grafting tomatoes

[goodlife]

Ok..I've got roots stock sown and they are coming up..so I'm ahead with that and about to sow the other lot that I want to craft.
Question is...when I'm about to do the chop..which type of cut would you recommend..or does it matter?
I've been reading and reading on line and like with any other gardening related advise you end up with 10 different answers ::)
Or perharps I have to them all and learn from experience.. ::)..huh..big job..I only want to have little taste of this and see if its worth it repeating next year.
Another question....'pro's' seem to be using clips for this job..and I've found site selling them..but, do I need them..what have you used instead?

[goodlife]

[chriscross1966]

Waaaaay back when i used to graft tomatoes (pre F1's being common, so you had a vigorous rootstockl with a fruit type that was worthless and a good fruit top that had a rubbish or weak growth habit) the advice i had back then was an upward diagonal cut  with a scalpel half to two-thirds the way through f the stems of the "top" that you wanted and all the way through the rootstock, mate together the bits that mattered (do all this quickly), wrap in a bit of grafting tape and let it get on with it. Keep it well watered without drowning itfor a couple of weeks, take the tape offand if the graft has taken then remove the rootstock of the "top".. We were always told to expect a 25% mortality, but I generally managed a bit better than that) and make sure your scalpel is sterile, I used to flame sterilise between each operation.

I might have a look at doing my own grafts again next year (bit late this year now) if I could find some decently proven rootstocks...

chrisc

[goodlife]

Thanks for that Chris.
Here is link for company that sell clips and seed stock seeds in case you get interested again..
http://www.heirloomtoms.org/store/index.php?app=gbu0&ns=catshow&ref=graft_seed

[Stedic]

Excuse the ignorance here, but what are the benefits of grafting?

Do you graft two tomato pants together, or tomatoes with something else?

Sounds like something I wouldn't mind experimenting with.

[djbrenton]

Some varieties grow great plants but have uninteresting fruit, others have great fruits but grow on poor plants. You use a variety that produces a strong plant and graft onot it, the variety that you prefer but that normally doesn't grow that strongly.

[Jayb]

This may be helpful http://www.johnnyseeds.com/t-video_tomato_grafting.aspx
Although if I ever get around to it this year, I'm going to try grafting using glue  :)

[sunloving]

Apparently you can also make a potato tomato plant by grafting. Doubt the crops would be any use but what a boasting spot it would be on your plot!

Sorry thread derail.
x Sunloving

[goodlife]

Thank Jayb for the video..it looks so easy when he does it.. ::)
Using glue?...super-glue? That's lethal stuff for me..I would end up doing human craft for the tomato... ::)..that tomato would turn out becoming real monster.. :-X ;D
Hmm..now I'm wondering if I should grow couple of 'he-man' plants to get good amount of seed as I can see myself making lot of casualties.. :-\

[chriscross1966]

Apparently you can also make a potato tomato plant by grafting. Doubt the crops would be any use but what a boasting spot it would be on your plot!

Sorry thread derail.
x Sunloving

Did that once many years ago.... hungriest plant ever, started looking sad about ten minutes after you stopped ladling Miracle Grow onto it.... I did show it at local Horti show though depotted and under the title "Chips and Ketchup"......wish I had some photos but those were the days befoere camera phones and I wasn't an habitual snapper...

[Puth-U-Cheary]

What variety have you used for your root stock goodlife?

Sounds a great challenge think I will have a go myself this year.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Apparently you can also make a potato tomato plant by grafting. Doubt the crops would be any use but what a boasting spot it would be on your plot!

Sorry thread derail.
x Sunloving

Not a derail. The theory is that since the plant isn't putting any energy into tubers, it goes into flowers and seeds instead. It may be a way of getting seeds from varieties which don't often flower. I assume you use the same method for grafting.

[sunloving]

Apparently you can also make a potato tomato plant by grafting. Doubt the crops would be any use but what a boasting spot it would be on your plot!

Sorry thread derail.
x Sunloving

Did that once many years ago.... hungriest plant ever, started looking sad about ten minutes after you stopped ladling Miracle Grow onto it.... I did show it at local Horti show though depotted and under the title "Chips and Ketchup"......wish I had some photos but those were the days befoere camera phones and I wasn't an habitual snapper...

Big show off! not jealous at all - chips and ketchup very clever!