2017 Grafting thread: Open to all

[rick9748]

Good info.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

This is what I bought.

https://www.harrisseeds.com/products...st-04-105-t-f1

RST-04-105-T is a rootstock variety that offers a great disease package to of the soil borne issues you can encounter. Resistance to TMV, Corky Root, FW (1, 2), V, Root-knot Nematode and Bacterial wilt. Intermediate resistance to Southern Blight.

I think (?) DP Seeds is the producer of both RST rootstocks, and no mention of V for the 105 either on their site - http://www.dpseeds.com/content/rst-04-105-t-tomato

[Cole_Robbie]

Thanks for pointing that out. I am calling Harris when the weekend is over. And I'm going to give them an earful if I just bought a $40 pack of seed based on their typo in the description.

[jtjmartin]

Please let us know what they say - I use the same rootstock.

(I'm wondering if it is a "tweener" - it shows enough resistance for Harris to make the claim but not enough for DP?)

[Cole_Robbie]

Here's the package:

[Cole_Robbie]

I didn't open the mailbox yesterday, so it is possible that the ants invaded overnight, but I doubt it. I think Hydro Gardens mailed me ants with my order of grafting clips.

[Hellmanns]

I ended up with around 250 successful grafts that are now growing beautifully in my high tunnel.

After my first round of grafting I saw that I needed a humidifier, so I ordered a small ultrasonic humidifier from eBay. Good move! My first round of grafting yielded about a 60% success rate. My second round with the humidifier 85% or better. I only lost plants because of rot at the graft union because they were kept in the humidity to long. My last few rounds were near 100% successful.

Here's what I've learned the first time grafting tomatoes.
1. The grafting clips must be snug to hold the union together. With later rounds of grafting, I even used a spring clip to hold the silicone clip snug.
2. The growing medium need be only slightly moist during the healing period.
3.Newly grafted plants need 90-95% humidity, and total darkness for 48 hours, then filtered light with high humidity for another 48 hours. After this period, humidity can gradually be reduced while light intensity is increased.

[BigVanVader]

Wow that's great and great tips. I'm hoping to do all my plants next year. If I may ask how do you space your tomatoes in the HT?

[AlittleSalt]

Hellmanns, around 250 successful grafts - congrats.

I understand the first two things, but

3.Newly grafted plants need 90-95% humidity, and total darkness for 48 hours, then filtered light with high humidity for another 48 hours. After this period, humidity can gradually be reduced while light intensity is increased.

That is where I get confused.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Hellmanns, around 250 successful grafts - congrats.

I understand the first two things, but

3.Newly grafted plants need 90-95% humidity, and total darkness for 48 hours, then filtered light with high humidity for another 48 hours. After this period, humidity can gradually be reduced while light intensity is increased.

That is where I get confused.

I managed this by using a high dome lid with a couple of vents in it over my 1020 trays. I put the plants in the trays right after grafting then sprayed down the inside of the dome lid with water before putting it on, making sure the vents were completely closed.

Some people will use a large plastic container and just crack the lid for this part.

For the first couple of days I kept towels over the lids, removing them and the lids once a day just long enough to re-spray the insides of the lids and freshen up the air in the domes.

After that, I started slowly pulling back the towels and opening the lid vents just a little bit each day.

You need to keep the scions in high enough humidity that they stay alive long enough for there to be some healing at the graft so that the roots can then start feeding the tops.

It's kind of like putting them in an ICU until they start to recover.

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

I managed this by using a high dome lid with a couple of vents in it over my 1020 trays. I put the plants in the trays right after grafting then sprayed down the inside of the dome lid with water before putting it on, making sure the vents were completely closed.

Some people will use a large plastic container and just crack the lid for this part.

For the first couple of days I kept towels over the lids, removing them and the lids once a day just long enough to re-spray the insides of the lids and freshen up the air in the domes.

After that, I started slowly pulling back the towels and opening the lid vents just a little bit each day.

You need to keep the scions in high enough humidity that they stay alive long enough for there to be some healing at the graft so that the roots can then start feeding the tops.

It's kind of like putting them in an ICU until they start to recover.

Father'sDaughter, you did help make this easier to understand.

One day, it will click for me.

[Hellmanns]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Wow that's great and great tips. I'm hoping to do all my plants next year. If I may ask how do you space your tomatoes in the HT?

I have a 20' wide tunnel with 4 rows of tomatoes. The 2 outside rows are single rows with the plants on 20" centers. The 2 inside rows are double rows with the plants 24" on center in each row, with the rows 1' apart.

[Hellmanns]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Father'sDaughter, you did help make this easier to understand.

One day, it will click for me.

Salt:
I made a humidity chamber with one of those 6' folding tables. I made a simple light weight support frame with 1/2" cpvc pipe on top of the table that supports a thin clear plastic sheet. I used a painters drop cloth from the dollar store.

I placed the table in a dark outbuilding and hung a shop light above it. I then placed the little humidifier on one end of the table with the plastic draped over it. The newly grafted plants go in this chamber for 48 hours and kept totally dark except for when I would refill the humidifier. After 48 hours of darkness, I started leaving the shop light on, with the plants still in high humidity under the plastic. After 24 hours or so I started raising the sides of the plastic to reduce the humidity. After 4 days or so I found I could remove the plastic completely.

[Cole_Robbie]

I think I am going to try pans of wet perlite as the humidity-maker in my grafting chamber.

[Hellmanns]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

I think I am going to try pans of wet perlite as the humidity-maker in my grafting chamber.

I tried similar my first round with open pans of water. I couldn't get the humidity high enough, and fast enough. Then if the chamber is opened, it takes quite a while for the humidity to raise again. The little humidifier I bought was like $12, and provides instant high humidity even if you have to open the chamber.