need help quick on planting suckers for propagation

[JRinPA]

The row of upstarts is looking great, but, may be too late. Only a few small tomatoes so far. Aug 11+ was probably...3 weeks too late to get them out.

I have pics from Sept 5th but nothing since on this camera. They are a lot bigger now and seem disease free.

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[slugworth]

I have to start taking cuttings from plants still alive.
They are talking about nighttime temps in the 40's F this week.
I never use water,just a warm wet potting soil mix.
I have to keep them segregated just in case they are infested with aphids or whitefly.

[JRinPA]

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I think I took pics last week and a couple days ago. They look good, but tomatoes are still small and time is about up. It has been so dry again, it took some water to get them this far.


Trying to get them in and growing three to five weeks earlier, I think they would have been thrashed by disease in the middle of summer. I have yet to have a good "fall" crop of tomatoes. I still have the regular season tomatoes on and they still taste good.

[JRinPA]

We are still eating tomatoes from these plants. They were picked green, just a few blushing. I said to let them go, don't bother, but instead they were very frugally picked. Stored in the kitchen and being used up as they ripened. They are finally coming to an end, supply wise, but it is almost Christmas after all...I keep hearing, "I can't believe we have fresh tomatoes in December.."

Seems it was worth the effort after all.

[Yak54]

Yeah that’s pretty amazing ! I ate my last one about a week before Thanksgiving.

[JRinPA]

I just heard " I have one more little bowl for salads and then that's it for the fresh tomatoes."

[Pleep]

I propagate tomatoes into solo cups of soil for plant sales. Here is my method.

Water plant to be cloned. I like to take the cuttings 20 minutes after a good watering.

Using clean razor blade I cut the shoots and put them in a glass of water with Hormex #3 and let them sit over night.

Next day I fill the beer cups with seed starter soil or similarly light soil.

Make a fresh cut on the stem and dip into the Hormex.

Make a hole in the soil and insert cutting.

I then mist the cuttings and put them under fluorescent lights. If they want to wilt I'll mist them lightly until they are able to handle not wilting. In dry areas a dome works but should be removed in a day or two to encourage rooting. A heat mat speeds things up but not necessary as tomato roots fast.

In years past I've taken 1000's of cuttings and rarely lose many. It's pretty easy and a good way to get plants for sales.

[JRinPA]

thank you pleep I appreciate the response.

[Greatgardens]

Do you actually need sucker's, or will any healthy new growth work? (I've never started new plants this way.)