You can grow new tomato plants from cuttings, a process also known as cloning. This technique allows gardeners to bypass the seed stage by encouraging a piece of the existing plant to develop its own root system. Because tomatoes have a natural ability to form adventitious roots along their stems, this method is straightforward and highly successful. The resulting new plant is a precise genetic duplicate of the parent, offering a reliable way to expand your garden.
Advantages of Growing Tomatoes from Cuttings
Growing tomatoes from cuttings offers several advantages. If you have a plant with desirable characteristics, such as exceptional flavor or disease resistance, cloning ensures those traits are perfectly preserved in the new generation. Propagation by cutting also dramatically shortens the time until the new plant produces fruit. While starting from seed takes six to eight weeks to reach transplantable size, a cutting develops a healthy root system in approximately seven to fourteen days. This acceleration allows for a quicker harvest, potentially extending the fruiting season in cooler climates. Utilizing material that would otherwise be pruned off, such as side shoots, makes this a cost-effective way to multiply your stock.
Selecting and Preparing the Cuttings
The ideal material for tomato cuttings is the side shoot, commonly referred to as a “sucker.” Suckers grow in the axil, the “V” where a leaf branch meets the main stem, and are often pruned off to direct energy toward main stem growth. For best results, select a healthy, vigorous sucker measuring between four and eight inches in length.
Use a clean, sharp blade or sterile pruners to make a smooth cut near the base of the sucker. Immediately remove the lower leaves from the stem, leaving only a few healthy leaves at the tip. This exposes the nodes, the points where new roots will quickly emerge. Ensure no foliage will be submerged in the rooting medium, as this can lead to rot and disease.
Step-by-Step Rooting Methods
Once prepared, cuttings can be rooted using one of two methods: water or a soilless medium. Rooting in water allows you to visually monitor root development. Place the prepared cutting in a jar of clean water, ensuring only the bare stem is submerged. New roots typically appear within a week, and the water should be changed every few days to maintain oxygen levels and prevent bacterial growth.
The alternative is rooting directly in a lightweight, well-draining medium, such as a mix of potting soil and perlite or vermiculite. This method creates a root system better adapted to soil conditions, avoiding the transition shock sometimes seen with water-rooted plants. Insert the cutting deep into the moist medium, burying it up to the point where the lower leaves were removed. For both methods, place the container in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light, protecting it from intense, direct sunlight.
Transitioning Rooted Cuttings to the Garden
Once the cutting has developed a substantial network of roots, it must be gradually introduced to outdoor conditions through a process called “hardening off.” This acclimation is necessary because the environment inside a house or sheltered area is significantly different from the elements in the garden, such as direct sun, wind, and fluctuating temperatures. Without hardening off, the tender plant is highly susceptible to sunburn and wind damage.
Start the process by placing the rooted cutting outdoors in a shaded, sheltered location for just an hour or two on the first day. Over the next seven to ten days, progressively increase the amount of time the plant spends outside, slowly introducing it to morning sun and light breezes. Once the plant has spent a full day and night outdoors, with nighttime temperatures consistently above 50°F (10°C), it is ready for permanent transplanting. When planting in the garden, place the plant deeply, burying a significant portion of the stem, as the tiny hairs along the buried stem will transform into additional roots, anchoring the plant and creating a stronger foundation.