pommy cdgtxs's method is probably the surest way to get a sucker to grow, and there are some things you need to pay attention to. First, the size of the sucker should be no more than 12-18" long. It'll root in a tall container of water in the shade, just make sure you replace the water every 2-3 days to keep it fresh. Then after it has developed 1" or longer roots, put it into a container with a fine soil mix. The roots must adjust to a new environment and be able to take up nutrients, and new growth is the best evidence that this has occurred. Last but not least. HARDEN off your new plant exactly as you would a plant you'd started from seed. Move it into the sun only gradually, starting with maybe 2-3 hours of early morning or late afternoon sun and gradually extending the time by a couple of hours each day until they're able to tolerate a full day of sunlight. Keep it watered -- small containers dry out quickly in full sunlight. Think of it as a child who must be gradually exposed to sunshine to develop a tan before being outside all day. Then plant it in your garden late one afternoon and water well then, too. I'd remove all the leaves except for the ones on the top and bury the plant up to those top leaves. It'll develop even more roots along the stem. If you plant at dusk, the plant will have several hours to adjust to its new environment, and it should be fine. I'm going to have to get another plant this same way from the one Neves Azorean Red seed that germinated (out of five seeds that someone sent me), since I want to grow two of them and have plenty of viable seeds for next year. You're lucky that you can always grow from cuttings!

Dave - oh most assuredly. I didn't WANT those tall gangly plants I had 10 days ago. My only concern was if I could save any of them. I'm confident these rootings will turn out to be fine plants in the end. I think a lot of my success (with the longer, leafier cuttings) in large part came from using the warming tray. And the root stimulator. Anyway, it's fun. And gives me an excuse to STILL not clean up the basement...;-D I certainly would not hesitate to do this again. In fact, I'm looking forward to trying this with some suckers...! :-D Kris

Yes Dave; I would not have known to adjust the picture size- I am still working on it. My experience was an interesting lesson in tomato culture (for a newbie) Anney; My Rutgers "sucker starts" became nice sized plants, so I do have Rutgers-thanks for the neighborly gesture to share one! -but the "top end starts" did not take. Just looked like leaf ends. Jeremyjs; I couldn't understand if a plant is determinate why some would some say this part could grow. If a determinate plant means top growth IS limited (?) Then its not surprising, right? But some determinate tomato plants MAY continue growth from the top stem? Boggles me-but I do get the "suckers"--NEAT!--Daisy

Here are my last tips for this first week of November. The tips y'all have shared are just great. Thanks for contributing. This tip for storing berries is wonderful. When get home from the grocery store, immediately rinse blueberries, strawberries and raspberries in hot water, drain and put in a glass jar when dry. Instead of a 24 hour life they can go almost a week with their flavor, texture and appearance intact. They'll keep as long as a week; it's amazing, but they last. Harold McGee To keep grapes juicy, plump, and tasty for at least twice as long do the following: As soon as you get them home from the store remove them all from the stems, wash thoroughly, and seal in a plastic container. The grapes will last for several weeks without any loss of taste or texture. Silpat Cooking Mat -use it for forming dough on, instead of a floured counter or a bread board. As long as you handle the dough with oiled hands, no bench flour is necessary and clean-up is q & e. -pour that holiday peanut brittle on it and it doesn't stick. Great for making small rounds of peanut brittle. -line a jelly roll pan with a Silpat and bake meatballs or sausage balls on it. The grease wipes off and the meatballs don't stick. Take an ear of corn and stick it into the hole of a Bundt pan, then slice the corn off into the pan. Never put tomatoes in the same drawer with your other produce. It gives off a gas that makes produce ripen too fast. If you use non-stick frying pans, never use Pam type sprays on them. The propellent eats into the coatings and ruins them. Instead, add a drop of oil and use a brush to spread it around. Microwave sliced fresh mushrooms on paper towels just until they give up their water then squeeze them just a little. Then fry them in butter and they brown nicely and quickly without that moisture you always get in the frying pan. Whenever you need oat flour, you can make your own by blending oatmeal into a fine powder in your blender or food processor. It takes approximately 1-1/2 c. of oatmeal to make about 1-cup oat flour. After buttering the bread for grilled cheese sandwiches, press the buttered side into some grated parmigiano or pecorino before grilling. It totally adds to the texture and flavor. Crispy cheesy salty bread. If you want the yolks of your deviled eggs to be perfectly centered, stir the pot a few times in the first moments they are beginning to simmer. Purchase a whole bone-in rib roast when it goes on sale the day after Thanksgiving for an obscenely cheap price. Then it can be butchered into a Christmas rib roast, several steaks, have bones for beef stock, and scraps for grinding meat. Greens - The grit problem was brilliantly solved by the Mississippi Delta Chinese families. Put greens of any kind into a net bag like stockings are washed in and put it in the washing machine for a quick rinse in cold water and a spin. Works great.