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 the grafted ones kept going for an extra month (home grafted on sharkfin melon C. ficifolia).

Ooo...I'm glad you mentioned this...I was asking about it on other thread. Is this 'common' root stock for cucumber crafting?..or was it just trial for you? Did it made any difference to the plant growth of how you had to look after it?..plant more 'monstrous'?

found this interesting read... http://cals.arizona.edu/grafting/howto/cucurbits/selecting_cucurbit_rootstocks


SORRY!...thread got hijacked...

No worries, although it might be best to start a new thread otherwise topics might get lost. I'm hoping to have a go grafting later on, I'm not sure if my seeds are too old though?

That's the link I found too, though I had thought I might try grafting watermelon or melon as well to Cucurbita ficifolia if they germinate!

Hi Goodlife,

Just saw the new thread - here's a copy to square off.

C.ficifolia is the usual choice - and no - as it was a good year the ordinary plants were vigorous at first and with my grafting skills it's no surprise I could see no obvious difference apart from major resistance to neck rot right through the season until October. The 1L pots (tiny) of C.ficifolia that I didn't graft were stunted but still alive outdoors in December.

Just a really good insurance policy.

Incidentally I got around my ham-fisted grafting problems by using approach grafts - but still had only 50-60% success.

On the pepper issue I suggest you try growing Capsicum pubescens (manzano, locoto, rocoto) - now is a good time to sow as they are too slow to fruit this year anyway but very reliably overwinter at 3C. You will get massive 1-2m+ plants next year producing loads of early fruit (hot but not very hot in a bad summer) and I intend to try grafting sweet pepper on them this year. NB. They sulk in anything more than 10% shade May-Sep.

Cheers.

It looks like one and hopefully a couple more of of my Cucurbita ficifolia/ Shark's Fin Melon is germinating. Probably not enough to be able to have a dabble grafting this year, so I will probably grow them on for seed to try next year. If they do well I should have spare seed in late Autumn if any one wants some?

Moles have Triumph F1 rootstock for cucumbers http://www.molesseeds.co.uk/flower_and_vegetable_seed_store_uk/Products_F1_Triumph__rootstock__3584.html#.U3R9DPldXm8 I'm tempted!