Grafting is a fascinating technique that allows plants to merge together, creating unique and interesting hybrids. One such example is the pimado, a plant that produces both potatoes and tomatoes. In this article, the process of creating a pimado will be explored in detail, from planting the initial seeds to the final harvest.
The process begins with the careful selection of a tomato plant and a potato plant. Once these plants are grown and ready, the grafting process can begin. This involves taking cuttings from the tomato plant and carefully grafting them onto the potato plant, creating a hybrid plant that produces both potatoes and tomatoes. Throughout the article, the various steps of the grafting process will be explored, including selecting the right cuttings, preparing the plants for grafting, and caring for the plants after the grafting process is complete.
Key Takeaways
- Grafting allows for the creation of unique plant hybrids, such as the pimado.
- The process of creating a pimado involves careful selection of tomato and potato plants, followed by the grafting process.
- Throughout the process, it is important to carefully select and prepare the plants, as well as care for them after the grafting process is complete.
Planting Tomato Seeds
To create a pimado, a plant that produces potatoes underground and tomatoes on top, one needs a tomato plant and a potato plant. The tomato seeds are sown into seedling trays in early spring and grown indoors by a sunny window until they outgrow the seed trays. Once they are bigger, they are potted up and planted in the garden when the weather is warmer.
The seed potatoes are left in a bright place to sprout, and once they have sprouted, they are planted in small pots using a mix of compost and potting mix. The reason for planting the potatoes in small pots is so that they can easily be brought indoors into the shade while the grafts heal, which should take around a week or so.
The tomato cuttings are taken from the tomato plants that are about the same thickness as the stem of the potato plants. The tomatoes are pruned, and suckers or side shoots that are a suitable size for the grafting are found. Most of the leaves are removed from the cutting, leaving the growing tip intact at the top.
To graft the plants together, clean tools are needed, and methylated spirits are used to clean the scissors and grafting knife. The potato plant is cut off at a point that matches the same thickness of the cutting, and a long angled cut is made on both sides of the tomato cutting to create a v that’s about the same length as the slice that was made in the potato stem. The tomato plant is then pushed into the potato stem, and the two are wrapped in grafting tape to hold them tightly together.
The potatoes are grafted onto every stem, and the plants are covered with a bag to increase the humidity. After a day or two, all the stems are a little bit droopy, but they soon stand up straight. The plants are misted about twice a day, and the ones under the bag are acclimatized by leaving the bag half off and then removing it entirely.
Once the grafts have healed, the plants are potted up using potting mix and sheep manure pellets. The root system is teased out slightly, and the plants are mulched well with straw and then supported with a bamboo tower as they grow.
Overall, the graphs were successful, and even though the whip and tongue graft was a bit tricky, it worked in the right conditions. The tomatoes are straightforward to graft successfully, even if the job isn’t perfect. The plants produce beautiful orange tomatoes and even some fruit, although they don’t grow vigorously, possibly because they are not on their own rootstock or because multiple plants are growing out of the same rootstock.
Potting Tomato Plants
To create a “pimado” plant that produces both potatoes and tomatoes, one needs to graft a tomato plant onto a potato plant. The process involves taking cuttings from tomato plants that are about the same thickness as the stem of the potato plant. The tomato cuttings are then pruned and stripped of most of their leaves, leaving the growing tip intact. The potato plant is cut off at a point that matches the same thickness of the cutting, and a v-shaped cut is made on both sides of the stem a few centimeters deep. The tomato cutting is then inserted into the potato stem, making sure that one side lines up well with the outer part of the stem. The graft is then wrapped tightly with grafting tape or a clip to hold it together.
After grafting, the plants need to be kept in a shaded area away from the wind for around a week or so to allow the graphs to heal. In the meantime, the potato plants should be planted in small pots using a mix of compost and potting mix. This will make it easier to bring them indoors into the shade while the graphs heal. Once the graphs have healed, the plants can be potted up using potting mix and a few sheep manure pellets. The root system of the plant should be teased out slightly and placed in the pot, making sure that the graphs are above the surface so the tomatoes don’t put out their own roots. The plants should be mulched well with straw and supported with a bamboo tower as they grow.
Tomato plants can be grafted using either a cleft graft or a whip and tongue graft. While both methods can be successful, the cleft graft is generally easier. The whip and tongue graft involves cutting an angled cut on both the potato and tomato and then slicing down into the stem of both, creating tongues that hold them in place. Multiple tomato varieties can be grafted onto one potato plant, resulting in a plant that produces several different tomato varieties.
Overall, grafting tomato plants onto potato plants is a straightforward process that can be successfully done even if the grafting job is not perfect. The resulting plant can produce both potatoes and tomatoes, making it a unique addition to any garden.
Preparing Seed Potatoes
To create a pimado plant that produces both potatoes and tomatoes, one needs to graft a tomato plant and a potato plant together. The first step is to grow the tomato and potato plants separately. The tomato seeds are sown into seedling trays in early spring and are kept growing indoors by a sunny window. Once they have outgrown the seed trays, they are potted up to get a bit bigger before planting them out in the garden when the weather is warmer.
On the other hand, the seed potatoes are left in a bright place to sprout. When the sprouts start growing, they are planted in small pots using a mix of compost and potting mix. The reason for using small pots is to easily bring them indoors into the shade while the graphs heal, which should take around a week or so.
To graft the tomato and potato plants together, one needs clean tools such as a grafting knife or a Stanley knife. Cuttings from the tomato plants are taken, and most of the leaves are removed, leaving the growing tip intact at the top. The potato plant is cut off at a point that matches the same thickness of the cutting, and a slice is made down the middle of the stem a few centimeters deep.
Using the tomato cutting, a long angled cut is made on both sides to create a V that’s about the same length as the slice made in the potato stem. The tomato plant is then pushed into the potato stem, and since they have the same thickness, they should line up on both sides. The last step is to wrap the graft tightly together using grafting tape or a grafting clip.
After grafting, the potatoes are left in small pots, and the graphs are covered with a bag to increase humidity for a week or so. After this period, the bag is removed, and the potatoes are acclimatized to the environment by leaving the bag half off for a day and then removing it entirely and moving them to a sunnier spot.
Once the graphs have healed, the potatoes are ready to be planted in a potting mix with a few sheet manure pellets. The root system is teased out slightly and put in the pot, making sure to keep the graphs above the surface so that the tomatoes don’t put out their own roots. The plants are then mulched with straw and supported with a bamboo tower as they grow.
Overall, grafting tomatoes and potatoes together is a straightforward process that can be done successfully even if one doesn’t do the best job. The graphs heal after a week or so, and the plants can be harvested when the tomatoes ripen and the potatoes are ready.
Planting Seed Potatoes
To create a pimado, a plant that produces potatoes underground and tomatoes on top, the first step is to gather a tomato plant and a potato plant. The tomato plants can be grown from seeds and kept indoors by a sunny window until they are ready to be planted outside. The seed potatoes are left in a bright place until they start to sprout and can be planted in small pots using a mix of compost and potting mix.
To graft the tomato and potato plants together, clean tools are necessary. A grafting knife or a sharp Stanley knife can be used to take cuttings from the tomato plants that are about the same thickness as the stem of the potato plants. The leaves are removed from the cutting, leaving the growing tip intact at the top.
The potato plant is then cut off at a point that matches the same thickness of the cutting. A slice is made down the middle of the stem a few centimeters deep. Using the tomato cutting, a long angled cut is made on both sides to create a V that is about the same length as the slice that was made in the potato stem. The tomato plant is then pushed into the potato stem, lining up on both sides. The plant is wrapped in grafting tape to hold it tightly together.
A whip and tongue graft can also be done by cutting an angled cut on both the potato and tomato and then slicing down into the stem of both. The tongues should hold them in place, ready to be wrapped up in grafting tape.
The potatoes are planted in small pots so they can be easily brought indoors into the shade while the graphs heal, which should take around a week or so. The plants are misted about twice a day, and the ones under a bag are tested to see if they will benefit from increased humidity.
After about eight days, the graphs have healed well and the plants are ready to be potted. The root system is teased out slightly and placed in a pot with potting mix and manure pellets. The plants are mulched well with straw and supported with a bamboo tower as they grow.
Overall, the graphs were successful, and the tomatoes are straightforward to graft successfully, even if the job is not done perfectly. The plants produce both potatoes and tomatoes, and the tomatoes can even produce flowers and fruit.
Getting Ready for Grafting
To begin the grafting process, the first step is to acquire a tomato plant and a potato plant. The tomato plants are grown from seeds that are sown in seedling trays in early spring. After a few weeks, the tomato plants are ready for potting and are kept indoors by a sunny window until the weather is warm enough for planting. The potato plants are obtained by leaving seed potatoes in a bright place to sprout. Once the sprouts have grown, the potatoes are planted in small pots using a mix of compost and potting mix.
Before beginning the grafting process, it is important to clean the tools that will be used. Methylated spirits can be used to clean the grafting knife or any other sharp knife that can be used for the job. The next step is to take cuttings from the tomato plants that are about the same thickness as the stem of the potato plants. The cuttings are pruned by removing most of the leaves, leaving only the growing tip intact at the top.
Next, the potato plant is cut off at a point that matches the same thickness of the cutting. The stem is sliced down the middle a few centimeters deep. Then, using the tomato cutting, a long angled cut is made on both sides to create a “V” that is about the same length as the slice made in the potato stem. The tomato plant is then pushed into the potato stem, lining up the thickness on both sides. If the thickness does not match on both sides, it is important to ensure that one side lines up well with the outer part of the stem, staying flush. Finally, the graft is wrapped in grafting tape to hold it tightly together.
It is also possible to perform a whip and tongue graft, which involves cutting an angled cut on both the potato and tomato and then slicing down into the stem of both about a third of the way down. The tongues should hold them in place, ready to be wrapped in grafting tape.
After grafting, the plants are kept indoors in the shade for about a week while the graphs heal. The potatoes are planted in small pots so that they can easily be brought indoors while the graphs heal. After about a week, the grafting tape is removed, and the plants are potted in a mixture of potting mix and compost. The tomato plants are mulched with straw and supported with a bamboo tower as they grow.
Overall, the grafting process is successful, and the tomato plants produce fruit, although they may not grow as vigorously as they would on their own rootstock. Multiple plants can be grown out of the same rootstock, producing a plant with several different tomato varieties.
Selecting Tomato Shoots
To create a pimado plant that produces potatoes and tomatoes, one must graft a tomato plant onto a potato plant. The first step in this process is to select suitable tomato shoots.
The tomato plants should be started from seeds in early spring and grown indoors by a sunny window until they outgrow the seed trays. Once they are big enough, they can be potted up and grown until the weather is warm enough to plant them outside.
When selecting tomato shoots for grafting, one should look for suckers or side shoots that are about the same thickness as the stem of the potato plant. Most of the leaves should be removed from the cutting to prevent it from losing moisture and drying out. The growing tip should be left intact at the top.
It is recommended to use clean tools for grafting, such as a grafting knife or a sharp Stanley knife. The potato plant should be cut off at a point that matches the same thickness of the cutting. A long angled cut on both sides should be made on the tomato cutting to create a “v” that is about the same length as the slice made in the potato stem. The tomato plant can then be pushed into the potato stem, focusing on making sure one side lines up really well with the outer part of the stem staying flush. The cutting should be wrapped in grafting tape to hold it tightly together.
It is also possible to do a whip and tongue graft by cutting an angled cut on both the potato and the tomato and then slicing down into the stem of both about a third of the way down. The tongues should hold them in place, ready to be wrapped up in grafting tape.
Multiple stems of the potato plant can be grafted onto every stem of the tomato plant to increase the chances of success. The plants should be kept indoors in small pots while the grafts heal, which should take around a week or so. Misting the plants about twice a day can help keep them hydrated.
Once the grafts have healed, the plants can be potted up in a mix of compost and potting mix with a few sheep manure pellets. The root system should be teased out slightly and placed in the pot, making sure to keep the graft above the surface so the tomatoes don’t put out their own roots. The plants should be mulched well with straw and supported with a bamboo tower as they grow.
Overall, grafting tomato shoots onto potato plants to create a pimado plant is a straightforward process that can be successful even if the grafts are not perfect.
Preparing the Shoots
To create a pimado plant that produces both potatoes and tomatoes, one must first obtain a tomato plant and a potato plant. The tomato plants are grown from seeds in seedling trays during early spring and then transferred to pots for further growth. Meanwhile, the potato plants are left in a bright place to sprout.
Once the plants are ready, the next step is to graft them together. The tools used for grafting must be clean, and a grafting knife or a sharp Stanley knife can be used. Cuttings from the tomato plants that match the thickness of the potato plant stem are taken, and most of the leaves are removed to prevent moisture loss.
The potato plant is then cut at a point that matches the thickness of the tomato cutting. A slice is made down the middle of the potato stem, and a V-shaped cut is made on both sides of the tomato cutting to match the slice in the potato stem. The tomato plant is then pushed into the potato stem, and the two are wrapped tightly together with grafting tape.
The potatoes are planted in small pots so that they can be easily brought indoors into the shade while the grafts heal, which should take around a week. After the grafts have healed, the potatoes are planted in a potting mix with a few sheep manure pellets and mulched with straw.
Overall, the grafting process was successful, and the tomatoes grew vigorously, producing flowers and fruit. While whip and tongue grafting was tested, cleft grafting proved to be easier and more efficient.
Grafting Process
To create a plant that produces potatoes underground and tomatoes on top, one can merge a potato plant and a tomato plant using grafting. The process involves taking cuttings from the tomato plant that are about the same thickness as the stem of the potato plant. The tomato plant cuttings are pruned and most of the leaves are removed to prevent moisture loss.
The potato plant stem is cut off at a point that matches the same thickness of the tomato cutting. A long angled cut is made on both sides of the tomato cutting to create a V shape that is about the same length as the slice made in the potato stem. The tomato plant is then pushed into the potato stem, ensuring that the same thickness lines up on both sides. The last step is wrapping the graft with grafting tape to hold it tightly together.
The process can also be done using a whip and tongue graft, which involves cutting an angled cut on both the potato and tomato and then slicing down into the stem of both about a third of the way down. The tongues hold them in place, ready to wrap them up in the grafting tape.
It is recommended to use clean tools for grafting and to cut the potato plant in a shaded area away from the wind. The plants should be potted up in compost and potting mix and left to heal for around a week. The potatoes should be planted in small pots, which can be easily brought indoors into the shade while the grafts heal.
After the grafts heal, the plants can be moved outdoors and acclimatized to the sun. The plants should be mulched with straw and supported with a bamboo tower as they grow. After the grafting tape is removed, the plants can be fertilized with diluted worm tea.
Overall, the cleft graft is recommended for ease of use, but the whip and tongue graft can also be successful. The plants may not grow as vigorously as those on their own rootstock, and multiple plants growing out of one rootstock may affect growth.
Cleft Graft Method
The cleft graft method is a common technique used to graft tomato and potato plants together. To start the process, one needs a tomato plant and a potato plant. The tomato plants are grown indoors by a sunny window until they outgrow the seed trays, then they are potted up to get bigger before they are planted out in the garden. The potato plants are left in a bright place to sprout and then planted in small pots using a mix of compost and potting mix. The reason for using small pots is to easily bring them indoors into the shade while the grafts heal.
Clean tools are needed for the grafting process, and a grafting knife or a Stanley knife can be used as long as it’s nice and sharp. The tomato plant’s cuttings are taken, and most of the leaves are removed to prevent the cutting from losing moisture and drying out. The potato plant is cut off at a point that matches the same thickness of the cutting, and then a slice is made down the middle of the stem a few centimeters deep.
Using the tomato cutting, a long angled cut is made on both sides to create a V that’s about the same length as the slice made in the potato stem. The tomato plant is then pushed into the potato stem, and since they have the same thickness, they should line up on both sides. The last thing to do is wrap it in some grafting tape to hold it tightly together.
The potatoes are planted in small pots so that they can be easily brought indoors into the shade while the grafts heal, which should take around a week or so. The plants are misted about twice a day, and the potatoes are removed from the stems so that all the energy can be focused on the tomatoes.
After eight days, the grafts have healed really well, and the grafting tape is removed. The plants are then potted up using a mix of potting mix and sheet manure pellets, and the root system is teased out slightly before being placed in the pot. The plants are mulched well with straw and then supported with a bamboo tower as they grow.
Overall, the cleft graft method is a successful technique for grafting tomato and potato plants together. It is a straightforward process that can be done even if the grafting is not done perfectly.
Whip and Tongue Graft Method
The Whip and Tongue Graft method is a technique used to merge tomato and potato plants together to create a single plant that produces potatoes underground and tomatoes above ground. To start the grafting process, the gardener needs a tomato plant and a potato plant. The tomato plant is grown from seeds and kept indoors by a sunny window until it is ready to be planted outside. The potato plant is grown from seed potatoes that have sprouted. The gardener plants the potatoes in small pots using a mix of compost and potting mix.
To graft the tomato and potato plants together, the gardener needs clean tools, such as a grafting knife, and methylated spirits to clean them. The gardener takes cuttings from the tomato plant that are about the same thickness as the stem of the potato plant. The gardener removes most of the leaves from the cutting to prevent it from losing moisture.
The gardener then cuts the potato plant off at a point that matches the same thickness of the cutting. The gardener slices down the middle of the potato stem a few centimeters deep. Using the tomato cutting, the gardener makes a long angled cut on both sides to create a V that is about the same length as the slice that was made in the potato stem. The gardener pushes the tomato plant into the potato stem, making sure that one side lines up really well with the outer part of the stem staying flush. The gardener wraps the graft tightly together with grafting tape or a grafting clip to hold it in place.
The Whip and Tongue Graft method involves cutting an angled cut on both the potato and tomato and then slicing down into the stem of both. The gardener then slides them together, and the tongues should hold them in place. The gardener grafts onto every stem on the potato plant to increase the chances of success. The gardener plants the potatoes in small pots to easily bring them indoors into the shade while the grafts heal, which should take around a week or so.
The gardener misted the plants about twice a day and covered one of them with a bag to increase the humidity. After a day or two, all the stems were a little bit droopy, but they eventually stood up straight. The gardener removed all the grafting tape after a week and tested out giving them some diluted worm tea from the worm farm. The plants grew vigorously, with some flowers and fruit forming on them.
Overall, the Whip and Tongue Graft method is a successful way to merge tomato and potato plants together. The method is straightforward and can be done successfully even if the gardener does not do the best job.
Post Grafting Care
After successfully grafting the tomato and potato plants, it is important to take care of the newly created plant to ensure its survival. The following steps should be taken:
- Move the newly grafted plant to a shaded area away from the wind.
- Cover the plant with a bag to increase humidity and mist it twice a day.
- Remove any sprouts growing from the potato stem to ensure all energy is focused on the tomatoes.
- Leave the plant indoors in a small pot for about a week to allow the graft to heal.
- After a week, remove the bag and acclimatize the plant to more sun exposure gradually.
- Add potting mix and manure pellets to the soil and mulch with straw.
- Support the plant with a bamboo tower as it grows.
It is also important to note that while the grafting process was successful, the plant may not grow as vigorously as a plant on its own rootstock. This could be due to the fact that multiple plants are growing out of the same rootstock or that it is not on its own rootstock. Regardless, with proper care, the plant should produce both tomatoes and potatoes.
Acclimatizing the Plants
After successfully grafting the tomato plants onto the potato stems, the next step is to acclimatize them to their new environment. The plants were initially covered with a bag to increase humidity and promote healing. After eight days, the grafts had healed well, and the plants were standing up straight.
To acclimatize the plants, the bag cover was removed, and they were moved to a location with more sunlight. The plants were misted twice a day to keep them hydrated. However, it was observed that the plants that were not covered with the bag looked healthier than those that were covered.
After a few days, the plants were ready to be transplanted into larger pots. A mixture of compost and potting mix was used, along with some sheep manure pellets. The root system of the plants looked healthy, and the grafts were kept above the surface to prevent the tomatoes from putting out their own roots.
The plants were mulched well with straw, and a bamboo tower was constructed to support them as they grow. As the plants matured, some flowers and fruits started to form.
Overall, the acclimatization process was successful, and the plants adapted well to their new environment.
Unwrapping the Grafts
After eight days, the grafts have healed well. The tomato plants and potato plants have been successfully grafted together. The speaker removed all the grafting tape and found that all the graphs were successful.
The speaker experimented with two types of grafting techniques: cleft graft and whip and tongue graft. The cleft graft was easier to perform, while the whip and tongue graft required more effort. However, both techniques were successful in grafting the tomato and potato plants together.
The speaker also tested the effect of covering the grafted plants with a bag to increase humidity. However, the plants that were not covered with the bag appeared to be healthier.
The potato plants were initially grown in small pots so that they could be easily brought indoors while the grafts healed. After a week or so, the speaker removed the bag cover and moved the plants to a sunnier location to acclimatize them.
The speaker mixed potting mix and sheep manure pellets to create a suitable soil for the grafted plants. The root system of the plants looked healthy, and the speaker teased them out slightly before planting them in the pot. The speaker made sure to keep the graft above the surface to prevent the tomatoes from putting out their own roots.
The speaker mulched the plants well with straw and made a bamboo tower to support them as they grew. The plants did not grow vigorously throughout their life, possibly because they were not on their own rootstock or because multiple plants were growing out of the same rootstock.
The speaker also gave the plants some diluted worm tea from their worm farm and observed that some of the tomatoes were ripening, with beautiful orange ones appearing. The speaker is pleased with the success of the grafting experiment and looks forward to harvesting the tomatoes and potatoes from the same plant.
Transplanting the Plants
After successfully grafting the tomato and potato plants together, it’s time to transplant them into their permanent pots. The first step is to prepare the potting mix. The speaker recommends using a mix of compost and potting mix, as well as a few sheep manure pellets. These ingredients should be mixed together thoroughly.
Next, the speaker gently teases out the roots of the grafted plant and places it in the prepared pot. It’s important to keep the graft above the surface of the soil to prevent the tomatoes from putting out their own roots. The plant is then mulched with straw and a bamboo tower is erected to support the plants as they grow.
After transplanting, the speaker removes all of the grafting tape. Although all of the grafts were successful, the speaker notes that in the future, they will likely stick to the cleft graft method as it was easier. However, the whip and tongue graft, although a bit tricky to execute, also proved to be successful.
As the plants grow, the speaker notices that they are not growing as vigorously as they might on their own rootstock. It’s possible that this is due to the fact that they are on a potato rootstock. Additionally, since the speaker grafted multiple tomato varieties onto one rootstock, it’s possible that the plants are not growing as tall or bushy as they might otherwise.
Despite this, the plants are producing fruit and the speaker is excited to see the results of their experiment. With a bit of care and attention, it’s possible to create a plant that produces both tomatoes and potatoes, opening up a world of culinary possibilities.
Removing the Grafting Tape
After successfully grafting the tomato plant onto the potato stem, it is now time to remove the grafting tape. The tape was used to hold the tomato plant and potato stem together tightly during the healing process.
To remove the tape, one needs to carefully cut it with a sharp knife or scissors. It is important to be gentle and not damage the newly grafted plant. After removing the tape, the plant should be inspected for any signs of damage or stress.
Overall, the grafting process was successful and the plants have healed well. The tomatoes are ripening and some fruits have already formed. It is clear that tomatoes can be easily grafted onto potato stems, even with less than perfect grafting techniques.
In the future, the cleft grafting technique may be preferred over the whip and tongue grafting technique, as it is easier and less time-consuming. However, both techniques have proven to be successful in grafting tomatoes onto potato stems.
Feeding the Plants
To create a pimado, a plant that produces tomatoes on the top and potatoes underneath the ground, one needs both a tomato plant and a potato plant. The tomato plant can be grown from seeds, which should be sowed in early spring and kept indoors until the weather is warmer. Once the tomato plants have outgrown their seed trays, they can be potted up and grown indoors by a sunny window. On the other hand, seed potatoes should be left in a bright place so they can start to sprout.
The potato plants should be planted in small pots using a mix of compost and potting mix. The reason for using small pots is to easily bring them indoors into the shade while the grafts heal, which should take around a week or so. After the plants are ready, it’s time to graft them together. The tools used for grafting should be clean, and a grafting knife is recommended, although a sharp Stanley knife or box cutter can also be used.
To graft the plants together, cuttings from the tomato plants that are about the same thickness as the stem of the potato plants should be taken. The tomatoes should be pruned, and the leaves should be removed from the cutting, leaving the growing tip intact. The potato plant should be cut off at a point that matches the same thickness of the cutting. Then, a slice down the middle of the stem a few centimeters deep should be made, and a long angled cut on both sides of the tomato cutting should be done to create a v that’s about the same length as the slice made in the potato stem.
The tomato plant should be pushed into the potato stem, and since they have the same thickness, they should line up on both sides. If they don’t, one should focus on making sure one side lines up really well with the outer part of the stem staying flush. The last thing to do is to wrap it in some grafting tape to hold it tightly together. A whip and tongue graft can also be done, which involves cutting an angled cut on both the potato and the tomato and then coming about a third of the way down and slicing down into the stem of both. The tongues should hold them in place, ready to be wrapped up in the grafting tape.
Since the potatoes have grown multiple stems, it’s recommended to graft onto every stem to increase the chances of success. The plants should be misted about twice a day, and the ones under the bag should be acclimatized by gradually removing the bag. After about eight days, the grafts should have healed, and the grafting tape can be removed. The plants should be planted in a potting mix with some sheep manure pellets, and the root system should be teased out slightly and placed in the pot. The plants should be mulched with straw and supported with a bamboo tower as they grow.
Overall, the grafting process is successful, and tomatoes are pretty straightforward to graft successfully even if the job is not done perfectly. The plants produce flowers and fruit, although they don’t grow vigorously. This could be due to the fact that they are not on their own rootstock, or multiple plants are growing out of the same rootstock.
Harvesting the Tomatoes
In this section, we will explore the process of grafting a potato plant and a tomato plant together to create a single plant that produces both potatoes and tomatoes.
To start this project, the first step is to obtain a tomato plant and a potato plant. The tomato seeds are sown into seedling trays in early spring, and after a few weeks, little tomato plants start to emerge. These plants are kept growing indoors by a sunny window until they are ready to be planted outside.
The seed potatoes are left in a bright place to sprout, and once they have started to grow, they are planted into small pots using a mix of compost and potting mix. The reason for using small pots is to make it easier to bring the plants indoors while the grafts heal.
The next step is to take some cuttings from the tomato plants that are about the same thickness as the stem of the potato plants. The cuttings are pruned to remove most of the leaves, leaving the growing tip intact at the top.
Using a grafting knife or a sharp Stanley knife, the potato plant is cut off at a point that matches the same thickness of the cutting. A slice is made down the middle of the stem a few centimeters deep, and the tomato cutting is then placed into the potato stem, creating a V-shape.
The tomato plant is pushed into the potato stem, and the graft is wrapped tightly with grafting tape or a grafting clip to hold it together. Multiple grafts can be made onto every stem of the potato plant to increase the chances of success.
The plants are then kept indoors in the shade while the grafts heal, which takes around a week or so. Once the grafts have healed, the plants are transplanted into larger pots using a mix of potting mix and sheep manure pellets.
The final step is to remove the grafting tape and mulch the plants well with straw. A bamboo tower is created to support the plants as they grow. The tomatoes start to ripen, and beautiful orange ones start to emerge.
Overall, grafting a tomato plant and a potato plant together to create a single plant that produces both potatoes and tomatoes is a straightforward process that can be done successfully with the right conditions.
Final Observations
After successfully grafting tomato plants onto potato plants, the plants were left to heal for around a week. During this time, the plants were kept in small pots and covered with grafting tape to hold them tightly together. The plants were misted about twice a day to keep them moist.
After the healing period, the plants were transplanted into larger pots with a mixture of potting mix and compost. The root system of the plants looked healthy, and they were mulched well with straw. A bamboo tower was also built to support the plants as they grew.
Although all of the grafts were successful, the speaker noted that in the future, they would probably stick to the cleft graft method as it was easier. The whip and tongue graft method was tried but was not executed well, yet it still worked in the right conditions.
The plants did not grow vigorously throughout their life, possibly due to being on a potato rootstock or having multiple plants growing out of the same rootstock. However, the plants did produce fruit, including beautiful orange tomatoes.
Overall, the speaker found that grafting tomatoes onto potatoes was a straightforward process that could be done successfully with a little bit of knowledge and care. They recommended using clean tools, misting the plants, and providing support as they grow.