Grafting Tomatos
- Harry Cabluck
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Re: Grafting Tomatos
The best cutting tool, a surgical scalpel. Thin, sharp and flat handle. Mooched used from doctor. Easier to hold than razor blade or Exacto knife.
Refrain from calculating the total number of poultry...before the process of incubation has fully materialized.
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Re: Grafting Tomatos
The problem with the high humidity chamber is that a cut plant can survive there just laying around for quite a while. I don't think it's so much the sensitivity to changing conditions, but simply they didn't form that graft union.
From what I read, this top grafting where you cut the small plants at an angle is more tricky to get right than the wedge method like they use for trees, because you really need the cuts to be very close in angle and thickness. It's just the preferred commercial way because it looks better, it's faster, and it requires less space (in healing chamber etc, because it's made with smaller plants). So for those who tried it and had poor results, give wedging a try.
From what I read, this top grafting where you cut the small plants at an angle is more tricky to get right than the wedge method like they use for trees, because you really need the cuts to be very close in angle and thickness. It's just the preferred commercial way because it looks better, it's faster, and it requires less space (in healing chamber etc, because it's made with smaller plants). So for those who tried it and had poor results, give wedging a try.
- Rockoe10
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Re: Grafting Tomatos
I've got more suckers forming on my plants under the lights. I'll be trying a couple more attempts here on my next day off. The wedge "Cleft Graft" is fairly easily IMO. Granted, i haven't been successful, yet.
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Rob, ZONE 6A with 170 days between frost dates, Western Pennsylvania
Rob, ZONE 6A with 170 days between frost dates, Western Pennsylvania
- Harry Cabluck
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Re: Grafting Tomatos
Don't give up. Remember that the grafting will set the plants back by a few weeks. Good luck.
Refrain from calculating the total number of poultry...before the process of incubation has fully materialized.
- Rockoe10
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Re: Grafting Tomatos
Started three more yesterday. Same grafting method, except without the initial water soak. I also put them straight under plastic and into a semi dark place this time. They are still perky and green, this far
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Rob, ZONE 6A with 170 days between frost dates, Western Pennsylvania
Rob, ZONE 6A with 170 days between frost dates, Western Pennsylvania
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- Location: Arlington, VA - zone 7A
Re: Grafting Tomatos
I meant to do all my grafting a few days ago, but didn't get to it. The rootstocks and particularly the scion tomatoes are almost too big for my clips, but they just fit. I did about 1/4 of them earlier and plan to get finish them up this evening. There will be about 60 total of which I'll plant 35 myself, with the others being duplicates/safety plants. I grow them all single stem so it doesn't take as much room in the garden as you would imagine. I did a little video of the way I do my tomato grafting.
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Re: Grafting Tomatos
Here is the final result after healing the grafts for 6 days, including the day-by-day process I used. If anyone is interested in grafting tomatoes I suggest giving it a try and not worrying too much if they don't make it the first time. Like a lot of gardening going through the process and observing as you go makes it much easier to know what to do the next time. I think this is my 3rd or 4th year grafting and it definitely gets easier each time to make it work.
- Rockoe10
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Re: Grafting Tomatos
Very cool!
I haven't had any success with these grafts I've been doing. I think i need to go with more traditional methods.
Thank you for sharing
I haven't had any success with these grafts I've been doing. I think i need to go with more traditional methods.
Thank you for sharing
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Rob, ZONE 6A with 170 days between frost dates, Western Pennsylvania
Rob, ZONE 6A with 170 days between frost dates, Western Pennsylvania
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Re: Grafting Tomatos
Keep it up and you'll get it.
I think there are several things that help me with what I'm doing. The silicon clips are really good at keeping a nice even pressure on the grafts and doing the splice method means that you can push down the scion from the top once they are both lined up in the clip and it makes sure you have good contact. If you get some clips it might be worth just growing some random seedlings (even just from supermarket tomatoes) to practice on. I've also grafted several kinds of fruit trees and before I started I did a lot of practicing on twigs from trees around my house which definitely helped.
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Re: Grafting Tomatos
How are the roots after the period in the healing chamber?
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Re: Grafting Tomatos
Anyone grafting this year? Here are mine just finished healing the tops look a bit spindly since I cut back on the leaves a bit so the newly formed graft doesn't have as much to support, plus there are a lot of hearts and a few pastes in the mix with their whispy (almost sickly) foliage.
I was in a rush and grafted a little ealier than I'd like since I was going to be away and needed to finish getting them healed before leaving. Still only lost a couple.
I was in a rush and grafted a little ealier than I'd like since I was going to be away and needed to finish getting them healed before leaving. Still only lost a couple.
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