I'm trying my hand with some cuttings from our indeterminate tomato plants while they're in their first flush of good growth and vining like crazy. If they can root and grow into mature plants, it sure would make for some happy tomato harvests ahead!
I read a lot of suggestions online, but decided to go with the easiest of them, which is simply placing the stems of the cuttings into some basic potting soil (in pots) and keeping them in the shade and moistening them daily until they get some size to them. Then I can move them to a sunnier location to harden off and and later transplant them into an in-ground full sun location, or so I hope.
The ones I'll be trying to multiply by this method are the German Johnson, Black Prince, and the Yellow Pear.
I originally got these heirloom varieties at the local garden center, priced buy 2 get one free...so I walked away with a total of 9 that day. Think of all the cuttings I can get from these without disrupting their fruiting...maybe there is succession planting in our future?
Coincidentally, there are black oil sunflowers growing near the tomatoes, as well as some flowers of different types, cultivated and wild. I've noticed the sunflowers are a cheerful trap crop for the stink bugs, luring them from focusing soley on the tomatoes, and so far the only thing I've had to do to discourage the stink bugs when I see them on the tomatoes is to spray them off with the water hose. That may change, but our hands-off tendencies mean we're waiting to see the insect population keep its natural balance without too much interference from us.
I'm counting the days till TOMATOES...
Can't wait to see if the tomato experiment works. If so, it's even easier than growing from seed! (at this point)
Anyone out here ever grown tomatoes from vine cuttings?
3 comments:
This is new to me. Never heard one could grow tomatoes by planting cuttings. I have got to try this, too. My tomatoes are coming up and fruiting already so, I'll want to get more started soon. Hope you are successful with yours.
I played around with tomato cuttings a couple years ago and had pretty good success with it. I look forward to hearing more about your experiences with this project. Right now we are "trying" to do the same with our honey berry bushes...so far we have not had as much luck as I had hoped to.
Good luck!
Pilgrim, new to me, too! I just read where I can dissolve a bit of epsom salts in a gallon of water and water them with that till the roots are well formed, and then just water and fertilize as normal. We only use compost as fertilizer currently.
Mr. H, are there any tips you can pass along to help us past the learning curve? I've never seen honey berry bushes...they sound lovely!
~Robbyn~
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