This year I have tried to graft some tomatoes onto disease/wilt resistent root stock. Here are the results of my second attempt. The tomato tops have wilted away, just like the first four I tried a couple of weeks ago.
I am not surgeon but I carefully cut a slant slice in each plant, attached the two parts with the clips shows below. I watered faithfully, but cannot get the tomato tops to graft to the rootstock bottom. Any ideas for a better result?
- applestar
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I have heard that crazy glue is the way to go. A drop of glue on cut surface of rootstock, hold scion for a few seconds. I believe you make a straight cut and not a slanted one, but I'm not positive. You could probably still use those clips after the glue has set.
Make sure to maintain high humidity until top shows growth.
Also, if you drink caffeinated beverages, you may have to quit for 72 hrs. At least that's what an assistant to a PhD with a Masters degree, whose job was to attach micro-thin wire electrodes to blowfly brain cells told me.
I may try that next year. To many other stuff going on this year.
The method *I* was considering due to my fumble fingers is joining two seedlings in the middle of the stem, then cutting off the top of the rootstock and bottom of the scion after they have securely attached to each other. You do this with older seedlings, not so tiny.
Make sure to maintain high humidity until top shows growth.
Also, if you drink caffeinated beverages, you may have to quit for 72 hrs. At least that's what an assistant to a PhD with a Masters degree, whose job was to attach micro-thin wire electrodes to blowfly brain cells told me.
I may try that next year. To many other stuff going on this year.
The method *I* was considering due to my fumble fingers is joining two seedlings in the middle of the stem, then cutting off the top of the rootstock and bottom of the scion after they have securely attached to each other. You do this with older seedlings, not so tiny.
Well, I obviously have a LOT to learn. I have not tried the super glue yet, but I did take four or five larger plants and tried the "merge before cutting" method. That is, leaving both roots in the soil until the graft is "taking". I topped the rootstock, cut a V in it, trimmed the sides of the tomato a bit, placed in V, and stabilized with a close pin. I kept them moist, out of sun. After 7-10 days, I checked to see if anything was happening. No luck.
I still have lots of root stock and tomatoes, so will probably give it some more tries.
I still have lots of root stock and tomatoes, so will probably give it some more tries.