FFF, N Varieties?

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by HudsonValley

I haven't grown it yet, but was interested in Amelia F1 (because of the variety's name, which it shares with a close friend). According to my list of varieties to grow in the future, it is VFFFNSt TSWV resistant, does well in high heat, and is widely described as both flavorful and a heavy yielder. Like many of the highly disease-resistant varieties I've read about, it's determinate. Perhaps someone on these boards has experience with it and could say more...

I don't have experience with it, but what I read at the Seeds N' Such site agrees with you. I'm thinking they come 10 seeds per pack there.

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

http://www.oired.vt.edu/ipmil/wp-con...2014-compr.pdf

That link shows large-scale grafting efforts, in the pics at the bottom. It looks like several hundred plants at once. It was a university project, so maybe they had a lot of free student labor. I don't know if I could do it or not, but it would be fun to try.

That is helpful Cole. I do have a question - As the plant grows, does the clip fall off - or is there a stage where you remove it?

[Cole_Robbie]

I think Bill said it falls off. I haven't even tried my first graft yet. My plants for it are about two inches tall right now. I am going to let them get a little bigger.

[AlittleSalt]

Cole, you are a half year ahead of me.

[jtjmartin]

Salt

My first year grafting and following Bill's method. The clips just fall off by themselves without issue.

I'm rooting for you and your grafting!!!

Jeff

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

That is helpful Cole. I do have a question - As the plant grows, does the clip fall off - or is there a stage where you remove it?

Yes, the clip will fall off on its own when the plant stem gets thick enough. Bill recommends leaving them on until then as the graft joint can still be vulnerable to breaking. And when you up-pot, bamboo skewers to support them like mini wooden stakes are also recommended.

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by jtjmartin

Salt

My first year grafting and following Bill's method. The clips just fall off by themselves without issue.

I'm rooting for you and your grafting!!!

Jeff

Thank you Jeff. It is something I am going to do, and I won't half hearted do it. Grafting is something completely different for me. I don't mind gradual change, but sometimes drastic change is needed.

~~~

I'm starting to get a few ideas of varieties that I would like to grow with the FFF, N rootstock. Rebel Yell is one and there are some cherry tomatoes that I will try grafting. Porter was our first favorite tomato - I have to try grafting it. Japanese Pink Cherry is one that I am going to start recommending to others when they want to grow cherry tomatoes. All are PWR Pink when ripe.

I know that RKN and Fusarium affects how the tomato plant grows - as is documented countless times - besides what I can see in my own garden. From my own observations, tomato plants I start in pro mix smell like what tomato plants are supposed to smell like. However after planting them out - a month or so later, they have an off-smell. It gets worse as Fusarium Wilt and/or RKN starts wilting them. I can't help but wonder how much RKN and Fusarium affects the way a tomato tastes?

There's a lot to learn.

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

Yes, the clip will fall off on its own when the plant stem gets thick enough. Bill recommends leaving them on until then as the graft joint can still be vulnerable to breaking. And when you up-pot, bamboo skewers to support them like mini wooden stakes are also recommended.

Thank you Father's Daughter I believe in using the bamboo skewers as cutworm protection too. I break them in half - meaning going from party cup to in ground with the cutworm protection already in place.

This thread is making me feel better.

[b54red]

Salt I looked at that picture of your Big Beef plants and it sure looks like fusarium to me. That started happening to mine about 8 years ago and got worse until they weren't much more reliable than most heirlooms. It looks like you may have that third race of fusarium.

As to Amelia; I have grown it several times with high hopes only to have them crushed by the poor taste. They are a favorite down here of the commercial growers and many of the super market tomatoes are Amelia. However they can be very productive and the vines are very vigorous and need some pruning no matter how you support them.

Salt if you are going to graft Rebel Yell make sure it is done early so it can go out first thing in the spring. It is not a good tomato to set much fruit once it gets really hot despite its name. If you are going to graft then I recommend some others that are just as good tasting and more productive as it heats up since you are in a very hot climate like me. Some of my favorites that have done really well as grafted plants down here are ISPL, IS, Spudakee, Cowlick's and Sudduth, Dester, Limbaugh's Legacy, Donskoi(if you want a good heart), Stump of the World, Giant Belgium, German Johnson PL, JD's Special C Tex, Delicious, Royal Hillbilly, Couilles de Taureau, Red Barn, Aunt Ginnies Purple, Pruden's Purple, Granny Cantrell, Carbon, Arkansas Traveler and Henderson's Winsall.

Bill

[oakley]

First Prize VFFNT hybrid keeps coming up in articles i've read recently.
A new release from TGS (TomatoGrowersSupply)

Might be worth watching for reviews at the end of this season.

I've always trusted their opinions over the years.
My 'stable', grow-every-year varieties, have been from TGS.

[b54red]

I grew First Prize and don't think it is that new. I got it from TGS I believe and it did quite well but that was before that third race of fusarium wilt showed up. It made large fruits and the vine got huge with good production. I didn't think the tomato was as tasty as Big Beef but the fruits on average were larger. If I remember correctly it did split worse than some in heavy rains. I also remember it doing pretty good in the fall down here and fruiting decent in the summer heat. I remember it because it was one of the few hybrids with some disease tolerance that I found good enough for repeat planting like Big Beef.

Bill