Anyone growing grafted vegetables?

[Jayb]

Are they worth it?

Following on from the cukes thread and Squashman post re grafted cucumbers, I wonder if anyone else is growing grafted veggies this year - bought or home grafted?

I've always been put off the different grafted veggie plants by price, but I did get tempted and buy some aubergines this year, although small when they arrived they are growing on strongly. I also swapped for a grafted sweet pepper, amazing how quickly its roots are filling the pot. I'm interested to see how they do compared to the regular sorts.

I was going to have a go at trying to graft some tomatoes, but the rootstock outgrew the intended grafties (sp) way too quickly. I'll try more staggered sowings next time.

Also I'm wonderering what type rootstock is used for peppers and aubergines? If anyone can point me in the right direction?

[Jayb]

[Jayb]

I'm sure I read on here someone was going to or has tried grafting a tomato and potato, but I can't seem to find the thread.

[star]

Cant help you Jayb, but it sounds very interesting ;). I hope you find the thread you're looking for :).

I need to ask what the point is though, presumably for stronger growth? Or more prolific edible bits? Sorry....Im fick ::)

[Squashman]

according to the info I received grafted tomatoes can have more than twice the amount of trusses, be earlier and continue fruiting longer, whilst only taking up same amount of greenhouse space as normal toms. If this proves to be true then next year I will graft my own. My grafted cue has produced fruit in a short space of time. The first of my grafted toms a cherry variety has fruit forming, the shirley and moneymake have doubled their size in a week.

[chriscross1966]

Way back a while I can remember that Marshalls used to sell the seed for the grafting rootstocks... so I tried it one year and in exchange for some faffing around I did get a lot more tomatoes.... I think TOzers or possibly Moles do the rootstock seeds now.... if Marshalls still did then I'd get some, it fixes the growth problems of a lot of the beefsteaks  for starters...

[Stopp]

I was looking at some plants at my local Homebase as they had the 15% off offer on this weekend.  But i didn't give in to temptation as I already have too many plants to pot on as it is.

Found this link from suttons which is interesting

http://www.suttons.co.uk/The+Grafting+Process.htm

[Ellen K]

I've bought Suttons plants: two grafted Aubergines and 2 Elegance tomato plants this year.

Got the toms half price from Wyevales and the Aubergines when Homebase had a 1/3 off all plants promo - full RRP is £4 per plant.

The toms have tiny fruit on them now and the Aubergines have flowers so I have high hopes.  Grew the Belriccio (sp?) grafted toms last year and they did very well.

Next year I will try their grafted melon plants.

OK at these prices you will not be filling up your plot with them but a couple of plants will impress your plot neighbours.  And it is the way to go to grow aubergines and possibly melons i think.

[chriscross1966]

WOuld be nice if we could get the grafting rootstock seeds though.... I suppose I could buy one of the tomatoes and try to encourage it to set a shoot from below the graft, take that as a cutting adn attempt to get it to self-set but I bet the grafting stocks these days are F1....

[Stopp]

http://www.molesseeds.co.uk/cgi-bin/ss000002.pl?SS=rootstock&ACTION.x=0&ACTION.y=0&PR=-1&TB=A&SHOP=

Cucumber and tomato ones on Moles site


Sharon xx

[Jayb]

Cheers, thanks for that Sharon, I didn't realise they did cucumber seeds too. I have got some F1 Aegis tomato seeds to try for next year and some He-Man F2? seeds and plants growing which I did think to try and cross with F1 Aegis?

Chris I'm pretty sure the (roots)grafted rootstock is cut from below the cotyledons so no new plant will grow. I'll save you some seed if you fancy experimenting.

[chriscross1966]

Cheers, thanks for that Sharon, I didn't realise they did cucumber seeds too. I have got some F1 Aegis tomato seeds to try for next year and some He-Man F2? seeds and plants growing which I did think to try and cross with F1 Aegis?

Chris I'm pretty sure the (roots)grafted rootstock is cut from below the cotyledons so no new plant will grow. I'll save you some seed if you fancy experimenting.

I'd be very interested in a few Aegis seeds..... 'd love to grow a Black Krim without the insane growth issues that thing has.... it's so bad it's funny... I've had a plant before with four leaves on it and in that time it's bifurcated, grown blind into a flower truss, grown blind into a leaf, thrown a growing point from the end of a leaf, thrown a growing point from the end of a truss and finally thrown a truss from the end of a leaf.... anythign that saves me from the Fawlty Towers growth issues would be wonderful cos it's a fabulous tomato to eat and the earliest biggie I know of...

[Jayb]

Cant help you Jayb, but it sounds very interesting ;). I hope you find the thread you're looking for :).

I need to ask what the point is though, presumably for stronger growth? Or more prolific edible bits?  ::)

As Squashman says, rootstock is more vigorous and more resistant to soil based disease so the grafted plants go on to produce a larger crop.

I think you may be right Ellen, I looked at the grafted melons too but I'm trying out some Farthest North Melon mix this year http://www.adaptiveseeds.com/node/160 Depending on how they do I might try nest year too.

[Jayb]

I've noticed a few more than usual tomatoes ending with a flower truss this year, think the up and down weather is not helping. I'll set aside a few aegis and hopefully some hybrid rootstocks too, you can always practice on them!

[susan1]

i am trying a grafted tomato and cucumber plant this year due to being in hospital when i would normally set seed, the cucumber has 3 small cucumbers ready to eat, is a mini variety quatro and the tomato plants have loads of small toms plum variety but none ready as yet. :)

[Jeannine]

Johnnys seeds put out a very imformative video on grafting and I noticed they graft other veggies on to tomatoes rootstock. I found it very useful.


Grafted tomatoes are getting popular here since a major newspaper did an article on them but the cost os high.

I liked the video as it gave two options using different clips etc, all vaailable from them.

I am tempted to have a go next year. I probably will

XX Jeannine

[queenbee]

I grew an aubergine last year that was grafted, I bought it cheap from B&Q as it was in a rather sorry state, it should have been 7.99 but I think I got it for 2.50, It was very productive and I had enough aubergines from the one plant for my needs. I must say I had not had much luck with this plant with sowed seeds or bought plants but I do not think I would pay 7.99 I could have bought them loose from the supermarket for less.

[Ellen K]

Today in Tesco, they had a Danish trolley full of tomato, cucumber and pepper plants - £5 each but no explanation that they are grafted and of course they were not selling - who would pay £5 for a ordinary looking tomato plant?

I might look out to see if they reduce the price in the next few days.

Would be interested to hear how any DIY grafting goes - it is beyond my talents and patience.

[Ellen K]

Well. I bought a mini cucumber and a pepper half price.

My experience is extremely limited but I am not sure grafting solves the crazy growth issues.  One of my grafted toms has already grown blind in to a leaf and last year when I grew 2 grafted Belriccio tomatoes, they were doing all the crazy stuff CC66 describes. 

[laurieuk]

I am growing a couple of grafted tomtoes this year on allotment as I have nowhere to raise seed they look well and are supposed to be blight resistant.

[Jayb]

Well my grafted aubergines were a complete waste of time, space, effort and money! I know it's been a really poor year but compared to the other aubergine varieties I've grown they have been done the worst. They were planted in the sunniest spot in the polytunnel and produced nothing other than leaves. In the blurb it said something about growing on the patio - I think not!

The grafted pepper did slightly better but again in comparison to other varieties grown this year, a poor show.

Hope others had better results.