tomatos from cuttings

[Kevin]

After reading two recent threads on propagation ,I was wondering if any of you have ever grown tomato plants from rooted cuttings. Every year we get a jump on our spring season by propagating plants from cuttings instead of growing all of them from seed.

[plantoneonme]

Tomatoes are probably one of the worlds easiest plants to propagate. Since you are already propagating other things you should have no problem. I like to bury the longest piece of stem I can get (usually suckers) into a moist medium. I won't take long for the roots to develop. Kim

[Kevin]

Tomatoes are probably one of the worlds easiest plants to propagate. Since you are already propagating other things you should have no problem. I like to bury the longest piece of stem I can get (usually suckers) into a moist medium. I won't take long for the roots to develop. Kim

Hey Kim , I didn't phrase the question very well. Sorry . I Have a table full of rooted cuttings that I started a couple weeks ago,from my overwintered plants .And you are right they are very easy to start. What I am trying to get is some feedback from others that are also doing this . Specifically when they start their rooted plants , and how large they let their plants get before they stop pinching buds.

[gardengirl72]

Tomato plants are super easy to propagate. I let them get pretty big before I stop pinching. Lots of fun though.

[shebear]

So are these indeterminate tomatoes that you take cutting from?

[plantoneonme]

Hey Kim , I didn't phrase the question very well. Sorry . I Have a table full of rooted cuttings that I started a couple weeks ago,from my overwintered plants .And you are right they are very easy to start. What I am trying to get is some feedback from others that are also doing this . Specifically when they start their rooted plants , and how large they let their plants get before they stop pinching buds.

Oh I get it...I treated them just as I did seedlings. I don't pinch my per say what I do is to keep pulling off the bottom leaves and burying them deeper and deeper into styrofoam cups....I use a pencil and punch a hole about 1" off the bottome for water to run out but to also allow some to be retained. By the time mine went outside last year the root ball was as deep and round as a large 20 oz. cup. I have people begging me to start plants for them this year as the ones I gave out proved to be much more vigorous than their "store bought" ones. I have been offered $5 per plant from one guy and he wants at least 10 but prefers 20. This little chunk of change will pay for my gardening needs this spring.

Anyway long story short, treat them just as you would ones grown from seed. Grow under lights set only 2-3" above the plants and let a fan blow on them to make the stems stronger. Harden off as usual. Hope this is what you are looking for. Kim

[Kevin]

So are these indeterminate tomatoes that you take cutting from?

Thanks Shebear, I should have clarified that. Yes Only indeterminate variaties will work with this. Kevin

[Kevin]

Oh I get it...I treated them just as I did seedlings. I don't pinch my per say what I do is to keep pulling off the bottom leaves and burying them deeper and deeper into styrofoam cups....I use a pencil and punch a hole about 1" off the bottome for water to run out but to also allow some to be retained. By the time mine went outside last year the root ball was as deep and round as a large 20 oz. cup. I have people begging me to start plants for them this year as the ones I gave out proved to be much more vigorous than their "store bought" ones. I have been offered $5 per plant from one guy and he wants at least 10 but prefers 20. This little chunk of change will pay for my gardening needs this spring.

Anyway long story short, treat them just as you would ones grown from seed. Grow under lights set only 2-3" above the plants and let a fan blow on them to make the stems stronger. Harden off as usual. Hope this is what you are looking for. Kim
Kim , I am talking about pinching flower buds .You don't want a plant six inches tall setting fruit.

[shebear]

I just wanted to make sure. That's what I thought but you never know what people will do.