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Growing Tomatoes

Growing tomato plants from suckers.

14 years ago

Many years ago, I was growing a tomato plant in a container that simply wasn't performing as well as I wanted. I started breaking off suckers and sticking them in the soil in the same container. I went through a few generations of plants by doing that, but I don't remember how many. Has anyone else done that? How many generations is it reasonable to expect (moving it inside and out with the seasons like a perennial)a tomato plant to live and produce by cloning by sucker? Will it's genetic identity eventually break down or can it continue forever? I have a volunteer plant growing this year (I think from a Super Fantastic hybrid) that is simply out producing any tomato plant I have ever had. I know it can't breed true as an F2, but is it possible to retain clones through suckers to plant next year?

Ted

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Comments (5)

sprtsguy76
14 years ago
Yes, you can clone forever as long as your willing to nurse them in the off season. They will stay true.

Damon
yardenman
14 years ago
I have used the technique to "plant" new Brandywines as they tend to die off here after the second flush of fruits in August. It extends their season without growing new ones from seed in May. That gets me into October.
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I originally started from some heirloom tomato plants I purchased one spring at a local farm. I got some BrandyWine, Green Zebra, Cherokee purple plants and once I got some fruit, I let the tomato "rot" slightly then fished thru the gooey tomato and pulled out the seeds. Let them dry and stored them This spring I took some of the seeds, use perfect starts and sprouted them, then moved them to my hydro systems outside. Now the plants are approx 8-9 feet tall and I've been taking clones of them and find that cloning is the way to go and MUCH faster than starting seeds. I agree with Grizzman, cloning a tomato is simple, and I've had great luck with tomato and some other plants in my homebuilt cloning machine Have fun! -Eric Technology Garden
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Comments (8)
I've never done it so can't give any concrete advice. Sure Dawn and others have and will be along with better advice. I will tell you my experience from moving volunteers and transplanting in the heat. I've had good results doing it. And have lots of experience doing it. I moved 2 volunteer plants during the heat and both are looking good. Both small and by themselves. So moved a huge shovel full of dirt and then mulched heavy, shaded them and watered well for several days. The best way I've found is like I did a bunch of 5 plants I had. I dug them up. Potted each plant in an 18 ounce cup with potting soil and kept in a cool spot in the shade for several days. Then gradually moved them back into the sun for longer periods of time each day after around 4 days. Today is 2 weeks and with the cool spell will transplant them to the garden. Would of Thursday evening but with the cool spell coming decided to wait. In my opinion you would need to start them either in doors( probably best) or in a real cool spot out of the sun for a while. Transplanting in the heat has risks. And I feel rooting suckers or stems and starting them would even be harder in the heat. So would be best done inside in cooler conditions. Will be interested to read the opinions of those who have done it and have more knowledge of it. Jay
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Suckers... get more from your tomatoes...
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Comments (2)
Gee, it never even occurred to me to sell them!!!! They're heirlooms from seeds, usually of my own saving, and all I'm doing is extending my own use in my own season, occasionally letting a neighbor start again when she's already lost her plants for the season. greentongue
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Comments (2)
Suckers produce fruit so why not, I would let them grow.
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johnpeter
14 years ago
I put my 6" to 12" suckers in water vessels for about a month... and keep them in the shade. Bear in mind I live in a comparatively hot, arid climate, relative to most places in the USA... so dessication is an obvious threat to any plant that lacks an extensive root system.

My suckers exhibit profuse rooting after about a month, and then I pot them in loose soil. Cool weather and cloudy skies (such as our "gray May" and "June gloom") promote the survival of these delicate upstarts.

By the time our August heat arrives, my tomato plants will need extensive rooting systems in their 10 gallon pots, and even then I have to shade the plants on hot days. Potted plants like those in my backyard simply cannot hydrate fast enough to keep up with the loss of sustaining moisture, lost through transpiration, in desert-like weather.
tedln
Original Author
14 years ago
Does a climate exist (even in a greenhouse) that allows a tomato plant to live year after year as a perennial? If not, is it because a tomato plant is simply genetically designed to start dieing after seeding enough to secure the next generation?
avajay
14 years ago
I've read that a tomato can be kept as a perennial for up to 3 years under the correct conditions. Why only 3, I dunno, but I've read that on 2 or 3 different sites.

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