Tomato rootstock experimenting...

[PopPopT]

I had a thought. I'm not sure if it's a good thought or a bad thought. I thought maybe I'd run it past the group here and see if you think it's a good thought or a bad thought.

I have wanted to experiment with tomatoes growing on one of the superstar rootstocks such as Mixifort or similar. Those seeds are really expensive. And I've not done any grafting at all.

Basically just for learning purposes, I had wondered whether I could plant just one or two of those Maxifort seeds and then root cuttings from that to use for rootstock and try grafting other (heirloom) varieties onto those. I'm thinking more towards learning to graft effectively more than anything. I've been saving heirloom tomato seeds for years but just haven't taken the plunge into grafting. I've even wondered whether there might be a couple of different grafting methods that I might give a try just to see if I like one better than another or whether I'm just better at one than another.

I know rooting a cutting (or sucker) would add an extra step in the process. And I get the patent thing. I'm not wanting to sell anything, just would like to learn more to see if I'd want to go farther with it.

Should a rooted cutting or sucker give the same root characteristics as the mother plant?

Definitely interested in what you think.

Thanks!

 

[Amish Heart]

I'm waiting to hear the answer, too
Good question

 

[RJ2019]

In one of my plant science classes we grafted Brandywine tomatoes onto Super Sweet100 cherry tom rootstock. The idea being, brandywine doesn't do great here but cherry tomatoes do so maybe if we pit brandywine on a more suitable rootstock it would be more productive.
I'd say more than half of the plants our class grafted did not form a proper graft union, but both the plants I grafted made it. I took them home and planted them in my garden and it was about the same as growing a brandywine tomato-- that is, it didn't produce much. Having a different rootstock didn't help much in my case.
We did it with TINY seedlings, like 4-5 inches tall and we used little plastic grafting clips, like this one.

It's possible to do, good luck!

 

[Neb]

I had a thought. I'm not sure if it's a good thought or a bad thought. I thought maybe I'd run it past the group here and see if you think it's a good thought or a bad thought.

...

Should a rooted cutting or sucker give the same root characteristics as the mother plant?

Definitely interested in what you think.

Thanks!

It should.

Experiment with cheap seeds to get your technique down.

Ben

 

[Neb]

It should.

Experiment with cheap seeds to get your technique down.

Ben

Youtube video for you.



Ben

 

[PopPopT]

I do have lots of tomato seeds, mostly seeds that I've saved so no shortage of them. Guess I'll have to start messin' around with 'em and gain some real life skills with grafting. Have watched a bunch of videos but haven't actually done it.

 

[Pearl]

I do have lots of tomato seeds, mostly seeds that I've saved so no shortage of them. Guess I'll have to start messin' around with 'em and gain some real life skills with grafting. Have watched a bunch of videos but haven't actually done it.

Please mess around and let us know how it goes!!