Tomato grafting ?????

[TomHillbilly]

This is just my opinion. And we all know what they say about opinions ? LOL.  If you have a different prospective, than present it. Until I get a bunch of plants in the ground, I have time to hear varying opinions.
For a short period of time, I became fascinated with grafting tomato plants. It looked like grafting was the revolutionary game changer. Many greenhouses was doing it. Root-stock tomato seed was being marketed at unbelievable high prices. So I got involved with grafting. I started out doing whole plants. Then I progressed to where I could grow 3 or 4 varieties on one plant. In the end, this was what I concluded---- While there is definitely benefits to grafting. The benefits didn't out weigh the extra work, and expenses. I began to wonder if grafting was a advertisement gimmick to sale a product. What was your experiences with tomato grafting ??

[pepperhead212]

I had no beneficial outcome, either, the one time I grafted some tomatoes. I figured that it must be the area I'm in - problems are more above ground, than in ground, where grafted tomatoes would benefit.

[TomHillbilly]

@pepperhead212-- Between losing 2 weeks production time, due to plants recovering from shock. Then not being able to bury deep, because the graft spot will form roots. Plus, good root-stock seed is 30 cent apiece. Then there is all the plants needed for matching stems. I just didn't see the benefits, as worth it.
If a person is retired, with plenty of time on his hands, needing a hobby. Having more varieties on the same plant, is a conversation starter. If you did limb grafts, instead of the entire plant. I was left feeling I had been scammed--snookered. I did a dozen plants each year, for 4 years. So I must be slow to learn, when I've been had.. LOL

[MissS]

Grafting is not always advisable for the reasons mentioned above. However, there are situations where the disease pressure is high and the only way to realistically combat it is through grafting. You have to be knowledgeable about what you are doing. You have to use a very specific root stock for the conditions that you are growing in and the disease that you are battling. Just using any root stock with any top will not give you satisfactory results. The two have to be compatible and resist whatever conditions you are dealing with. If you are just doing a 3-in-one, you will not get better protection or production.

[mikestuff49]

I tried grafting a couple of times basically looking for more disease resistance. I couldn't really tell any difference in the grafted and ungrafted plants.

[TomHillbilly]

@mikestuff49--- You are not alone in this world Mike. When I grafted the entire tops. It was done at random, by what ever varieties matched. I placed the grafted plants in the middle, with the same variety plant un-grafted on each side. At the peak of harvest, I couldn't tell any differences. Grafted plants did seem be productive a few days longer. I'm talking about less than a week. Those grafted to a Cherry tomato did grow longer vines. But that was a minus. I had to top them off, to control them. If there was a advantage, it was less than 10%. And in my eyes, that never overcame the expense, and effort. Grafting limbs for a conversation was a hobby-- more or less. If you notice, most those youtube videos, and articles, is wrote by individuals marketing a grafted product. 80% of the times my plants die from diseases. Everyone has a garden in my location. Even if you are good at prevention. A bee, or the wind, will contaminate your garden. From a guy who is not good at prevention. I plant tomatoes in 3 waves -- one month apart--in different corners. Its the only way I can't get maters continuously, until it frosts.
In short-- My grafted plants, and un-grafted plants, all encountered the same blights together.

[edweather]

I never tried it, and it just seems over the top for me. But to each his own.

[vinp]

I've been grafting the last few years with great results. I have soil disease issues and couldn't really grow any heirloom variety's.