Quote:
Originally Posted by b54red
I'm still trying to figure out what is the best length of time to leave my totes closed before I start leaving the lid partially open. In the past when I was using potting soil I couldn't leave them closed for even 3 days without rot starting on the stems and if I left them closed longer the leaves would also get rot. Now that I am using the Optisorb in my cups and having far less of the rot problem I am going to try leaving one closed for a full 4 1/2 days. I just cracked it open and left it and will open it further later in the day if I don't see much wilting. I'm hoping by leaving them closed up for 4 1/2 days I will reduce my lose from wilting which can sometimes be devastating.
I find the Optisorb far superior for holding the grafts during the healing process because it doesn't hold as much water so you have less problems with rot. I have also found that I have far fewer bad grafts caused by too much water wicking up through the rootstock and pushing the scion away. The only downside I see of using Optisorb is the looser large granules don't always support the stem as well so I sometimes have to brace them with a skewer.
Bill
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Rootloops suggested a great idea for the healing chamber which is used in mushroom cultivation called the shotgun chamber. It's basically holes drilled on the sides of the clear totes to allow air flow (aka FAE - Fresh Air Exchange) while still maintaining high humidity (with perlite at the base of the tote) which can be done using DE as well. Air flow is critical IMO to avoid dampening off and rot issues. When i do my grafts i don't do total darkness I allow ambient light to get through the healing chamber (faster recovery than going from total darkness to ambient light or cfl lighting) and i try to get air flow in to the container within the 2nd day. Like for instance - once i have done the grafts the first day i mist the sides and keep the lid closed but as soon as we hit the 2nd day i will allow air in to the container for at least 30 mins to 1 hr (since the scions are hydrated they are less likely to wilt). I keep an eye on them for that first hour of open lid air just to monitor if they will will or not. If they don't wilt i leave it open as long as i can before misting the sides and covering the top. Allowing this air flow in is the key to successful grafts. As long as you have your DE pre-soaked before grafting, having your scions and rootless rootstock hydrated then you can introduce air flow to your humidity chamber right away. That is the key to getting successful grafts to take sooner than all the other methods I've seen so far. Every time i see grafts with soaking water all over the leaves of newly grafted plants.. i cringe knowing they are going to fail in the back of my head.
Also a little trick i do with fragile grafts that have no backbone support especially those stacked multiple grafts - i lean them right to the edge of those little clear containers for support - the grafting clip can lay on the rim of the container so it kinda supports the graft from tipping over. This takes care of 2 things - i can bury the rootless grafts all the way down to the base (for more stem to root) & Edge of the container which adds support and stability to the grafts and a place for the grafting clip to stay stable and not move around as it lays on the rim of the container (especially smaller younger grafts).
I am totally impressed with what can be done to Tomato seedlings started from seed at almost any stage to graft. The picture i posted above (with the clear tote younger grafts) these tomato plants barely had true leaves with no roots and still healed and grew in to healthy transplants. It just amazes me how hardy a tomato plant is and the amount of punishment it can take from grafters like us. Who would of thought you could add scions to petioles.. then when i figured out vertical grafting i was impressed at how easy it was to combine 3 or more plants to one plant. There is no boundaries to tomato grafting.