Re: Grafted Tomatoes

**K* M* <k*@iol.ie>**

Interesting. Many growers here initially moved to plastic from glass because the higher atmospheric moisture levels in the early tunnels gave control against mites - and then found they were getting late blight. With the high level of atmospheric moisture here in Ireland drip irrigation and polythene combine to make a recipe for disaster. Professionals have either moved back to glass or use seep, which can be laid in such a way as to keep the soil surface dry. 
For amateurs with home polytunnels, which are hard to vent well, I recommend the old sunk flowerpot trick. Not viable on a commercial scale but it works fine for a couple of dozen plants. Had fun teaching tomato grafting on radio last year - not the easiest medium. Radio may have the best pictures, but not the best diagrams

kathryn

On 31 Jan 2010, at 22:11, frielster@aol.com wrote:

> 
> I mentioned grafted tomatoes in a couple of posts last year. Commercial growers here in PA are going that route to protect against soil-borne diseases like late blight. Grafting disease-prone heirloom varieties onto disease-resistant rootstock greatly increases yield. The most dramatic results are seen in tunnels with drip irrigation. If vented properly, tunnels do not allow excessive humidity build-up but do protect against heavy rains, which tend to split some heirlooms. Growers say the tunnels solve the "wet" diseases (fungi, root rot), but make the "dry" diseases (viruses, mites) more of a management challenge. 
> I haven't heard of anyone making grafts available to home gardeners. 
> JF
> 
> Subject: Re: [GWL] Grafted Tomatoes
> 
> 
> 
> I wrote about grafted vegetables last summer - getting very big in the UK.
> ttp://tinyurl.com/yka6xwc
> Graham
> <http://transatlanticplantsman.com/>Transatlantic
> lantsman<http://transatlanticplantsman.com/>
> HS New Plants <http://rhsnewplants.co.uk/>
> HS Trials and Awards <http://tinyurl.com/RHSTrials>
> rahamRice.com <http://grahamrice.com/>
> ardenPhotos.com <http://gardenphotos.com/>
> HS Encyclopedia of
> erennials<http://shop.wisley.co.uk/product_info.php?product=RHS_TITLES_MAIN_RHS_TITLES&dpi=9781405306003>
> And you can follow me on Twitter <http://twitter.com/Graham_Rice>
> 
> n Sun, Jan 31, 2010 at 7:14 PM, <Hamptongar@aol.com> wrote:
>> Last summer there were a number of threads regarding the Late  Blight
> outbreak on tomatoes and there were a few threads about grafted  tomatoes.
> 
> I understand grafting tomatoes to get improved yields on a  commercial
> level but why would one want to do this in a home garden?  The  practice
> does
> seem to improve yields when some rootstocks are used on heirlooms  but I
> think
> most tomato diseases are air, vector and water borne in which case
> grafting would offer no protection.  As far as I can tell the only disease
> protection offered through grafting would be against Fusarium  wilt and
>  Ralstonia
> (Southern wilt).
> 
> Can anyone help me out with more information?  Why would  a home gardener
> want to graft his/her tomatoes and are there any mail order or  internet
> retailers offering grafted plants.
> 
> Thanks.  Spring will come.  It always  does.
> 
> Andrew
> 
> 
> Andrew Messinger
> The Hampton Gardener is a  registered trade mark and is published every
> Thursday in The Southampton Press,  The Press and the Easthampton Press
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> gardenwriters mailing list
> gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters
> 
> GWL has searchable archives at:
> http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters
> 
> Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
> at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos
> 
> Post gardening questions/threads to
> &quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot; <gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org<lt%3Bgwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org>
>> 
> 
> For GWL website and Wiki, go to
> http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters
> 
> ______________________________________________
> ardenwriters mailing list
> ardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
> ttp://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters
> GWL has searchable archives at:
> ttp://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters
> Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
> t: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos
> Post gardening questions/threads to
> quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot; <gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org>
> For GWL website and Wiki, go to
> ttp://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters
> 
> =
> _______________________________________________
> gardenwriters mailing list
> gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters
> 
> GWL has searchable archives at:
> http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters
> 
> Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
> at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos
> 
> Post gardening questions/threads to
> &quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot; &lt;gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org&gt;
> 
> For GWL website and Wiki, go to
> http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters
> 

_______________________________________________
gardenwriters mailing list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters

GWL has searchable archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters

Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos

Post gardening questions/threads to
&quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot; &lt;gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org&gt;

For GWL website and Wiki, go to
http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters