4.25.26 - Mad Science
How To Graft Tomatoes
Source: Epic Gardening
Episode Transcript
[Intro Music ]
Hey folks, welcome back to the Keep Growing Podcast, right here in the beautiful Mid-Ohio Valley. I’m your host, John Morgan, coming to you from the garden where things are finally starting to feel like real spring.
This week we’re talking April 25th through May 1st. We’ve got grafting, dividing, succession sowing, and a big Full Moon on Friday night. Let’s dig in.
[Transition sound]
First, let’s talk weather, because around here it always sets the tone.
The next few days look mostly pleasant and benign — typical nice spring pattern with daytime highs in the 60s to low 70s. But we’re not completely dry: expect a round of showers and thunderstorms Saturday morning with a cold front, then another chance overnight Monday into Tuesday.
By the end of next work week, temperatures are forecast to drop back to normal or even a bit below. Nothing too dramatic, but a good reminder to keep those row covers or old bedsheets handy just in case we get a surprise chill. Overall, still a great week to be outside.
Alright, let’s get to the garden tasks.
Number one — if you’ve been thinking about grafting tomatoes, this is your week. Yes, I said grafting. If you’re feeling even a little bit like a mad scientist, go for it. Side-graft or cleft-graft some of your favorite heirlooms onto strong rootstock. It’s a fantastic way to get earlier fruit, disease resistance, and sometimes even higher yields.
Even if you’ve never done it before, try it on just two or three plants. You’ll learn more in one afternoon than you will reading about it all winter. I’ll drop a quick how-to on the podcast notes page if you need a refresher.
Next — finish up any lingering winter cleanup. Get that last bit of pruning done on your fruit trees and shrubs before they push too much new growth. Finish any propagation you started earlier, and make sure all your beds are prepped and ready.
While you’re out there, give everything a good once-over. Look for overwintered pests, check for vole damage at the base of plants, and pull any early weeds before they set seed. A clean garden now saves you so much headache in July.
If you have overcrowded perennials — daylilies, hostas, coneflowers, Shasta daisies — this is prime time to divide them. Dig up the clump, split it into healthy sections with roots and eyes, and replant. Give some away to neighbors or expand your beds. Plants will thank you with better blooms and vigor this season.
Cool-season crops are still your best friends right now. Keep succession-sowing lettuce, spinach, arugula, radishes, and bok choy every 10 to 14 days. That way you’ll have nonstop salads and stir-fry greens all the way into early summer. Don’t forget to sow a few extra rows of carrots and beets too — we’ll talk about those in a minute.
And mark your calendars — Friday, May 1st is the Full Moon. Traditionally, this is an excellent night to plant root crops. Carrots, beets, radishes, potatoes, onions — anything that grows downward loves that Full Moon energy.
Even if you’re not into the lunar gardening side of things, the science backs it up: cooler nights and stable soil moisture around the full moon give roots a nice steady start. So get those root crop seeds and sets in the ground Friday or Saturday if the rain holds off.
Quick tip for the week — keep an eye on your young tomato, pepper, and eggplant transplants. They’re growing fast now. Make sure they’re hardened off properly before they go in the ground for good. And if you haven’t mulched yet, get that done after you plant. It’ll save you water and weeding headaches later.
[Closing music starts to fade in]
That’s it for this week, friends. Get out there, get your hands dirty, try something new like grafting, and enjoy every minute of this beautiful spring window.
If you’re grafting tomatoes this week, send me a picture on X @bobsmarket — I love seeing what mad-scientist projects y’all are up to.
Until next time, keep growing.
[Outro Music]
