Root grafting / plant fusing

F

FoolishBalloon

I've seen that some people have really large pepper plants, which proves that peppers can grow larger than just a small pot plant in the right conditions. That got me thinking - what is it that limits a pepper's development? Is it genetically limited to a certain max size?
 
If not, I guess it is root development and the nutrients in the soil that limits it (and external factors such as light and temperature...). Don't get me wrong, I am very new to pepper plants and only have my first plants right now. But I'm thinking - would it be possible to grow multiple plants to a decent size (like six months of growth), then completely cut them off below the first growth node and graft them onto the base of a larger (maybe year old) pepper and thus have their roots supply the central pepper with nutrients and water etc?
 
If I've understood it right, this kind of graft should be possible. My question is if it's advantageous to the center plant, would it be able to utilize the additional roots and thus grow larger than it otherwise would?
 
So from what I have read, it is possible to do this and some people do make grafts with multiple rootstocks. So I'll absolutely try that out some time! 
 
Since Capsicum is part of the nightshade family it is possible to graft peppers onto potato rootstalks as well. Is there some resource somewhere where I can read more about this? Do potatos have better roots than peppers and thus make the pepper grow/produce quicker? 
 
Also, I live in Sweden, and we have fairly short summer seasons that are fit for growing peppers. Which part of the plant is it that is sensitive to colder climates? Is it the roots that are sensitive? Potatos have no problems growing here, so if I were to graft peppers to potatos, would the plants suddenty be more resistant to the climate and have a longer growth season, or is it the leaves and flowers that are sensitive to this?
 
FoolishBalloon said:
 That got me thinking - what is it that limits a pepper's development?
 
Is it genetically limited to a certain max size?
 
But I'm thinking - would it be possible to grow multiple plants to a decent size (like six months of growth), then completely cut them off below the first growth node and graft them onto the base of a larger (maybe year old) pepper and thus have their roots supply the central pepper with nutrients and water etc?
 
My question is if it's advantageous to the center plant, would it be able to utilize the additional roots and thus grow larger than it otherwise would?
 
Is there some resource somewhere where I can read more about this?
 
Do potatos have better roots than peppers and thus make the pepper grow/produce quicker? 
 
Which part of the plant is it that is sensitive to colder climates?
 
Is it the roots that are sensitive?
 
Potatos have no problems growing here, so if I were to graft peppers to potatos, would the plants suddenty be more resistant to the climate and have a longer growth season, or is it the leaves and flowers that are sensitive to this?
Click to expand...
 
So many questions----So little time!

Welcome from USA!
 
`
 
It is possible but in my opinion, why kill a healthy 6 month old plant to get a larger yield on one plant? It sounds like a fun experiment but the only benefit i see is if your limited on space and want to optimise the growth on a single plant then go for it. The best way to get big plants is to put them in the ground with well amended soil but you'll have more control of the growing conditions if you put them in pots. Smaller plants in pots but its the best way to go in my opinion.
 
Edmick said:
It is possible but in my opinion, why kill a healthy 6 month old plant to get a larger yield on one plant? It sounds like a fun experiment but the only benefit i see is if your limited on space and want to optimise the growth on a single plant then go for it. The best way to get big plants is to put them in the ground with well amended soil but you'll have more control of the growing conditions if you put them in pots. Smaller plants in pots but its the best way to go in my opinion.
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Yeah, I know it's not going to maximize yield, it's as you said a fun experiment :)
 
Putting them in the soil isn't really an option here in Sweden, as I'm not going to be able to overwinter it then. I'm planning on having a bunch of smaller plants in pots as well - this large one is mainly for fun :)
 
FoolishBalloon said:
 
Also, I live in Sweden, and we have fairly short summer seasons that are fit for growing peppers. Which part of the plant is it that is sensitive to colder climates? Is it the roots that are sensitive? Potatos have no problems growing here, so if I were to graft peppers to potatos, would the plants suddenty be more resistant to the climate and have a longer growth season, or is it the leaves and flowers that are sensitive to this?
Click to expand...
Im no expert, but I have had some experience with losing pepper plants to cold temperatures/frost, mostly from being impatient in the Spring and planting them too early. I have had a frost zap everything I had from the ground up. I left them there out of frustration, and 90% came back gnarly and bushy, like they had been topped. I guess that would suggest that the roots survived the frost but killed the foliage.

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i did watch a video on exactly what youre talking about. I cant find the video now otherwise i would post the link but if i find it I'll post it. The video i saw, they basically just took two plants and cut one off at an angle about 3 to 4 inches above soil level, then cut a notch into the other plants stem and fitted them together. Wrapped the graft point in plastic wrap and a short time later, voila! A pepper plant with two root systems!
 
In ground is ideal if you have the right conditions but if your ground is contaminated with industrial or farming pollutants, poor in nutrients, really rocky, your area floods, high water table (especially near the ocean, salty), or if you need to move your plants around. If you want to limit your plants or can't grow huge bushes, containers can help as well. 
 
Personally I use them because the area I am in has extremely poor soil quality, my backyard floods, I don't have anywhere that I can build an inground garden and I like being able to move the plants around. 
 
By no means do I think it is objectively better, but for certain situations it is ideal. 
 
well said peppamang. I have nothing against in-ground gardening. But i have more control over the soil and if things get sticky i can move my plants if i want.
 
FoolishBalloon said:
Since Capsicum is part of the nightshade family it is possible to graft peppers onto potato rootstalks as well. Is there some resource somewhere where I can read more about this? Do potatos have better roots than peppers and thus make the pepper grow/produce quicker? 
 
Also, I live in Sweden, and we have fairly short summer seasons that are fit for growing peppers. Which part of the plant is it that is sensitive to colder climates? Is it the roots that are sensitive? Potatos have no problems growing here, so if I were to graft peppers to potatos, would the plants suddenty be more resistant to the climate and have a longer growth season, or is it the leaves and flowers that are sensitive to this?
Click to expand...
 

I have grafted tomatoes and chilli scions onto potato rootstock several times in an attempt to get two crops from one space.  I have done a few small trials to compare the yield of grafted plants compared to non grafted plants.  It is an interesting novelty, but the yield is always lower than it would be for not grafting.  Even growing a potato and a tomato in the same pot gave higher yields than grafting a tomato onto potato rootstock. 
 
I think that the issue with potatoes as rootstock is that they are going to spend a certain amount of energy producing tubers, this means less energy for fruit production.
 
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