What our local Nursery doesn't want you to know about Tomatos

[sewfarsewgood]

Are you aware that you cn easily propagate tomato plants from cuttings?? When your tomato plants are several months old and are putting on suckers, carefully slice off the sucker with a razor blade, di it in rooting hormone and stick it in a pot of half peat moss and half perlite. Soon you will have roots and a whole new Tomato plant to follow on after the original one has started to fade. Here in texas we get two crops of tomatoes each year, but only 2 becasuee unless you start your own seds, that is all the nurseries offer you. Rooting your own from your strongest and best tasting plants lets you have new plants coming on all summer and think of the tomatoes you will have.

Another good idea is to fill 5 gallon buckets with good potting sil, and cut holes in the sides and make hanging tomato buckets with the cuttings. Growing them under trees that are not heavily leafed and that let dappled sun through and that get morning sun will let the tomatoes handle the harsh mid-summer sun better too.

[Jerome]

I have not had very good responses from these type boards on this topic, but I will share the method I use for rooting in case anyone is interested. This works especially good for tomatoes. I have had them root in about a week. Also, I don't claim to have thought this up. I got it from another site. Anyway, I made a "bubbler" aeroponic system that consists of a shallow plastic container, an aquarium air wand and air pump. The air wand goes in the bottom of the container, the container is filled half way and holes are drilled into the lid (about 30 holes for a small 1 gal rubbermaid container). The sucker cuttings are dipped in rooting gel or powed and placed in the holes. The bubbling in the water creates a very fine mist in the air inside the container. I currently have a few going that are pretty much loaded with climbing rose cuttings. They root for me in about 3 weeks using this method. After rooted, I transplant to a pot with soil. I have a mother plant in a hydroponic unit that supplies me with hundreds of cuttings a month. This is a very basic description. If anyone wants more info or pics, let me know. Please dont reply with "why dont you just use dirt, its cheaper and easier". I do use that method, but I like variety. One thing that is cool about this is you can just take a peak at the root progress anytime you want as they are suspended in air. Also, I get about 95% success or better. If a cutting fails, it is usually because I did something wrong when I took it. Anyway... enough rambling.... If you are interested, let me know.

Jerome

[sewfarsewgood]

I a interested in almost anything - there are no bad ideas and no bad knowledge. Unlike some others maybe - I am open to new and innovative things and I have a motto "Work smarter - not harder". Anyone can work hard, it takes knowledge to work smart. Please expain away on the process.

Arlene J

[sewfarsewgood]

What other plants have yoou had success in rooting this way??

Arlene J

[Gene]

Jerome,I have heard of this before.Last year I tried to root some things can't remeber what because it never work for me,But I was using my bio filter on my gold fish pond .It is design by pumping water to a 30 gallon barrel filled up with lava rocks about 2/3 and than top off with about 6 inches of peat gravel water and air gets pump threw this 24 hours a day.I just put the cuttings in the top peat gravel.I do know my lettuce grew great.I figured my PH was off why the cuttings didn't work

Tell us more about your system Jerome

[Twincreekfarm]

Hey Jerome,I'm interested too! Any websites etc.? Thanks, Daryll

[Jerome]

Thanks for the positive responses. I will track down the original site that I used for plans, and will post some pictures and additional info on my web page. I use the term "web page" loosely. I have been meaning to put one up, and I guess this would be a good reason to start it. I'll let you know when it is up.... hopefully tonight. Thanks.

[Jerome]

Hey sewfarsewgood,

The other plants I have done in this system are:

About 5 varieties of peppers
about 5 varieties of tomatoes
Christmas cactus (this roots any method around though)
roses
rhodoendrons
raspberries
Red-leaf Japanese maple (about 75% success. I still think seed is the way to go though. I buy them from www.carterseeds.com GREAT variety and prices)
Aborviteas (only 2 cuttings as a test - they rooted)


These are the only ones I have tried. Mostly because I am propogating the climbing rose like crazy and run out of room. I am going to switch a good portion of the roses to soil so I can try out other types of cuttings. Either that or build a bigger unit. I will post pics and some of my hydroponic "mother" plants as well.

Jerome

[sewfarsewgood]

You can post pictures directly to this site. I'll have Ann get in touch with you and you can email pictures direct to her.

Arlene J

[thesennafan]

Originally posted by Jerome
...snip.....
Red-leaf Japanese maple (about 75% success. I still think seed is the way to go though. I buy them from www.carterseeds.com GREAT variety and prices)
Aborviteas (only 2 cuttings as a test - they rooted)


These are the only ones I have tried. Mostly because I am propogating the climbing rose like crazy and run out of room. I am going to switch a good portion of the roses to soil so I can try out other types of cuttings. Either that or build a bigger unit. I will post pics and some of my hydroponic "mother" plants as well.

Jerome [/B]

Hi Jerome,
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the long term viability of the JM's you propogate from cuttings as opposed to plants grafted to rootstock. I suppose it really matters what zone your babies will end up in...I'm a Zone5a/b...

In the book 'Japanese Maples' by J.D. Vertrees....he seems to think that some varieties can do just fine on their own roots. I supppose this is one that has been hashed out before, and will be again, didn't intend to start a war, just trying to formulate my own opinion before I invest too much time and $$.

So far I think that as long as 'certain' varieties of JM's are given adequate protection, they have a damn good chance of reaching old age on their own roots....but I just don't have 30yrs to test that theory...lol.

Cheers,
Rich