Posted by Dale Thompson on January 2, 2011, 9:25 am
Just got the Territorial seed catalog. They are offering grafted tomato
plants! Supposedly the more vigorous rootstock "enables more effective
uptake of water and nutrients, and increases plants' resistance to pests
or disease and tolerance to temperature extremes and drought".
One plant costs more than a couple of seed packets of tomatoes, so my
frugal soul says "No way". Maybe I should request one for my March
birthday.
Rosemary
Posted by Gary Woods on January 2, 2011, 10:24 am
>Just got the Territorial seed catalog. They are offering grafted tomato
>plants!
I did some of my own last spring, using "Beaufort" rootstock seeds from
Johnny's. Did OK, but last year wasn't a bad blight season. If you're
doing your own grafting there is a learning curve. The smaller utility
knife from Home Depot works nicely....razor sharp, with break-away segments
when it gets dull.
Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/4 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G
Posted by Suzanne D. on January 2, 2011, 9:52 pm
> Just got the Territorial seed catalog. They are offering grafted tomato
> plants! Supposedly the more vigorous rootstock "enables more effective
> uptake of water and nutrients, and increases plants' resistance to pests
> or disease and tolerance to temperature extremes and drought".
I saw that too, and had to laugh. Seven bucks for a single tomato plant
that may or may not make it, and which will be dead in a few months anyway?
Seems like an awful lot of work for something that is so easy to grow
without all the help. A tree or bush--something that is supposed to last
and needs to have a good strong start--I can understand grafting for that.
But a vegetable plant? That's just overkill.
--S.
Posted by aluckyguess on January 29, 2011, 11:38 pm
> Just got the Territorial seed catalog. They are offering grafted tomato
> plants! Supposedly the more vigorous rootstock "enables more effective
> uptake of water and nutrients, and increases plants' resistance to pests
> or disease and tolerance to temperature extremes and drought".
I saw that too, and had to laugh. Seven bucks for a single tomato plant
that may or may not make it, and which will be dead in a few months anyway?
Seems like an awful lot of work for something that is so easy to grow
without all the help. A tree or bush--something that is supposed to last
and needs to have a good strong start--I can understand grafting for that.
But a vegetable plant? That's just overkill.
--S.
------------------------------------------------------------------
7 bucks sounds like cheap fun
Posted by Gary Woods on January 30, 2011, 8:52 am
>But a vegetable plant? That's just overkill.
It isn't overkill if it's the only you can get tomatoes...and you can graft
your own at considerably lower cost, though the rootstock is pricy.
Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/4 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G
>plants!