Grafted vegetables aren’t a new invention, but they are gaining attention from home gardeners across the country. These new lines of tomatoes, eggplant and peppers are meant to grow stronger, healthier plants and increase yields.

Plant and seed companies, like Territorial Seed Company and Burpee, have added grafted vegetables to their catalogs. Grafted vegetables use the age-old method of propagating plants by attaching the top part of one plant, called the scion, with the root system of another plant, called the rootstock. It’s a process that’s done by hand and is similar to the one used for grafting grapes, fruit trees, and even roses.

One advantage to grafted vegetables is that a great-tasting heirloom tomato can be grafted to the rootstock of a tougher tomato that’s better equipped to fend off common garden issues, especially soilborne diseases.

In grafting trials for organic heirloom tomato production at North Carolina State University, researchers found that grafting provides a site-specific management tool for soilborne diseases (like verticillium wilt) and using rootstocks increases yield through added vigor and nutrient uptake. 

Horticulturists have known this since the 1920s when growers used grafted plants to prevent fusarium wilt of melons in Asia. Now nearly all tomatoes commercially grown in Korea, Japan, and Australia are grafted.

Home gardeners, especially those of us who garden in areas of the country with poor soil, are the beneficiaries. What gardener wouldn’t want to reap double, triple or even quadruple the typical crop of tomatoes? 

Grafted tomatoes can even give gardeners with small gardens the chance to grow two tomatoes on one plant. Territorial Seed sells a combination of Sungold and Sweet Million; Brandywine and Grande Marzano.

When planting grafted tomatoes, the graft has to be above the soil line and side shoots that form below the graft have to be pruned. There are additional pruning and staking instructions depending on whether the tomato is a determinate or indeterminate variety.

In May the folks at Log House Plants, an Oregon wholesale nursery, sent me three, free Mighty ‘Mato grafted tomato varieties to try in my garden in support of the national Plant a Row for the Hungry program. The goal was to help maximize the number of tomatoes donated to local food pantries.

Of the three varieties of Mighty ‘Matoes I planted, the grafted Brandywine performed the best. I’ve grown ungrafted plants of this heirloom favorite in the past and have always been disappointed with the small amount of tomatoes I harvested each time. With the grafted Brandywine, I did harvest about twice the typical crop.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

The New Organic Grower, 3rd Edition: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener, 30th Anniversary Edition

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Since its original publication in 1989, The New Organic Grower has been one of the most important farming books available, with pioneer Eliot Coleman leading the charge in the organic movement in the United States. Now fully illustrated and updated, this 30th Anniversary Edition is a must-have for any agricultural library.

Buy at Amazon

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

Buy at Amazon

Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil.

Buy at Amazon