Imagine yielding both tomatoes and potatoes from a single plant. Tomato grafting onto potato is an innovative way to increase productivity, improve plant health, and optimize space. Read on to discover the science and technique behind this unique horticultural method.
Why Graft Tomatoes onto Potatoes?
The practice of grafting tomatoes onto a potato plant is gaining popularity due to several convincing factors. Both plants have stems of the same diameter, making a seamless connection possible. The potato plant's robust nature offers an ideal rootstock, having an inherent resistance that fortifies the grafted plant.
Increased resistance is indeed a notable attribute of grafted tomato plants. They show enhanced resilience against diseases, including mildew, tomato mosaic, verticilliosis, and root fusariosis. Also, a well-developed root system provides better heat tolerance.
The Grafting Process
So, how do you go about grafting a tomato onto a potato? Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Begin by selecting a potato as the rootstock. The potato is a suitable choice due to its robust nature and it being from the same Solanaceae family.
- Initiate the grafting process by germinating a potato in a well-lit, frost-free location.
- Select a potato stem that has the same diameter as the tomato plant stem.
- Cut the potato stem 5cm from the tuber and take a top from a tomato plant with a matching stem diameter.
- Join the stems together and secure them using a plastic grafting clip.
- Place the pot on a water-filled saucer and cover the graft with a cut-open plastic bottle. Mist the inside of the bottle to maintain humidity.
- Position the pot in semi-shade with stable temperatures around 22° C.
- When small roots form at the graft site, remove the bottle.
- Remove any potato stems that sprout.
- Once the graft is established, it's time to repot it.
When to Graft
Timing is key with grafting. It's best to graft when the tomato plants are 15-20 cm tall and have stems with a 2mm diameter. Usually, this is when the plants are around 20 days old.
The Potential Benefits
Grafting offers many advantages. Not only does it increase yield without the necessity to plant more, but it also offers the exciting possibility of growing both tomatoes and potatoes from a single plant. This ingenious method thus serves as a space-saving solution and a fun experiment for gardening enthusiasts.