Container grow is an option

you can find root stock seeds alot cheaper than that. johnnys seed has them for 22$ for 50 seeds. and im sure there are cheaper places. when you can create your own plant for less then a dollar why not.

dirty,

The nematode problem will occur on grafted plants or regular seedlings planted where these critters lay in wait. The best bet is to acquire growbags or self watering containers, The soil medium must be isolated from the nematode infested soil.
And so a purchased soil mix will be necessary for success.
I use the (reusable growbags) in Iowa for seasons with too much rain as they drain out through the pores, but a bagged soil mix is used nonetheless. Gardener's supply has the best, though imitations are available on Ebay. -Randy

Here is a link that might be useful: growbags

I have successfuly grafted and grown heirlooms in the past. I have a confirmed case of Fusarium oxysporum in my garden soil. A Marianna's Peace planted in my soil quickly dies (been there done that). A grafted Marianna's Peace (onto Maxifort rootstock) does well in the garden provided you continue to protect it against leaf disease. This year I decided to grow my ungrafted MP in an earthbox in the garden. Mistake! MP grown in the earthbox on the patio by the house grew 10 feet tall. MP in the earthbox in the garden showed unmistakable signs of fusarium and keeled over within two weeks of first yellowing.

I have no idea how fusarium got into the earthbox soil! So, back to grafting next year. BTW, when planting a grafted plant, make sure the rootstock doesn't send out a shoot. It is a monstorous plant with spit-out awful fruits (been there done that, too!). Maxifort is a hybrid so I didn't save seeds.

Beth

I've also grafted different heirloom varieties onto Maxifort stock in the past. As Beth notes you are in for a constant battle with the rootstock to try to reestablish itself through suckers. Also yo need to use care to keep graft junction above the soil line or the graft scion will root and the graft is useless. I've had a few that I thought were legitimate grafts that ended up being Maxifort plants so you need to inspect grafts closely. The yearlong care is an ordeal that I prefer not to repeat.