So what do you have to loose? Strip most of the leaves/branches of the bottom end and put it very wet potting soil. Don't give up on it, cause the first few days it will wilt and look like it it dead, then low and behold it will come back to life.

I met to say potting MIX, I don't use potting SOIL for any thing.
Kenny

Well, I wouldn't call it "cloning" because that involves petri dishes and growing cells LOL, but you can definitely grow cuttings with no problem.
Tomatoes are magic plants in that they will grow roots along almost any broken-off branch as long as it is about 6 inches or longer. All you need to do is to get the branch in water or wet soil within a few minutes of it breaking off. (I prefer soil because it reduces steps) On an 8 inch branch, take the leaves off of about the bottom 5 inches of branch, and leave a piece with 3 or 4 leaves above ground. Put the leafless part in a plastic cup with a couple of holes in the bottom, and fill it with soil. Put it in a saucer, then fill the cup with water until it is muddy. Keep it WET and completely shaded for days until the tip starts to grow. You can then plant it in the ground and gradually add sun, and VOILA! you have another tomato plant!
If you do it immediately after taking it from the plant, the leaves won't even wilt. I do this all the time, especially in spring, when I buy a store-bought plant and want more than one, but don't want to pay for two plants.

Carla in Sac

slashy,

ALL of my (second) crop for Fall were generated from cuttings off my Summer plants. I just stuck them in cups of potting mix - - and off they went.

{{gwi:1392110}}

This Purple Haze was put in a rooting cup in early July, then transferred to the container in early August, and today it is over 72 inches tall.

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Raybo

This Purple Haze was put in a rooting cup in early July, then transferred to the container in early August, and today it is over 72 inches tall.

WOW! I can't wait to try that next year! I just pruned a bunch of branches off of my last plant. I'm hoping the bigger fruit will ripen before I get frost.

Here are several precious discussions - many with photos and great tips and how-tos - on doing cuttings and clones if you wish to review them.

Just keep in mind that it only works with growing tips or suckers, not with leaf branches.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Cuttings & Clones discussions

Dave,

Thanks for the Cuttings link. One of my challenges over the Winter is going to be rooting the cuttings off this Purple Haze, since it is an "original" F-1 plant derivative (someone sent me cuttings off his F-1 plant he got from Laurel).

As there are no seeds available for Purple Haze, I am going to try to keep multiple suckers growing over the Winter so I will have continuing F-1 plants for Spring planting.

I like the taste of the Purple Haze F-1 over the plants I grew from F-2 seed this year that I hope it will be worth the effort.

{{gwi:1392112}}

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Raybo

Thanks for all the tips! I'm hoping what I got was a 'sucker' if that's the only one that will work. I think it was, since it was growing straight out from an angled join between the main stem and a leaf branch.

I took my cutting on three days ago, put it in a vase for an hour or so til the leaves were all filled up with water, then stripped all but the top leaves (nipped out the flower buds) and put it deep into a pot. I've kept the pot very moist, and in a shady spot, and so far the cutting hasn't wilted badly at all. It's flopped a bit, but never completely wilted.

I'm impressed at how big some of your tomatoes have grown from cuttings! I'm hoping that by taking cuttings of my best tomato plants I can spread the tomato fever among my friends without having to grow all the spare plants from seed.

Cheers, Slashy

@rnewste

What a GREAT container garden of tomatoes!! I'm wrangling with something similar (albeit less neat) right now, but I LOVE your tomato cages! I've not seen any that tall! Where did you get them??? Or did you make them? I grow indeterminates, too, and I'm having the devil's own time supporting them.

Thanks also for the purple haze cuttings idea. I'll have to use that next year!

Email if you like! gallaure at yahoo dot com

----Jenna

Jenna,

All you ever wanted to know about the EarthTainer is to be found at the link below. Download the Instruction Guide to see how the cages are assembled and their internal support system within the 'Tainer.

Raybo

Here is a link that might be useful: EarthTainer Construction Guide

Raybo,

EXCELLENT container garden!! Awesome! What soil mix do you use to fill the containers? Have you ever tried cutting the bottoms off the containers? Great garden. I'm so jealous!

Russ

Russ,

I am just using straight Miracle Grow Potting Mix (WITHOUT Moisture Control).

I can't cut off the bottoms as you suggest, as that is where the water reservoir is for the automated water wicking for the root system. See the URL linked above that explains the EarthTainer dynamics.

Raybo

Raybo,

Thank you! This is PERFECT for desert container gardening. I almost wish I hadn't built my raised beds for next season. Nonetheless, I definitely will build one or two Earthtainers and try 'em out. I'm surprised that two such large plants do so well in the small space. It must be the watering system. I can't wait to give this a shot! Of course, I'll have to use short season varieties. For tomatoes, it's over here as of mid to late June. Thanks again.

Russ
russ.gladden@msn.com

Russ,

Do a search on "EarthTainer" and you will find a lot of information, tips, etc. on this Forum.

Raybo