I can 'see' with 'potato only' rootstock...

I suppose part of the reasoning in keeping one root system and one top growth is to see clearly what influence each has. I am hoping the tomato will keep the potato root alive as long as it needs it and the result will be enormous baking potatoes... but we shall see.

oldpot · « **Reply #55 on:** July 02, 2014, 23:39:00 »

any more pics, reports , i very instrested in this post ty :)

goodlife · « **Reply #56 on:** July 03, 2014, 09:03:46 »

My plants have been planted outdoors in stock fence cages for few weeks now. I can't tell what is happening...or not, under ground but the tops have put some growth on and plenty of flowers are open too..

I don't know big my tomato tops are supposed to grow..but if they are not going to put much more growth on..those cages might as well come out ...there is 'tons' of room for good jungly plants..

Hey ho...could be worst...at least they look happy and healthy...

Photos to follow later on...

oldpot · « **Reply #57 on:** August 09, 2014, 12:00:47 »

any more info on whats happering did you get any produce etc from them ?.

goodlife · « **Reply #58 on:** August 09, 2014, 18:57:59 »

My tomato tops decided not to grow that big at all...and although they are quite small they do have some tomatoes on them, some just starting ripen up

Would I've known how small plants they make, I would have planted them closer spacing and not bothered with huge support cages. Oh well..
I don't know what is happening, if anything, under ground...I will let the tomatoes to finish cropping and then have dig for the roots.

oldpot · « **Reply #59 on:** August 10, 2014, 14:34:02 »

ty for the update hope you get some potatoes when time to lift them , so at the moment is it worth to time and effort to try and grow them ??.

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Author Topic: Pomato challenge? (Read 12682 times)