Graft Tomatoes called Might Mato Question

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, BK. This user is located in North Houston - Zone 9. This was originally posted on April 17, 2013.


If we can't put one grafted and one regular mate in one box, that's getting to be some pricey real estate.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, Wildcat. This user is located in Western KY, Zone 6. This was originally posted on April 20, 2013.

Now what do I do. I have 4 grafted tomato plats on order and had planed to put two in each Earthbox like my regular tomatoes but after reading this I might have to rethink everything. They have not been shipped yet so I still have time.

I too have the pea fences that I use for cages so I have more than enough support for any size of tomato plants.

BK please keep us updated on here, I hope to get as much info as I can before it's time for me to plant.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, BK. This user is located in North Houston - Zone 9. This was originally posted on April 20, 2013.

Wildcat,
Mine are now exploding.  If mine are any example, don't even think about putting 2 in one box.

Now I'm just relating my experiences here, and I'm no pro.

 Tomatoes are starting to form like crazy, and they are heading for the top third of the pea fences.  The foliage has also stuffed the fences and spreading outside them.     I use Jungle growth and the Earthbox replant kit.

 Don 't do it.      I can't imagine what these are going to look like in a month.  Or three?

These is one thing I do know.   I think I'll be spending the money and planting nothing but grafted from now on.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Jr. Member, grandpa. This user is located in Northeast Missouri -- Zone 5. This was originally posted on April 20, 2013.

My grafted tomatoes have not arrived yet either, so guess I will try one box with just one grafted and the other with one grafted and one regular tomato plant. I'm going to put the fertilizer strip in the middle short side to short side.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, Wildcat. This user is located in Western KY, Zone 6. This was originally posted on April 21, 2013.

Now I'm worried. I need to change my plans because I was going to put out the regular tomato plants out this coming Friday but now I'll try one grafted and one regular to start. If the grafted starts to take over then I'll simply pull up the regular and go with one plant.

Everybody with grafted plants please keep us updated the next few weeks.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, BK. This user is located in North Houston - Zone 9. This was originally posted on April 21, 2013.

Ok,  I'll update on mine.  I just measured them. The Black Krim is 32 inches tall and the Mortgage lifter is 36 inches, showercap to top, and if you stand really still, you can watch them get taller. Tomatoes forming, and lot of blooms.

The largest tom so far is almost golf ball size.
 
And I bought mine at a family owned nursery. $9.99.  I was all over that day but I'm pretty sure I also saw them at Lowes or Walmart too. 

Now I have a question. Does anyone know how tall they'll finally get? I've done no research on grafted plants and I'm a complete novice, so I thought they would just possibly be healthier.

 I had no idea they would also be fuller and larger.  Assumed they would be normal size. I'm wondering if the final plants will slow down when they reach normal height for that variety.   Or not...
 
Does anyone know?

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, gardendoc. This user is located in Ocean Springs, MS Zone 9a. This was originally posted on April 21, 2013.

The growth of the grafted tomatoes many times is dictated on the rootstock used. Maxifort is a commonly used rootstock and has been noted to enhance vegetative scion (the grafted desired variety) growth. For heirlooms tomatoes Beaufort may be a better choice for rootstock as it tend to slow down the vegetative growth of the scion while showing some enhancement of reproductive growth (the tomato fruit).

I grafted some Orange Blossom onto Celebrity rootstock. Celebrity exhibits some of the same rootstock characteristics as Beaufort for heirlooms. Transplanted yesterday, will up date as the season progresses.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, BK. This user is located in North Houston - Zone 9. This was originally posted on April 21, 2013.

Somebody's nuts. I went on to the Burpee site and pulled up this info on their grafted tomatoes 

Grafted Tomato, Mortgage LifterHEIRLOOM. Legendary, huge beefsteak consistently wins taste-...
Product Details
Sun: Full Sun 

Sowing Method: Indoor Sow 

Days to Maturity: 80  days

Height: 36-40  inches-----------------

Umm, 36-40 Inches??     Mine are 36 inches today  and have only been in the box a few weeks..
It had the same height listed for the Black Krim.    Yeah, right.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, movrshakr. This user is located in Zone 10a - near Cape Canaveral. This was originally posted on April 21,
2013.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, BK. This user is located in North Houston - Zone 9. This was originally posted on April 21, 2013.

Somebody's nuts. I went on to the Burpee site and pulled up this info on their grafted tomatoes 

Grafted Tomato, Mortgage LifterHEIRLOOM. Legendary, huge beefsteak consistently wins taste-...
Product Details
Sun: Full Sun 

Sowing Method: Indoor Sow 

Say, whaaaaat?

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, BK. This user is located in North Houston - Zone 9. This was originally posted on April 21, 2013.

Dang!   I missed that part. I was busy laughing about the height part.

How DO you indoor sow a grafted plant?  Hee-Hee.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, Wildcat. This user is located in Western KY, Zone 6. This was originally posted on April 21, 2013.

Last year all my tomato plants hit 9 feet high and all I did was water them.

Now I'm worried about what these grafted plants will do.

I was going to post a picture but my photobucket is giving me nothing but trouble.

I'm going to go ahead and plant the regular tomato plants this week, I will put in one single plant in 4 earthboxes and save the space for the grafter plants. I have never done this before.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, paulw. This user is located in Gibsonton, FL Zone 9. This was originally posted on April 24, 2013.

Well after reading this thread I decided to take a chance on a few of these Tomato plants, When I ordered (4/20/13) it said ship date of May 24.
Well I figured I had time to set up a couple earthboxes for these plants.......WRONG they showed up today 4/24/13

Ordered  Ashleig and Tangerine

.  And got a Homestead 24 .

These plants  must grow super fast as they are twice as big as the shipping container, folded over in it. They have a couple blooms already.
Dang it people, I have to quit  reading the forum./ I only have so much space, earthboxes, and not to mention money. 

Paul from Riverview Fl

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, BK. This user is located in North Houston - Zone 9. This was originally posted on April 24, 2013.

I have a feeling this thread is going to get downright funny in a few months.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Jr. Member, jenny168. This was originally posted on April 25, 2013.

Here is what I am reading having now done a lot of research on grafted tomatoes (have not grown any personally yet).  The root ball is about 3 to 4 times bigger which still leaves plenty of room for lots of roots for 2 tomato plants to grow in one earthbox.  It's above ground that gets tricky.  To alleviate the massive green growth one only needs to prune off the suckers and keep the plant to one or two leaders and train them vertically.  We don't need to get hysterical yet!

This is what I am planning on doing.  I will have 16 tomato plants in total.  Half grafted, half regular.  I am even going to keep the non-grafted tomato plants to 2 or 3 leaders since I live so close to the beach and it stays cool and it takes forever for my tomatoes to ripen even though I grow almost exclusively cherry or grape tomatoes.

I will take pictures and video and will keep everyone posted on what happens.  My tomatoes have not been planted yet.  It's been unseasonably cold here in Santa Monica, CA.  I am waiting until Mid-May to plant.  Here is what I ordered from Garden Life:

Single Graft - NEW! Bumblebee? Purple   2" Pot
   Single Graft - Sun Sugar - World's Sweetest Tomato   2" pot
   Single Graft - Blush   2" Pot
   Single Graft - Carmello   2" Pot    Single Graft - Juliet   2" Pot
   Single Graft - Pachino - World's Most Expensive Tomato   2" pot
   Single Graft - Sweet Million   2" Pot
        Single Graft - Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye   2" Pot


   Grafted Eggplant - Dusky   2" Pot
   Grafted Pepper - Golden Bell   2" Pot
   Grafted Pepper - Chocolate Beauty   2" Pot

From Laurel's Heirloom Tomatoes Non- Grafted:

Black Cherry
Isis Candy
Amy's Sugar Gems
Snow White
Sungold
Sweet Baby Girl
Gardener's Delight
Flamme

Every year is an experiment and this year will be a big one indeed.  You might have noticed that I am also going to try growing grafted eggplant and peppers as well for the first time.  It should be very interesting.  Now come on sun.  Come out, come out wherever you are.

[EarthBoxAdmin]

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, linear249. This was originally posted on April 25, 2013.

Has anyone tried to root the tomato plant suckers to make new plants?