I’d first read of the tactic being used commercially, particularly in greenhouse growing, to improve yields from less-vigorous varieties like some heirlooms, and counter certain tough conditions or diseases. Now it’s available to the home gardener, too–and you don’t even need a razor blade or grafting clips of your own.
The extensive article I wrote last January on tomato grafting explained all the steps, with help from a video from Ohio State.
Our plants did fine; the grafts took easily, once the initial awkwardness of the slice-and-dice-and-reconnect motions were semi-mastered. Matching up rootstock (which you behead) with a scion (the top of another plant, the one you want the tomatoes from) was the trickiest part, since our faster-growing rootstock had reached a heftier diameter than the young scions. Matchmaking is always a little tricky, though, isn’t it?
If grafted tomato seedlings–readymade–sound good after you read last year’s piece on why you might want them, order from Territorial Seed. Ready to DIY it? Johnny’s has the rootstock seeds, and grafting clips. Categoriesedible plants from seed tomatoes vegetables Read more on awaytogarden.com