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Old 23-12-2009, 06:04 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible,rec.gardens.organic
Gary Woods[_2_] Gary Woods[_2_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Dec 2009
Posts: 136
Default Grafted tomato plants

Well, I knew you could do it; heck, the Sunday paper in the spring always
has ads for "THE AMAZING POMATO!!! PRODUCES TOMATOES AND POTATOES ON THE
SAME PLANT!!!".
I got my periodic E-bulletin from Johnny's seeds, and they claim much
improved disease resistance for heirloom tomato plants grafted onto
resistant stock. Complete with information article by George DeVault,
outgoing head of Seed Saver's Exchange.
BUT: the stock is an F1 hybrid, and the seeds are very pricy. Probably
justified by the hand labor needed, but I'm economical. (My friends say my
Scots-Irish ancestry is showing through).
Has anybody tried this? Are there OP rootstocks that might be resistant as
well? It looks like this substantially delays diseases like blight, but
sooner or later the top growth will get infected anyway.
How about other, preferably organic, methods of control?
I'd really like more than just a few salad tomatoes next summer, and since
the Solstice just passed, I figure spring is in sight.

.....Gotta throw a few more sticks in the stove...


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G