Tomato 'Aegis' F1 (Rootstock) Seeds

Overview

Tomato 'Aegis' F1 has been specially bred to act as the 'rootstock' to another tomato variety to be 'grafted' to.

'Grafting' is the joining together of two different tomato plants to combine the fruiting qualities of one variety with the roots (rootstock) of another which can offer increased vigour, disease resistance, perform better at lower temperatures & produce higher yields of top quality fruit earlier & over a longer period.  

Grafting has been used commercially for many years especially in Japan & USA. It is however useful for the domestic gardener who has overworked poor soil in the greenhouse where tomatoes are grown in the same soil every year and who’s tomatoes succumb to the same diseases. It is of particular interest to those who garden organically and don’t want to use chemicals to control pests/diseases.

Although grafting doesn’t specifically help against tomato blight it is thought that the healthier the plant the better placed it is to cope against 'tomato blight.'

Growing rootstocks for grafting purposes is also great for those gardeners who just like to experiment & try something new. Tomato 'Aegis' F1 fruit are not edible.

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Seed qty (approx)	6
Sowing months	February, March, April
Site conditions	Good sunny site, best in greenhouse.
How to sow	Materials: a clean sharp craft knife and a reel of clear tape approximately 2-3cm wide. 1). Sow rootstock seeds approximately 4 days prior to sowing the tomato seed, 1cm deep in a pot. The rootstock is slower to germinate and will need to be a similar size to the tomato plant to enable a good graft. 2). Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle, placing one tomato plant and one rootstock plant side by side in the centre of a 9cm pot. The rootstock sometimes has a different leaf type to normal tomatoes for identification purposes because it is important to know which is which when grafting, therefore keep them separate and well labelled. 3). When the plants reach approximately 10-15cm high they are ready to graft. Ensure the compost is kept moist to aid the grafting process. 4). Remove the seed leaves (cotyledons) from both the rootstock and the tomato plants (wilting will occur quickly so speed is important). 5). Remove the top leaves of the rootstock (this can be left until after grafting to reduce wilting). Make a downward cut at an angle of 45° halfway into the rootstock about 1- 1.5cm deep. Make a corresponding cut upwards in the tomato plant at the same height. Fit the two cuts together and fix with a 2-3cm wide strip of clear sticky tape, making sure the tape covers the cut, or alternatively use a tomato grafting clip (available below). 6). Grow on with high humidity, which can be achieved by the use of a polythene bag suspended over by not touching the plant with canes, and sealed around the pot with a band. Inspect regularly and remove the polythene as soon as the graft has healed over (normally within a few days). 7). Leave the original tomato root and the grafted rootstock to grow on in the compost and plant out as normal after a period of ‘hardening off’. Space plants about 30cm apart. Information provided for guidance only, as cultural practices and climatic circumstances vary.
Care	Keep well watered especially in dry conditions and weed free.
Harvest	July to October. Up to 2 weeks earlier & up to 2 weeks later than the scion variety’s normal fruiting time.
Information	F1 Hybrid Variety

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