The graft needs to be well above the soil line. The whole concept is about the rootstock providing a better root system.
As far as planting tomatoes extra deep, I don't plant any deeper than a few inches. Our soil is too cold and the growing season is too short. Some years, the tomatoes are transplanted in June, depending on the weather. Our nights stay very cool throughout the summer. We have about 3 months of growing for tomatoes, barely enough time for the long maturity varieties.

I had the privilege of attending two presentations by Jeff Casey (local Heirloom Tomato Grower) and he confirmed the same. Too deep in our area will not be beneficial in our area.

Here is what happens underground when tomatoes are planted in a shallow trench.

Just saw this thread since it got bumped to the top by Mary's post...

Mary, I'm probably just being dense at the moment, but I'm not sure what your photos are telling us

I think the only way I would consider using grafted tomato plants is if #1, I was convinced there is a real advantage to it, and #2, I could do it myself -- given that I haven't bought a tomato plant in about 100 (or at least 30) years. To me it just sounds like one more way the companies are trying to make people think they can't start their own perfectly good plants from a packet of seeds!

>> Other companies also are doing grafting, but I haven't gone to their sites to see if rootstock varieties are listed. Territorial Seed is one, Johnny's Selected Seeds is another.

It looks like Johnny's Selected Seeds grafts onto 'Estamino' rootstock. Enza Zaden bred Estamino in the Netherlands, and it is grown or at least distributed by King Seeds in the USA.

I don't know what rootstock Territorial uses on grafted plants they sell, but they do sell SEEDS for "SuperNatural (R)" rootstock-only plants.
This USDA PowerPoint presentation site seems to say that Territorial DEVELOPED "SuperNatural (R)". ??
http://expeng.anr.msu.edu/uplo...


Johnny's says:
"Tomato plants grafted to Estamino will be more productive and resistant to soil-borne diseases including three races of fusarium, fusarium crown and root rot, verticillium wilt, and nematodes."
"The minimum order is one flat of 102 plants shipped by the first week of June 2014; after that date the minimum order is four flats"

They do not seem to be targeting hobbyists and small-time growers with these!
Every order is a custom order and I couldn't find prices for a tray of plugs.

How big are the cells in a tray with 102 plugs? Maybe like this:

Cell Depth 1.69 "
Cell Top Diameter 1.06 "
Cell Configuration 6 x 17 (hexagonal cells)
http://www.myerslawnandgarden....



Territorial Seed

I couldn't fiind what rootstock they use for the grafted plants they sell. But they sell F1 hybrid seeds for one kind of rootstock-only tomato: "SuperNatural (R)". Evidently there is a company that advertises a product line of "Mighty 'Maters" on this same rootstock. Their website was gaggingly cartoonish so I didn't drill very deep.
http://www.territorialseed.com...
mightymato.com/

Territorial says:
"Our plants are available individually in 2 1/4 inch pots! At Territorial you don't have to buy 6 plants of each variety.
You can mix and match your plants just the way you want."
But each plant costs $8.


Here is a discussion of using grafted tomatoes where yield per square foot is important, e.g. greenhouses. Page 3, continued on page 9.
http://www.extension.umn.edu/g...

I saw grafted tomatoes growing at a farm in Overton, TX a couple weeks ago. It's an interesting concept and I can see the benefits if you are having a problem with soil-borne diseases. Other than that, though, I can't see me doing it. One big issue is that they are much more maintenance-heavy plants. You can't let them sucker as you would regular tomatoes, otherwise the suckers that come out will be of the rootstock genetics. So all your plants have to be kept trim to just the one single trunk. That's a deal killer for me since I like to just plant my tomatoes in a cage and let it fill the cage up.

I am with you Dave. I don't trim my tomatoes either unless it is just some super out of control branch sticking at too odd an angle. Would not do well with grafter tomatoes at all!

Sandy, it was in response, or at least in support of planting them (any tomato) on their sides in a shallow trench. Not necessarily having to do with grafted plants, but it is a way to get the plant to develop a very large root system. If you look carefully, you can see where the green starts, that is where the plant grew up out of the ground. I hope this helps. Look back in the thread for my original comment which was made July 28, 2013. I had mentioned the planting method, said I had pictures, and just today remembered to find and post them. Sorry for the confusion.

Rick, if Territorial is selling the seed for SuperNatural (R), we could graft anything we wanted onto it. Maybe they realize that not many people are going to buy their $8 plants.

I think the key is not to plant grafted tomatoes deep. I used a self watering system and the graft was well above the soil line. I don't trim or pinch my plants either. The higher yield was significantly larger on the grafted plant.

@MaryE -- thanks for the explanation, I apparently forgot about your other post! I always plant my tomatoes pretty deep so they can get a good root development; I think I've read that using a trench and planting the lower part of the plant horizontally (which I think is what you're describing) provides more soil warmth and better growth for the plants in colder areas - such as where I am - but I've tried that method as well as just putting them into a normal hole and haven't really seen much difference.

@dave -- would the suckers coming from the plant that's been grafted onto the rootstock have the rootstock characteristics? or just any that happened to come up from the lower part of the plant? At any rate, if all the suckers have to be kept cut off for whatever reason, that would definitely be a deal breaker for me, too! It sounds like it might be fun to experiment with the grafted plants but can't see them being very desirable for the purposes of most "gardeners." (or is that what people were saying when hybrids first became available... )

Suckers that come from the root (below the graft) would have the rootstock characteristics. Doing as Joanne said, not planting it too deeply, would help prevent suckers from forming below that point.

That makes sense, Dave!

I just re-read this entire thread. Finding it interesting still but still not trying any grafted tomatoes.

I don't think they are as plentiful as they were a few years ago.
Someday when I want another garden project---I will experiment with grafting tomatoes. I do have a good root stock rose, and may experiment with grafting roses first.

I need to read this thread more thoroughly but will tell you what I observed. I walked down to my neighbors to see how her tomatoes were doing and they looked OK but there was one that was huge with lush green foliage and lots of small fruit setting. Way more vigorous than any of her other plants. The tag read Mighty Mato Grafted, I was interested. When I looked closer I found out that it was Pink Brandywine. She said she had bought it at a local nursery that I missed this year so I will look next spring and try some grafted if I can find them. I told her that I was going to come down and swipe one when they are ripe......I will share mine with her as I will have ripe ones before she will. Something to anticipate. I will take a picture when the light is better......Anyone growing grafted this year?

I have never grown grafted.

Any idea how much the grafted plants cost, Paul ?

I've never even seen any in our area.....and I'm not ambitious enough to try grafting my own.

I don't know what the plant cost and I didn't see it at any of the nurseries that I visited this year or I would have tried one but it did come from a nursery nearby. I'll check next spring. I'm certain that you will all concur that anticipation is part of the fun. I'm already looking forward to next year.

I have seen grafted plants at one large local nursery that I visit each spring. But I have never tried them.

Here is a picture of a grafted Brandy Wine in my neighbors garden and then a another one that isn't grafted growing three feet away......quite a difference......