Grafted tomatoes .... How Deep To Plant?

[dim]

I've bought some grafted tomatoes from my garden centre ...

I normally plant my tomatoes deeper than what they were growing in their pots ... Does one do likewise with grafted tomatoes?

you can actually see the join which sits just above the compost level

[BertieFox]

You are right to be concerned about this as if you plant it with the graft below ground, the stem above will begin to root into the soil too. Eventually this will take over and you will lose the advantage of growing it on a different root stock.
I've seen a lot of these for sale recently, usually about ten times more expensive than seed grown plants. Unless you have a persistent disease in your soil or cannot succeed with seed grown plants, I wonder if it is really worth it. I doubt that yields are any heavier in the final analysis.

[rustylady]

Make sure you keep the graft above soil level, otherwise (as Bertie says) you will lose the benefits (or otherwise) of grafting as the top variety will put it's own roots into the soil or compost.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I grew them for one season a couple of years ago and was impressed with the increased yield, two plants took over one side of my 6 x 8 GH.

Having said that I could get 6 ordinary plants in the same space all for the cost of a few seeds, good fun but not financially viable for my self. I would suspect that if you are short of space or you have problems with disease then they may good for you.

As two planting yes keep the graft above soil level.

[Kristen]

Unless you have a persistent disease in your soil or cannot succeed with seed grown plants, I wonder if it is really worth it. I doubt that yields are any heavier in the final analysis.

I have friends who have grown them side-by-side [i.e. grafted and non-grafted] and say they got earlier initial harvest and heavier total crop off the grafted ones, although maybe not enough to offset the extra cost of the plants. Around here the grafted plants are flogged off "discount" very cheaply in a few weeks time, after everyone who wants one - due to hype? <CynicalMe!> - has bought one.

For folk that grow in the greenhouse soil I think there is a definitely advantage as it reduces the frequency that you need to change the soil (maybe removes the need completely).

You can graft your own if you like. Timing the sowing of both "halves", such that the stems have equal thickness at the time you want to make the graft, is a bit of a challenge - and the graft itself is a fiddly process, plus the F1 seed for the rootstock is not exactly "cheap", but is it definitely do-able by an amateur

[fishpond]

I have friends who have grown them side-by-side and say they got earlier initial harvest and heavier total crop, although maybe not enough to offset the extra cost of the plants. Around here the grafted plants are flogged off "discount" very cheaply in a few weeks time, after everyone who wants one - due to hype? <CynicalMe!> has bought one.

For folk that grow in the greenhouse soil I think there is a definitely advantage as it reduces the frequency that you need to change the soil (maybe removed the need completely).

You can graft your own if you like. Timing the sowing of both "halves", such that the stems have equal thickness at the time you want to make the graft, is a bit of a challenge - and the graft itself is a fiddly process, plus the F1 seed for the rootstock is not exactly "cheap", but is it definitely do-able by an amateur

Hi Kristen
Do you know what the rootstock and grafting method is?

[Kristen]

Do you know what the rootstock and grafting method is?

I think they are using Arnold. Moles Seeds sell a couple - form memory I think the decision is based around whether you are safeguarding against disease, or want vigour (to combat exhausted soil, or similar). Just going out so not had time to check, but I think Moles may have a document about which attributes the various rootstocks are beneficial for.

Moles Seeds - Conventional vegetables: Hybrid

[fishpond]

Brilliant
Thank You

[dim]

thanks for that .... i have bought 3 different types (3 for a tenner) ... Suttons Beefsteak F1 Belricco, F1 Sweet Petit and F1 Orangino

I also have loads of seed grown tomatoes such as sungold etc and these are just 'experemental' to see if there is a huge difference

last year I tried the grafted brinjals, sweet peppers and sweet potato .... all done brilliant, although I was a little dissapointed with the yield from the sweet potato (it takes up a lot of growing space

one of the grafted tomatoes (F1 Orangino) has 2 stems / plants in the pot (one that has been grafted and one that is normal) ... I will not try to seperate the two, and will be able to see if there is any difference in taste/health and yield

there are also cucumbers, chilli peppers etc which I will buy next week to try

[dim]

thanks for that .... i have bought 3 different types (3 for a tenner) ... Suttons Beefsteak F1 Belricco, F1 Sweet Petit and F1 Orangino

I also have loads of seed grown tomatoes such as sungold etc and these are just 'experemental' to see if there is a huge difference

last year I tried the grafted brinjals, sweet peppers and sweet potato .... all done brilliant, although I was a little dissapointed with the yield from the sweet potato (it takes up a lot of growing space

one of the grafted tomatoes (F1 Orangino) has 2 stems / plants in the pot (one that has been grafted and one that is normal) ... I will not try to seperate the two, and will be able to see if there is any difference in taste/health and yield

there are also cucumbers, chilli peppers etc which I will buy next week to try

[BertieFox]

Unless it is just resistance to soil diseases you are after, there is nothing to stop you doing your own grafts on to a very vigorous growing variety. There are quite a few really nice heritage or traditional tomato varieties which are weak growing and give up after a couple of trusses; grafting these on to a vigorous but otherwise 'tasteless' rootstock would be a good way of giving them extra 'oompf' (to use the technical term) and getting a better crop. Grafting is quite simple, you just need to start quite early in the season. Must admit though I've only done it once, just to try, and that was one variety to another and not for any particular reason.

[Kristen]

I was a little dissapointed with the yield from the sweet potato (it takes up a lot of growing space

I've only ever grown Sweet Potato in a greenhouse - don't think I would risk it outdoor - but you heap TLC on your plants, so you've got way more chance of success, outdoors, than I ever would.

here are quite a few really nice heritage or traditional tomato varieties which are weak growing and give up after a couple of trusses; grafting these on to a vigorous but otherwise 'tasteless' rootstock would be a good way of giving them extra 'oompf'

Cracking idea

[Kristen]

There are quite a few really nice heritage or traditional tomato varieties which are weak growing and give up after a couple of trusses; grafting these on to a vigorous but otherwise 'tasteless' rootstock would be a good way of giving them extra 'oompf'

Have you got any suggestions of heritage varieties with great taste, but lousy yield etc pls? Been chatting to a mate of mine and we think we might like to give some a go - problem is knowning what heritage varieties perform really badly, if grown normally, but taste great

[Alison]

I grow mainly heritage varieties and find that a lot of them tend to be on the over vigorous side of things.