Jul 12

Jul 12 Cloning Tomatoes

Contrary to popular belief—as well as the typical ways they are grown—tomatoes are actually a perennial plant! This means that year after year, you can grow lots and lots of tomatoes from cuttings from a single plant. This is called “cloning” and it’s super easy! Find out how to do it below…

Step 1: Prepare

Cloning tomato plants to have all year round is only possible if you are living in an environment that stays warm no matter what season it is.

However, you can still clone tomatoes to save time if you are planting later in the summer.

Once you know you have the time and environment to plant happy tomatoes, it’s time to get your cuttings…

Step 2: Cut Those Suckers

Whether you have your own established tomato plant(s), or you know someone who does, that’s all you need to get some healthy cuttings to start your new plants.

You’re going to look for “suckers” on the tomato plant. These are easy to find because they always grow in the little niche between your plant’s main stalk and the main stems. Look for suckers that are between 6 and 10 inches long, then you can just pop them off by hand. Doing this by hand means you won’t have to worry about your cuttings getting sick from whatever microbes might be on pruning blades. (Note: the best time to go get cuttings is early morning or late evening)

Once you have all the cuttings you need, the cloning can begin!

Step 3: Propagate

There are two ways that you can choose to propagate your tomato cuttings: with soil, or with water. If you need more than 2-3 weeks to have a place prepared to grow your tomatoes, the soil technique will probably work best for you. Here’s a quick rundown of how each way works:

Water

Using water to propagate your tomato plant cuttings is super simple.

First, place your cuttings in water as you pick them.
Next, take off all the leaves except for the ones at the top. This will ensure your cutting can still photosynthesize without dealing with rotting leaves.
Leave in a sunny spot for 2-3 weeks until well-rooted.
Since tomatoes can grow roots wherever the stem touches water/dirt, plant your rooted cuttings as deep as possible. Just make sure your leaves are above the soil.

Soil

Using soil to propagate your tomato plant cuttings is also very easy, and gives you much more time to prepare a home for your full tomato plant to grow in.

Do still place your cuttings in water as you pick them. This will help keep them fresh since they will begin to die once they’re off the main plant.
Next, get a container about the size of a solo cup, and make sure there’s drainage holes in the bottom before filling it with pre-moistened potting soil.
Remove all the lower leaves except for the few at the top for photosynthesis.
Plant deep into the cup as long as the leaves are above the soil.
Leave in a sunny place for 4-6 weeks, then it’s time to plant your rooted cuttings in the ground.

I hope you are inspired to start planting some tomatoes this year! With cuttings, there is most likely still time for a great harvest before the cold sets in. So grab some asap, and let me know how it goes in the comments below!

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