October 2, 2017

It looks like my little tomato seedlings are getting of size so that I can try a little grafting. 

I am going to use a cleft graft instead of tube graft. With a cleft graft the scion (crop tomato) is inserted into a "V" cut in the top of the root stock. The tube graft uses one cut  where both root stock and scion are cut into a matching wedge and held in place with a clamp until the graft heals..

Both techniques  have to you use clamps. I do not have any so it is why I will try the cleft graft. Maybe? the wedge will hold it in place to heal. If nothing else I will get practice cutting the tomatoes. This is all new territory. But it intrigues me. I most likely will not graft for next year's tomato harvest. Instead I will use hybrids that are resistant to RKN.

Beyond the hybrid thing I am also wanting to compare how well indeterminate and determinate tomatoes handle the May / June heat.

Determinate tomatoes have worked well since moving to Alpine.There are two beds an early and a latter. Early being the middle of February and late being the 2nd week of March.  I would harvest through this hot period and when the first bed of toms is harvested out, the second bed is coming on line. This allows the first bed to resume growth and blooming for a late summer crop. This technique has worked quite well but has failed miserably the last couple of years. I suspect it is a combination of the exceptional heat, dryness and my "pet" RKN. SOOOOO this means I need to adapt.

I am very curious to see how these hybrids perform. With resistance to RKN will the determinate tomatoes resume growth and blooming after harvest? Will the indeterminate tomatoes grow and bloom through the heat?

I also have some small lengths of shade cloth. I plan to cover some of the determinate and indeterminate toms. Of course there will be a thermometer under the shade cloth and the traditional covered toms for temperature comparisons. The goal is to keep the highs below 95. The temp where toms start to go dormant.

I have seen a recent study where Actinovate (an organic fungicide) added to the drip water helps inhibit the egg  laying and galling of RKN. This combined with the Promax (thyme oil extract) that I used this year along with the Azagard (neem oil extract) I hope to continue my assault on RKN.

Even with the exceptional heat of this summer and the RKN, harvests from the garden were pretty good

  

.Ah yes this gardening thingy is all about adapting with the use of trial and error. As always it will be interesting.

It is to be noted the tomatoes will be out planted at the same times as my other determinate toms. Because of the time of year they will be needed to be covered to prevent from freezing. This means the toms will not be trellised. Any elevation of the fabric makes protection of these toms more difficult. Sprawling toms allows the fabric to harvest the day time heating and protect them through the often freezing nights.